PeerWorks Peer Support Core Essentials Training Program (May - July 2024)
PeerWorks Peer Support Core Essentials™ Program involves 17 two-hour webinars. The synchronous sessions include individual exercises, group exercises, trainer-led discussion, and role playing. Outside of these sessions, there is homework, which involves readings, reflections, and skills practice. Attendance is mandatory at all 17 webinars.
It should be noted that taking this training does not guarantee everyone an automatic “pass”. Participants are evaluated by the trainers, and the outcomes can range from “Incomplete” to “Level 1”, “Level 1R” and eventually earning “PeerWorks Certified Peer Supporter”.
Level 1 means the person attended and participated fully in the training and is deemed at this point appropriate to deliver an informal friendship style of peer support within supervised settings that would correspond with the first three categories in the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Continuum of Peer Support, up to and including a C/SI or PSO.
Level 1R means that the trainers are of the opinion that the participant may be ready to work in a more formalized setting and are recommending that they proceed to an internship or practicum in which they deliver 50 hours of person-to-person support which is monitored and evaluated. It is not mandatory to do the practicum, but it is necessary for those who wish to earn the PeerWorks Certified Peer Supporter certificate.
Training includes:
- All required training materials
- A signed document stating your achievement, mailed to the address you provide
- Post training support to meet conditions should trainers set any for elevating result from 1 to 1R
- Standing invitation to a webinar on internship requirements/process (for interested 1Rs)
- PeerWorks staff support of your internship, consisting of approval of internship plan or suggestions to strengthen it
- Monitoring of your internship reports and evaluations filed at five intervals
- Troubleshooting help
* If you have any accessibility requirements for our training, please contact Zebina at Zebina@peerworks.ca
No-shows cannot be refunded.
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This training does not attempt to be all things to all people. Some peer support roles require specialized skills that are not required in most other settings. Other topics that might be important in many settings require more intensive training beyond basics. For these reasons, this training focuses on the core skills, while introducing such topics and pointing toward other learning resources. Diagnostic and pharmaceutical information is readily available, constantly changing, and of limited relevance within peer support relationships, therefore are not included in this training.
This training involves written individual and group exercises, role-playing scenarios in dyads and triads, and some written homework. Basic literacy skills are required, but the writing is by no means expected to be on an ‘academic’ level. PeerWorks and our trainers will make every effort to accommodate for literacy and other challenges provided we are alerted to the need well in advance.
PeerWorks will seek funding and partnership opportunities to develop additional modules and continuing education pieces for specific skills or settings. We welcome suggestions and feedback around what topics you feel would be priorities. If you are accepted and complete training, please be sure to complete our confidential feedback survey which will help identify strengths and areas of improvement for the program and of our trainers.
All training materials are copyright of PeerWorks and trademarks are pending. Taking the Core Skills training does not qualify or permit participants to train others. Trainers of PeerWorks' program are specially authorized to use it. Unauthorized use, copying, distribution or dissemination of OPDI materials is prohibited.