for Employers
One of the key objectives for making mental health care and support for those who use substances better for people in B.C. is ensuring that when people seek services, ‘every door is the right door.’ We know that if the door people knock on is opened by someone who shares lived and living experience with you then the likelihood that you’ll stay connected to care is greatly increased. The unique capacity of those with lived and living experience to create bonds of trust and encourage clients towards hope inducing strategies is one the most powerful and effective interventions in our healthcare system.
Peer workers are always that ‘right door.’
Because stigma is culturally constructed, it’s often difficult for those living in the society out of which it arises to see it, especially if one is privileged enough not to experience that stigma on a daily basis.
As an employer that works alongside workers with lived experience, it’s important that you understand the nature of peer work from a peer perspective and the ways in which you can practically and meaningfully support them in achieving equity and eliminating stigma in the workplace. By taking this short course you’ll demonstrate your commitment to the value of lived and living workers’ experience to your organization and the equity-deserving communities they serve.
courses
Employers Guide to Supporting & Engaging Peer Workers (1 module)
The Employers Guide to Supporting & Engaging Peer Workers explores the role and needs of peer support workers. Peer support workers can be found in every facet of mental health and substance use services and provide invaluable care and advocacy to a range of communities and populations.
Provincial Peer Support Worker Training Curriculum (16 modules)
The provincial peer support worker (PSW) training curriculum is made up of 16 individual training modules meant to provide a strong foundation for those who are beginning their journey toward becoming a peer support worker, as well as providing opportunities for those already working as PSWs to deepen and expand their knowledge.
The curriculum covers a wide range of topics chosen by peer support workers from across the province. Topics include mental health, understanding boundaries, connection and communication, supporting someone who uses substances and much more – all created in direct consultation with peer support workers.
“I was never given any core values to have as a guide interacting with those I worked with. I only had my own values to rely on. It takes the onus off me knowing that I have a set of standards that are the same across the board.”
F.D., Peer Worker
