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A helping hand: taking peer support into the 21st century

A helping hand: taking peer support into the 21st century Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review current perspectives on peer support in mental health informed by service user perspectives. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is informed by a literature review and consultations with five groups of service users engaged in different forms of peer support. Findings – The findings suggest that there are many benefits to service users from engaging in peer support. These include: shared identity; development and sharing of skills; increased confidence; improved mental health and wellbeing; and the potential for challenging stigma and discrimination. Most difficulties encountered were associated with “intentional peer support”, where service users are employed as peer support workers – these included role conflict, setting boundaries, and ensuring adequate training and support. A key theme that divided opinion was the degree to which peer support should be “professionalised” as part of statutory services. Practical implications – The findings suggest that it is vital to acknowledge the different views about peer support that arise in different service user and voluntary sector groups: views about such core issues as payment, equality, and professionalisation. Ultimately, peer support arises from people wanting to create their own support networks; any plans to formalise it from within statutory services need to acknowledge that pre‐existing grassroots expertise. Originality/value – Recent developments mean that peer support, which originated from the grassroots of service user experience, has taken a new direction through becoming incorporated into statutory services. This paper looks at some of the benefits and pitfalls of these developments informed by the views of service users. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Mental Health and Social Inclusion Emerald Publishing

A helping hand: taking peer support into the 21st century

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2012 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
2042-8308
DOI
10.1108/20428301211205892
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review current perspectives on peer support in mental health informed by service user perspectives. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is informed by a literature review and consultations with five groups of service users engaged in different forms of peer support. Findings – The findings suggest that there are many benefits to service users from engaging in peer support. These include: shared identity; development and sharing of skills; increased confidence; improved mental health and wellbeing; and the potential for challenging stigma and discrimination. Most difficulties encountered were associated with “intentional peer support”, where service users are employed as peer support workers – these included role conflict, setting boundaries, and ensuring adequate training and support. A key theme that divided opinion was the degree to which peer support should be “professionalised” as part of statutory services. Practical implications – The findings suggest that it is vital to acknowledge the different views about peer support that arise in different service user and voluntary sector groups: views about such core issues as payment, equality, and professionalisation. Ultimately, peer support arises from people wanting to create their own support networks; any plans to formalise it from within statutory services need to acknowledge that pre‐existing grassroots expertise. Originality/value – Recent developments mean that peer support, which originated from the grassroots of service user experience, has taken a new direction through becoming incorporated into statutory services. This paper looks at some of the benefits and pitfalls of these developments informed by the views of service users.

Journal

Mental Health and Social Inclusion – Emerald Publishing

Published: Feb 24, 2012

Keywords: Peer support; Peer mentoring; Service users; Consultation; Mental health; Training

References

  • Lived Experience Leading the Way: Peer Support in Mental Health
    Basset, T.; Faulkner, A.; Repper, J.; Stamou, E.
  • Harnessing the ‘lived experience’: formalising peer support approaches to promote recovery
    Bradstreet, S.
  • A Helping Hand: Consultations with Service Users about Peer Support
    Faulkner, A.; Basset, T.
  • Self Help Alternatives to Mental Health Services
    Lindow, V.
  • Defining peer support
    Mead, S.
  • Peer Support: What Makes It Unique?
    Mead, S.; Macneil, C.
  • Using Personal Experience to Support Others with Similar Difficulties: A Review of the Literature on Peer Support in Mental Health Services
    Repper, J.; Carter, T.
  • On Our Own Terms – Users and Survivors of Mental Health Services Working Together for Support and Change
    Wallcraft, J.; Read, J.; Sweeney, A.
  • Improving acute psychiatric hospital services according to inpatient experiences: a user‐led piece of research as a means to empowerment
    Walsh, J.; Boyle, J.