Abstract
Peer workers are uniquely positioned in mental health services to deliver care to consumers in a multidisciplinary approach using their lived experience. They walk someone through the ups, downs and sideways of a mental health recovery journey and they provide hope as a resource when consumers struggle to provide it for themselves. Not only do peer workers form strong bonds with consumers through their mutuality and world view, but they also help consumers make sense of the complex, clinical and often scary system of services related to mental health. This is especially the case for young people.
There are increasing efforts by both government and non-government organisations to increase the youth peer workforce in Australia. Despite these positive improvements, the rapidly growing peer workforce has resulted in haphazard implementation and integration within current service models. Much of the literature documenting youth peer workforce development focuses on the distinct challenges youth peer workers (YPW) are facing, compromising the extent to which a YPW can deliver care and the future efficacy of the workforce. Research is growing in the identification of “best practices” for successful implementation of peer workers including role clarity, training and supervision, management, professional development, agency and co-design, wellbeing, policy and ongoing evaluation. However, there is little practical guidance and support for mental health services that want to implement YPWs or strengthen their existing workforce. The barriers to successful implementation directly correspond to “best practice” not being implemented at a sufficient standard. Some of these identified barriers include role ambiguity, stigma, inadequate training and supervision, a lack of career progression, problematic organisational cultures and systems and an absence of policy and professional standards for peer workers.
This presentation will state the suggested best practice identified in the literature for implementing an integrated youth peer workforce and compare this with the real experiences of YPW in one LHD through qualitative interviews and surveys. Some examples of the results from preliminary data collected from youth peer workers employed in Randwick Health Precinct services demonstrates that critical areas that need improvement are role clarity with respondents rating the accuracy of their role description at 6/10. Another illuminating issue was the fact that none of the respondents received any training as peer workers prior to commencing their role and no peer workers have ever received formal training on youth peer work as a specialty. The presentation will examine the core components of the integration of youth peer workers and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the youth peer workforce.