Authors: Wellink Trust
Year: 2010
Event: 2010 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: NZ
Award level: Finalist
Award category: Consumer Provided Services
Abstract: Key We Way is a peer delivered ‘Recovery House’. It is a service that was totally developed, set up and run by Consumers and carers for people who are experiencing acute psychiatric distress and is an alternative to inpatient care in an acute psychiatric unit. The name Key We Way was selected with the underlying principle in mind. The ‘Key’ is in the ‘We’. ? All Guests and Staff are peers. That is the ‘Key’; ? The ‘We’ is the ‘Key’ of relief of acute distress and healing. ? The ‘We’ is strong because of the real connection that comes from all having had acute psychiatric experiences. The ‘We’ is also strong because of the approach of making connection, understanding each other’s worldviews, having mutual responsibility for relationship developed and mutual moving toward something (recovery of wellbeing). (Shery Mead Intentional Peer Support). Key We way is a mental health service that interfaces with acute and community mental health teams and the acute psychiatric unit. Key We Way house can have up to 4 guests at a time. The length of stay averages 3weeks. It is staffed 24 hours a day seven day a week. Guests also have of use other peer services Wellink has such as Worklink (for employment), Homelink (for housing) and Community Link for longer term recovery of wellbeing work and community linking. Description of Facility/Organisation: • Wellink Trusts a Mental Health NGO that operates in the greater Wellington area( Capital Coast District Health Board and Hutt Valley District Health Board) • We work with approximately 400 clients at any one time in our community Link, Homelink, Worklink service and Warmline. • Wellink has a budget of approximately. $6.5 million. • We are mainly funded through District Health board funding and some though the department of social development. • Wellink is not a totally peer organisation though it has a high number of self disclosed consumer working at all levels of the organisation. • My role in the organisation is Strategic Advisor. This role is a consumer role that provides Consumer advice to the Executive team and sponsors of all the specialist peer services and other peer roles in Wellink Trust. • Specialist peer services are also Managed by a peer Service manager • The strategic Advisor’s function is protected in Wellink’s Trust Constitution. One of the rules and responsibilities for the Trust Board is to protect consumer advice and the integrity of Peer services
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