Roles in CAMHS
Peer Support Worker
About the role...
Peer support workers in CAMHs are individuals with lived experience of mental health problems who can support others.
Your own experience and empathy to help people with mental health problems, will provide inspiration for recovery to a young person or as an adult to parents and carers too. You would work as part of a team including nurses, social workers, therapists and doctors and in some cases along side families and carers too. Your exact role within CAMHs would vary dependant on where you are based and it might include such things as working one to one, helping people find their recovery plans, supporting people in care planning or helping with group support work too.
Peer support workers are encouraged to develop their careers further into management and facilitation skills. You could move towards a senior peer support position and undertaken further training in psychology which may be funded through the NHS dependant on vacancies, need and funding.
What qualifications do I need?
There is a training programme that would support you in providing peer support in formal settings and once you are trained you can also work in more informal settings such as community groups and charities. Ongoing supervision would be provided and this would help you engage in self reflection, seek and respond for feedback and develop your professional knowledge and skills.
What experience do I need to bring?
Your own experience is your greatest asset in this role, but in order to help other people, you’ll need a range of skills, including:
• an understanding of your personal recovery journey and being able to use your lived experience in a positive and appropriate way to help others
• a keen awareness of people and their behaviour
• the ability to empathise with others and build positive relationships
• excellent communication skills and the ability to relate to a wide range of people
• the ability to work on your own as well as in consultation with others
• a responsible, professional approach, respecting the confidentiality of patients
• emotional resilience and maturity
• self-awareness
• an openness to addressing issues of prejudice and oppression