Session Resources S050: “Champions of mental health peer work – Catalysing the growth of a national peer work trainer workforce”

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By September 9, 2015 No Comments

Authors: Chris Keyes, Kristy Webb

Year: 2015

Event: 2015 TheMHS Conference

Subject: Peer Work - experience, training, development

Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers

Abstract: The Champions of Mental Health Peer Work represents an innovative national capacity building initiative to grow a peer trainer and assessor workforce to deliver the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work and streamline implementation of the qualification across Australia.

The advent of the release of national training resources through the Mental Health Peer Work Qualification Development project, has sparked an urgent need for a workforce of trainers to work with RTOs across Australia to commence training.

Funded by the National Mental Health Commission (NMHC) and coordinated by the Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC) on behalf of Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA), this project has funded and supported 30 experienced consumer and carer peer workers to undertake the necessary qualifications to become trainers and assessors of the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.

A contemporary group-based model for recognition was used to assess knowledge of champions across a five-day workshop and grant qualifications required of these trainers.
Opportunities have emerged in this process to address the development and support needs of this pivotal new workforce as they prepare to deliver this nationally consistent training to consumer and carer peer workers, assisting to cement the role of peer work in the Australian mental health sector.

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