Peer work employment

Hi @recovery and welcome 🖐

It's nice of you to drop by and tell us a little about yourself. I'm assuming you're in recovery mode by how you're talking; congrat's! Can I ask, what do you mean by 'peer work'? In what field do you do this casual work?

Hope

Hello hope4me

By peer work I mean Consumer Consultant.

It is a new term that most employers use now especially for jobs.

For instance the qualification from Mental Health Victoria is called certificate four in mental health - peer work.

I have been in recovery for a decade with ups and downs. Prior to that it was degenerative. Now it’s more of a slow remission with work and life nowadays. Thanks for your message.

Wow @recovery a consumer consultant, well done to you!

I also did the certificate iv in mental Health but not the peer work one as it was prior to that qualification. I’m nearly finished a diploma in community services and want to go to university to do social work. I aim to be a peer worker working in early psychosis prevention and intervention.

I would like to know how to develop a career also. I’m a member of my state’s peak body for the consumer side of mental Health and also the Australian community workers association. They often advertise professional but development opportunities and jobs.

Good to hear from you and good luck with your continued recovery journey.

Thanks @Queenie

I kind of fell into consumer consultancy through a lucky break.

Once I had started small roles in Administration it lead to facilitating groups in the employment sector.

I got into it because I was know by attending services such as the clubhouses that were around in those days quite regulary. At the clubhouses I used to help others and staff. This is how I became known.

I was asked to give presentations at times and became very good at it.

Presentations are a very important part of consumeer consulting and ones that do them well may get noticed for unadvertised oppurtunities.

I am very impressed with your Qualifications and wish you well with your studies. This is sure to open doors for you in the future and give you the training to do rewarding work.

My studies are in Commerce and Arts so when working towards peer work I have to explain how my lived experience and learnings about mental health over time has quailified me for work.

I would like to invite anyone who would like to know more about part time work helping others with the expereience we have to add to this disscusion. A part ime working life has helped keep the symptoms away and given a routine and real purpose.

Best wishes to everyone.

It’s interesting that you mentioned clubhouses, I’ve found them invaluable in my own recovery @recovery . They really helped to reestablish a routine plus the clubhouse I was a member of was a massive support, especially after the death of my best mate to suicide.

Maybe there’s hope for me yet? Thanks for sharing your story, it is very inspiring!

Your Welcome @@Queenie.

Clubhouses were good for the routine and a place to go. It is work now that gives routine to me and others as well as some money too.

So sorry to hear about your friend, I too have lost, sometimes okay sometimes not so.

I am sure there is hope for everyone especially as we grow older and learn to look after ourselves better.

Thanks.

Hi @recovery

Currently I’m a family support worker. I love my work with the clients but the office environment is a bit toxic & unstable & is taking its toll on my mental health. I was SO on my way in recovery, but last week I relapsed pretty badly. Some of it was lack of support at work.

Last night I jumped on here to read people’s experiences of taking time off work for mental health & how to approach it. It led me to peer worker positions, which I hadn’t thought of. The peer workers were invaluable while I was in subacute 15 months ago. Then I found a peer worker position in my local area (a small coastal town with limited employment opportunities!) It was like it landed in my lap! So i’d like to explore this..

Are you still enjoying the position? Do you find it difficult at times speaking about your own experiences a lot? What is the pay like, if you don’t mind me asking? (Not after an exact figure, just whether you find it on the great to reasonable to low scale). I’d volunteer if I could but I have a mmortgage to pay. So unfortunately this is something to consider.. I’d definitely drop pay a bit for the position & working environment. It blows my mind that I could be completely authentic, not worrying about the stigma of mental health etc