Dr Magenta Simmons

PEER SUPPORT IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH

PEER SUPPORT

Lived experience

MutualityHope & recovery

YOUTH PEER SUPPORT

• Orygen has run peer support programs for more than 15 years

• Rapidly growing workforce nationally and internationally

• Critical issues:

• Age of peer workers (ageing out)• Support for first time employees

• Impact on career trajectory

• Capacity to advocate• Early intervention ethos

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MAKING IT HAPPEN IN PRACTICE

Good evidence that programs are effective in adult mental healthVery few studies in youth mental health

Challenges (adult literature) • Role confusion (what the role is and how it fits with service)

• Role diffusion (co-optation, acculturation)

• Professional stigma (negative attitudes, lack of credibility)• Boundaries (between known categories, identity)

• Lack of support (peer supervision, adequate training and processes)

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THE CHOICE PROJECT

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PEER SUPPORT AND SHARED DECISION MAKING

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IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES

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QUALITATIVE EVALUATION

• 8 peer workers • Focus groups at baseline, 3 months (midpoint) and 6 months

• Trajectory analysis

Themes:1. From fear to hope

2. Improved understanding of the role and its benefits3. Evolving concept of understanding shared experiences as assets

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EXPERIENCES OVER TIME

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What motivates youth peer workers?

2. What are their expectations about their roles?

3. What are their experiences in these roles (over time)?

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QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS

• Purposive sampling– Existing and new peer workers

– Variety of roles

• Once-off interviews for existing peer workers

• Baseline and 3 month interviews for new peer workers

• Semi-structured interview schedule

• Thematic analysis & trajectory analysis

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RESULTS

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PARTICIPANTS

22 interviews (15 baseline, 7 follow-up)• Existing peer workers

– Youth peer workers (Orygen)

– Family peer workers (Orygen)• New peer workers

– Vocational support peer workers (headspace)

– Hybrid peer educator and peer support workers (headspace)– Post discharge support program (IPU)

– Online peer workers (Orygen and headspace)

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MOTIVATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS

Motivations• Giving back

• Negative – positive

• Value of the model• Something they didn’t have

• Foot in the door

Expectations• Practical, one-to-one peer support

• Role ambiguity

• Supportive and knowledgeable team • No expectations

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EXPERIENCES

Benefits• For clients at the service

• For themselves

• For other staff members• For the organisation

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EXPERIENCES OVER TIME

Factors influenced (either for better or worse):• Success and impact of program

• Confidence

• Skill development • Own mental health/recovery

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FACTORS

• Uncertainty – Knowledge of peer support

– Role confusion

– Role diffusion (also part time, $, career progression opportunities)

• Support

– Peer supervision and mentoring– Champions within the service and expectations of others

– Contact with other peer workers

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CONCLUSIONS

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SUMMARY

• Peer support programs hold much opportunity• Challenges similar to adults, exacerbated because of age

• Need strong implementation plans with support

• Need to explore these issues in other contexts

• Signals found in this qualitative study need exploring

• Surveys for the youth peer workforce (can we predict attrition?)• Develop and evaluate online hub

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SUPPORTING THE WORKFORCE

Training Professional development

Peer supervision

Career progression

Professional networking

More senior roles

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The CHOICE Project:• headsapce Gosford

• Peer workers

• Deb Howe• Tara Dimopoulos-Bick

• Samantha Bachelor

• Dominiek Coates• headspace and Department of Health

and Aging Service Innovation Project Grant

Experiences over time:• Kendall Allsop

• Peer work participants

• Peer work steering groups 2017 and 2019

• N Fava, B O’Bree, R Randall, H Kennedy, J Olsen, E Matenson

• Society for Mental Health Research ECR Grant

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THANK YOU

magenta.simmons@orygen.org.au

MAGENTA SIMMONS

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