@AussieRecharger
As a peer worker, do you find that there are new terms and trends all the time you need to keep up with?
In the lived experience space, language changes all the time and we don't have one universal language to refer to the same things. For example the peer workforce is called different things depending on which state you live in. In some states, it might be peer work, peer support work, lived experience work, consumer peer work, carer peer work, family, friends and family peer work, recovery coach, recovery worker, etc.
So it can get a bit confusing! To have a look at some of the ways we refer to peer work, you can see lots of different roles and language here: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/getmedia/0b13e22c-bfe3-4c0d-b348-25a0edb1a723/NMHC_Lived-Experience-Workforce-Development-Guidelines_Roles
Broadly though, we are now using "Lived Experience Workforce" to refer to all lived experience designated roles (where applying lived experience is a part of the job description), and "Peer Work/Peer Support Work" to refer to front line peer support roles.
Do you feel that being a peer worker is a career or do you feel like it needs to a be stepping stone as doing it for too long can be detrimental to your own health?
Being a peer worker can be a career, and there are now options to move from peer worker to other areas of the lived experience workforce too including leadership, policy, projects, research, team management, program management etc. It's a really exciting time to be in this line of work, because the possibilities are growing. In some ways, there are more opportunities than other workforces 🙂
In terms of health, it really depends of what your goals are and how you manage your wellbeing in the peer work role. In the right environment, with the right supports, similar to other mental health professions longevity in peer support and a long term career is possible. I have friends who have been peer workers for 30 years, and they will stay in peer work until they retire 🙂
How do you feel when someone makes you out to be the enemy because your part of the "system"?
This is a tricky one, and is a hard balance for many peer workers. Personally, it hits close to home for me sometimes, which is why we have supports in place such as supervision and debriefing.
Unlike other mental health supports, as peer workers we have "one foot in each camp"- we know what it is like to access mental health services, and know the challenges from our personal experiences, AND we are also employed by services to provide support.
A lot of it comes down to how we manage expectations for ourselves and for others. There are some things that are inside and outside of the scope of peer work, and of a service, and those conversations can be tough to have, but at the end of the day are the most compassionate thing for everyone involved.
One thing I always remind myself is that I have the ability to also use my lived experience within services to influence the system to be more accessible and recovery oriented. The presence of peer workers in services can create massive culture change, and we are change agents in that regard. It's not always easy, but it is rewarding to create change.
