Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required by consumers and carers in the mental health peer workforce to use and apply their lived experience in a purposeful way.
This unit applies to consumers/carers, who as a condition of employment, must themselves have lived experience of mental illness and are working with consumers/carers who are affected by mental illness.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.

What You'll Learn

Assessment Requirements

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has:
• performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of 80 hours of work according to the values, ethics and philosophies of mental health peer work, articulating and extrapolating lived experience in at least 3 different contexts:
• used techniques to establish rapport, build shared understanding and provide hope
• provided objective information and opportunity for consumer/carer exploration of opportunities, rights, and options in recovery planning

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
• importance of self awareness in mental health peer work
• intention of purposeful sharing and positive use of lived experience in mental health peer work
• historical, social, political and economic contexts of mental health services and mental health consumer and carer movements
• philosophical, ethical and values based approaches to peer work
• international and national developments in consumer and carer peer work
• history and context of self-directed recovery and recovery principles, facilitation, pathways and practices
• impacts and different types of stigma for consumers and carers including self-stigma, individual stigma, community stigma, prejudice and discrimination on the recovery journey
• social justice issues, principles and approaches, including working from a rights based framework and awareness of the rights and responsibilities of consumer and carers and peer workers
• impacts of trauma and the role of the peer workforce in trauma informed care
• impacts of mental health systems on consumers and carers
• different understandings of mental illness and distress/issues
• principles and practices of duty of care as these apply to peer work
• self-care strategies and processes, reflection in peer work

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. Where simulation is used, it must reflect real working conditions by modelling industry operating conditions and contingencies, as well as, using suitable facilities, equipment and resources.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
In addition, assessors must be an experienced peer worker with lived experience of mental illness as a consumer or carer (assessment must also involve a qualified assessor where the peer worker is not a qualified assessor).

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