The world of mental health practice has been changed forever by the introduction of peer workers into both the state and the NGO sector. This Practice Guide is a exploration of this new worker by three critical Thinkers. Ron Coleman spent 13 years of his life as a service user in the UK mental health system spending 7.5 years of his life as an inpatient in various hospitals in London and Greater Manchester. His experience of hospital and his journey out of Psychiatry is now reflected in everything he does and you will find some of that experience within the pages of this book. William Ellis has had many roles in his life and has worked in many differing roles within the field of mental health. More importantly William has always been open about the struggles he has gone through and he brings these insights. Karen Taylor spent 17 years as a psychiatric nurse before leaving to work full time with Ron Coleman as a director of Working to Recovery Ltd. This background made Karen an Ideal Author alongside Ron and William It is this three way combination that brings to the market a book that can be seen as different, full of Learning and hope for the future.

"Peer supports really work: They help all students learn, make the most of teacher and paraprofessional time, and foster important social connections among students. This is the concise, practical guide every middle and high school needs to implement peer support strategies - including cooperative learning and peer tutoring - to benefit students with moderate to severe disabilities and their peers." "Filled with photocopiable planning, implementation, and evaluation tools, this must-have guide will help educators and paraprofessionals create schools where all students - with and without disabilities - achieve academic and social success."--BOOK JACKET.

Intentional Peer Support: An Alternative Approach is an innovative curriculum that explores ways to create mutually supportive relationships. It includes appendices for peer support warmlines, peer-run respite programs, and resources for peers working in the mental health system. Topics include:What is Peer Support?The Four Tasks and Three PrinciplesFirst Contact and LanguageListening DifferentlyBuilding Trauma-Informed & Mutually Responsible RelationshipsWorking with Challenging Situations and Negotiating ConflictSelf-Care/Relational Care/Work CareUsing Co-ReflectionPeer Support Competencies and ValuesAnd More...

In recent years, the concepts of peer support, self-help and self-management have moved from the periphery of mental health care toward the centre, and have fast become mainstream approaches to supporting well-being. Peer Support in Mental Health provides an overview of the core concepts and an appreciation of the complexities, controversies and applications of each concept. This innovative textbook will support not only mental health professionals and trainees, but also peers, people who use services and their carers. The authors... - Track the development of peer support approaches and provide an overview of their current uses and applications. - Use case examples to support the application of theory to practice. - Draw on lived experience to demonstrate the diff erent approaches to peer support.

To aid the progress of peer support care, Peer Support Work highlights the experiences of contributors who work or study social care and have lived experience with mental health, substance use, homelessness, criminal justice, and migration.

Across the globe, evaluating the initiatives and planning strategies of the modern workforce has become increasingly imperative. By developing professional competencies, various sectors can achieve better quality skill development. Workforce Development Theory and Practice in the Mental Health Sector is an essential reference source on the understanding of workforce capacity and capability and examines specific benefits and applications in addiction and mental health services. Featuring extensive coverage on a range of topics including public service provision, staff motivation, and clinical competency, this book is ideally designed for policy makers, academicians, researchers, and students seeking current research on the challenges facing countries in the areas of planning and development in the workforce.

This book is a landmark on the journey of peer work in the mental health sector in Australia. It is the first of its kind in Australia: a co-produced book on peer work. It is arguably the first of its kind in the world. This book fulfils the need for a deeper understanding of peer work. The growth of the peer workforce, along with the development of new areas of engage-ment such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme and expansion of the evidence base supporting peer work, highlighted the need for documenting the progress, achievements and future outlook of peer work in the mental health sector in Australia. The publication of this book is both timely and courageous. Timely, because the mental health sector in Australia is currently engaged in the activities and stresses of mental healthcare reform. The growth and maturity of peer work is at a point where its further development and policy structures are intersecting with broader disability sector reforms, leading to new understandings and acknowledgement of the value of quality peer worker. Courageous, because it sets out to produce a quality and substantial book on peer work in Australia, without anything other than enthusiasm and commitment to fulfil a desperate need for such a resource. Also courageous is the reiteration of the fact that there is now good evidence that peer work is an effective and high-quality intervention, and that mental health services require new approaches, such as peer work, in order to deliver effective services. A coalition was formed between Janet Meagher, Mind Australia and Flourish Australia. (Mind Australia and Flourish Australia are leading specialist mental health service providers in Australia.) Both organisations were deeply committed to the production and bore production costs equally. The publication did not receive any external funding. The editorial working group included of representatives from both organisa-tions. It consisted of: Janet Meagher, Tim Fong (Flourish Australia), Fay Jackson (Flourish Australia), Erandathie Jayakody (Mind Australia) and Anthony Stratford (Mind Australia), and was supported by Kim Jones with admini-stra-tive assistance. A commitment to co-production of the book was established from the outset. This is reflected in the membership of the editorial working group and the contributing authors. (Three of the editorial working group members are peer workers, as are twenty-seven of the authors.) Key individuals and organisations were invited to write an original paper for the book. Authors are predominantly experts by experience. They have lived through and thrived (not just survived) in the experience of recovery from mental health challenges; they are recognised for using the insights and expertise from their personal expertise to inform their work and are known for doing so in paid professional roles. They have documented their work and experience in the paid lived experience workforce and research with eloquence, courage and professionalism. In addition to the contributing authors, approximately forty-five peers across Australia contributed to the book by participating in a workshop to discuss key issues and future directions on peer work. Their contribution is documented in the chapter 'A force for change', written by Leanne Craze and David Plant. Readers will also come to an understanding that the peer workforce is an ever-increasing and vital component of multifaceted teams across all levels of the mental health sector, from service delivery to policy making to funding of services. They will gain understanding of how lived experience and peer work staff bring about much-needed cultural change in services and workplaces.