Peer support brings people together who can offer each other practical and emotional when experiencing mental health challenges. Peer support can help people to make real progress in their recovery. People who have experienced mental health illness can draw on their own experiences, offering a level of understanding to help others for whom traditional mental health support has not worked.

Peer support and advocacy work can be rewarding and have multiple benefits for the peer support workers and advocates themselves, increasing levels of self-esteem, confidence and positive feelings that they are doing good. Peer support workers often experience an increase in their own ability to cope mental health problems. Peer support provides an opportunity to further their own recovery and take on new roles that can help people.

The new CAPSA service will be launching in July 2021. We are currently offering a free 8-week training course providing the skills and knowledge needed to deliver culturally appropriate peer support work. If you would like to register your interest, please click here.

CAPSA peer support workers will be trained and recruited to deliver one-to-one support to members of the community and service users in inpatient units. Peer support workers will be given access to supervision and be fully supported to undertake their roles. A key element of peer support workers roles is to ensure that Black service users and their families feel supported and empowered when using services. CAPSA advocates will also be trained work alongside community members and service users to advocate on their behalf to ensure their views, wishes and needs are taken into account.