Aaron - My role as a Peer Support Worker in the Mental Health Team

I have been in this role since November 2023. My journey to this role is long and has had many different turns. My main reason for taking this role is a personal one, my brother had schizoaffective disorder and also used a number of different substances before he passed away of a drug overdose in June 2020. I wanted to share my experience with other people and support people with their recovery journey.

This role is extremely varied, what I do on a day-to-day bases can change dramatically. What I do depends on the needs of the people that I’m working with. One person I am working with at the moment, needs me to help him to liaise with the Citizens Advice Bureau and support him with the paperwork for a debt relief order. As well as helping him with his debts, I am supporting this person to reduce his drinking from 12 cans of beer a day to 4 cans. I am also supporting him to attend East Midlands Gambling Service, who are offering him therapy.

As well has helping our people to achieve their goals and access provision. This role aims to empower the people we support, so they can grow and achieve things on their own after the support has finished. I supported one person, to move from Framework housing into his own flat and got him advice about getting a divorce. This ex-service user attends a group, I attend with other people I support, and he told me that his managed to file for divorce, moving and decorate his flat and change energy providers. This is something this person would not have attempted before we started working together but through small steps his confidence in his own ability has skyrocketed!