Support workers - getting my needs met.

Hello this is a rough outline of what Peers/mentors workers should be practicing.

Peers/mentor should engage in direct work with consumers and in indirect work that supports their work with consumers. The main types of direct work are advocacy, connecting to resources, experiential sharing, building community, relationship building, group facilitation, skill building/mentoring/goal setting, and socialization/self-esteem building. The main types of indirect work are group planning and development, administration, team communication, supervision/training, receiving support, education/awareness building, and information gathering and verification. Experience, approach, presence, role modeling, collaboration, challenge, and compromise can be seen as the tangible enactments of peers’ philosophy of work.

Please go to the organization and seek to speak to management as your mentor might be having issues themself but there is no excuses for not supporting or even contacting the consumer in their time of need.

You need you needs meet and you need to make sure they are getting meet cause after all this is about you and your mental health. I think if you explain to management of the situation your support will change. And your mentor just might need to reflect on themselves and their responsibilities. Also sometimes we all need our boss to talk to us to put us back in line. Sometimes it is a blessing as your mentor might not be doing so well and then the organisation can support their needs. And please never worry about asking your mentor if they are alright as Peer/Mentor is also about mutual respect and concern for each other.

have a great week and be kind to yourself 🙂

Well, I haven't seen my support worker for 5 weeks and was meant to meet with her today. She cancelled yet again! Sigh! Do I smell or something??? *scratches head*

Hey @Former-Member. I think she cancels because she has a client just before my appointments which is constantly in crisis and having a duty of care to them, has to cancel my appointment at short notice. Disappointing but what can you do?

I think I might have to get my Mrs (who is my nominated carer) on board to sort this out @Former-Member. It cannot continue, especially if I manage to get a package under the NDIS. Sometimes I wish I was still public to have access to a case manager, but I decided to go private about seven years ago. When I was living in my former area, I have loads of support, but moving to a metropolitan area, I've seemingly fallen through the cracks somewhat.

Hi @Queenie,

I feel like I can understand a little of what you are going through. I think 5 weeks without an appointment, when you are supposed to be meeting fortnightly, is way too long.

Yes, I believe you should contact the support worker's supervisor and let them know about your experience, as they may not be aware that there is a problem. You cannot assume that they know.

If you speak to them or email them in a direct and polite way, then I don't think you are stepping over the line.

Recently, I got "dumped" by both Griefline and a social worker who I contacted through my Dad's hospice care group. ( a long story) On both occasions, they simply failed to make contact at the appointed time, and failed to call, they both just disappeared! I did not get any kind of polite apology or anything. I was just 'ghosted'. No text message , just nothing.

If I were really in trouble and needed them, I would definitely call and inform them of what happened. Or else I would contact a new, different service and go from there. As it happens, I am ok ( but no thanks to them!)

You can just say something like "I'm not sure if you are aware, but my appointments have been cancelled multiple times." And also "I think it might be better if I were matched with a different support worker, as this one hasn't worked out". It's fine to be pro-active... Just be gentle and neutral and stick to the facts... You don't have to make it like a real complaint.