Centre Of Excellence Peer Support

A new Centre for Excellence in Peer Support (Mental Health) was launched in June 2011. Providing internet-based resources and individualised support, its purpose is to support capacity-building in peer support work. It is for use by consumer and carer peer support workers, NGOs, mental health services and individuals who provide or want to provide peer support.

 

The Centre’s website (www.peersupportvic.org) provides access to resources such as:

 
  • A peer support services directory
  • Practical resources to use in your work, such as sample forms, templates and guides
  • Recent research on peer support
  • Upcoming training and peer support positions being advertised
  • Training materials on setting up support groups and peer support services (coming soon)
 The Centre also provides a central point for sharing information via the Forum. 

The website needs your input – it’s a framework to be filled with your experience, knowledge and collective wisdom about peer support. So, please send in your contributions! These could include:

  • Details of your peer support work. Include your service or support group in the directory, so consumers, carers and other providers can find your service. This will also enable increased communication and collaboration between peer support services.
  • Resources, research and other material on peer support you have to share. Add your reflections on an issue you’ve faced in peer support work, an evaluation you’ve done of your peer support service or details of an article, report or other research on the benefits of peer support.
  • Details of upcoming training and employment opportunities (positions advertised.)
  • Post a question or start a conversation on the Forum. For example, if you’re facing a particular issue in peer support work, you could ask if others have experienced it and have suggestions or ideas. And please, respond to others’ postings.
  •  Subscribe to receive the e-zine. 
The website is a way we can provide peer support to each other so please share your valuable knowledge.  

Have you endorsed the Charter of Peer Support? The Charter was launched at the same time as the Centre of Excellence. Its purpose is to promote and advocate for the further recognition and resourcing of peer support work. It highlights the validity and importance of peer support and sets out its key values, principles and benefits. Especially if you are a peer support provider, please endorse the Charter to strengthen its significance as an collective advocacy tool and a widely recognised statement by community-based peer support services. See http://www.peersupportvic.org/peer-support-charter for more information.

 

As the Project Worker for the Centre, I am also available to provide individualised information and support by telephone (ph. 1300 237 199) or email (peer.support@arafemi.org.au). Business planning, in-house training and mentoring can be provided to individuals or services wanting to implement new peer support projects or enhance existing ones.

 

The Centre of Excellence has been established by the seven statewide Mutual Support and Self Help organisations: ARAFEMI (lead agency), The Compassionate Friends, Eating Disorders Foundation of Victoria (EDFV), Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA), Action Disability Ethnicity Community (ADEC), Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria (ARCVic) and GROW. It is funded by a grant from the ANZ Trust William Buckland Foundation.

Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome, ph. 1300 237 199 or email peer.support@arafemi.org.au.

 

 Center of Excellence in Peer Support                                               CEPS Tree