Aims
Competences covered in this unit:
Ability to draw on knowledge of the benefits, and risks, of sharing lived experience through self- disclosure, and to consider whether sharing lived experience:
- is appropriately timed
- is relevant and appropriate to the other person’s experience
- matches the intensity and challenge and meaning of the person’s experience
- retains a focus on the person’s needs, aims and goals
Ability to ensure that the main aim of sharing is to help the person, rather than being an opportunity for the peer support worker to gain relief or support for themselves.
Ability for the peer support worker to judge whether:
- they are comfortable with others knowing about the information they are sharing
- they have resolved the issues that they are sharing
Ability for peer support workers to safely share their personal experience in a way that supports, empowers and brings hope.
Ability for peer support workers to step back from their own experience and reflect on how this may be different to the experience of others.
Ability to share specific experiences without indicating that these should be taken as solutions to the person’s problems.
Underpinning understanding and knowledge for peer support workers
Communication and engagement skills
Working in partnership. Supporting people as a peer support worker
Self-care and support
Optional skills – using psychological approaches to support personal recovery