Key Services Showcase
The following showcases a selection of peer support services. It is designed to highlight work which has been done in this area and the history, philosophy and models used by different organisations. For more information about any of the services, please contact them through the contact details provided.
Our Consumer Place
Our Consumer Place is a mental health resource centre run by mental health consumers (people who have a lived experience of ‘mental illness’). We believe that consumer perspective and consumer leadership are vital in how we understand and respond to ‘mental illness’. All our staff have lived experience as consumers and countless other consumers contribute to OCP when additional expertise is required.
Our Consumer Place does not deliver peer support directly, but plays an important role in supporting peer work. We deliver training in Intentional Peer Support (IPS), which was developed by Shery Mead and is a model of peer support that is trauma informed and deeply respectful of lived experience. We provide networking and training opportunities for peer workers and other consumers, provide resources that are relevant to the peer workforce and participate in policy development and consultations. We provide space for consumers to discuss challenging issues on our own terms and ultimately, foster a culture that respects and values peer support and consumer perspective.
Contact: Flick Grey, Resource Co-ordinator
Ph: (03) 9320 6802
Email: service@ourconsumerplace.com.au
Website: http://www.ourconsumerplace.com.au
Peer Work Project (South Australia)
The Peer Work Project (PWP) is a collaborative project between the Mental Illness Fellowship South Australia (MIFSA) and Baptist Care (SA) Inc. It was initiated in 2005, following a commitment by the Mental Health Unit to grow and support Peer Workers in South Australia.
The project offers training and support to individuals who wish to utilise their lived experiences with mental health. The PWP runs an introduction to Peer Work (IPW) course. The PWP also facilitates a variety of other professional development workshops and have developed training materials for the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.
Individuals who complete the course or who are working as Peer Workers are invited to register to the Peer Network, where they are kept up to date on employment opportunities, relevant information, are invited to share articles of interest and can access both pre employment and on the job Peer Mentoring support.
The PWP also offer training and support to organisations wishing to employ Peer Workers. The PWP team can support organisations to develop job and person specifications, assess organisational need, support change management structures, provide staff training/information as well as on the job supports for staff.
Contact: Deiniol Griffith, Project Co-ordinator
Mental Illness Fellowship SA
Ph: (08) 8378 4100
Email: dgriffith@mifsa.org
Website: http://www.peerwork.org.au/
