Foundations of Peer Work

Description

Based on the content designed for the Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work, this 5 day training course will introduce you to the fundamentals required to effectively work with an organisation as a peer worker. This course is an essential introduction for any consumers or carers who are, or want to be peer workers.
At completion of this course, students should be able to:
• Understand a range of frameworks and approaches applicable to peer work
• Understand the diversity of roles and skills required by a peer worker
• Explore consumer and carer preferences, values, needs and goals
• Work within international, national and state legislative frameworks including the Mental health Act 2014 and the National Mental Health Standards.
• Navigate the mental health system in order to facilitate access to resources, information and services.
• Have a thorough understanding of ethical decision making, boundaries, duty of care and dignity of risk and how these impact on consumers, workers and organisations.
• Use their lived experience in meaningful and purposeful ways.
• Manage risk in sharing stories
• Understand trauma, vicarious trauma, re-traumatisation and the importance of self-care
• Be able to plan, resource, facilitate and evaluate groups common to peer work.