Building Peer Support for Community and voluntary Sector in Mental Health

The pandemic has increased both levels of and awareness of mental illness in the community and also has reduced stigma through improved understanding. With primary and secondary care services facing greater demand, so to are community and voluntary sector organisations facing greater acuity. This impacts on organisations focussed on mental health with those supporting people with other services now finding people presenting with mental health issues where previously they had not. Peer support is a vital tool for sharing learning and providing the reassurance that goes with common experience. While such arrangements are in place within primary and secondary care services, and also within larger UK wide C&V sector, local C&V sector often do not have these arrangements in place. With that in mind we have linked with C&V leaders in each of our 4 Council area to establish a C&V led peer support network. The Networks are a safe space for learning and development and sharing experience to enhance quality and capability. The Trust role is to facilitate events and to listen to the needs identified by C&V and provide appropriate training and learning opportunities. This may involve Trust funded learning workshops, bringing in expertise. It also involves recognising and sharing the expertise in the room, facilitating member to support each other. Developing reflective practice amongst C&V is an area where Trust expertise can be shared. Self care is an important principle of how the 4 Peer Support Networks function, with this an inclusive element in each event or activity. Community leaders in C&V organisations are supporting many people with serious difficuties. They need to look after themselves so they can look after others. The Peer Support Networks are building capability across their sector for both prevention and early intervention. Though these Networks over 220 (and rising) community leaders have become Take 5 Steps to Wellbeing Ambassadors and cascade learning of maintaining good mental health in their own local environment. 50 (and rising) have become active Mental Health Connectors providing local early intervention, spotting signs of distress and signposting to supports. A resource toolkit has been developed to provide practical support. All with the benefit of the trusted relationships that exists amongst community peers, significantly extending the reach of help across very local communities. Alongside this we have developed a youth programme focussed on helping schools and youth organisations develop how they are supporting the mental wellbeing of their pupils and young people. There are 44% of post primary schools and 17% of primary schools currently accredited as Take 5 schools under the Framework developed with the Education Authority. Again a resource toolkit has been developed to provide practical help. The Peer Support Network is initially funded through NHS Charities Together. It is being developed through co-production to ensure that it is about self-reliance in the C&V sector and continues post funding. The Peer Networks are a place based approach which strengthens capability of those helping people in the places where they spend their time.