Winners of the inaugural Lived Experience Recognition Awards, with Executive Director Kieran Kinsella
Passion and progress were celebrated at the annual Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services (MSAMSH) Peer Forum, with the introduction of the inaugural Lived Experience Recognition Awards.
With Queensland Health’s largest Peer Workforce, MSAMSH employs more than 60 people who use their lived experience with mental health, substance use and suicidality as part of their peer worker role.
Peer Workers from across the region came together along with Team Leaders and Directors for the Forum on 19 June.
“Our first awards ceremony was a hit,” said Social Inclusion and Recovery Team Director Yasmin Groom. “Staff felt honoured to be acknowledged for their work. Winners, runner ups and nominees were all acknowledged with a certificate.
“Peer Work can be extremely challenging as it requires people to use their own personal lived experience. It’s so important that we celebrate this work and acknowledge each and every member of the team for their efforts.
“The Peer Forum provided an opportunity to acknowledge some of the amazing work our Lived Experience workforce is achieving across MSAMHS,” she said.
Award recipient Shanon Cooper said she was humbled to be nominated across multiple categories at the inaugural Peer Recognition Awards.
“Being acknowledged for the support and advocacy I provide for carers was amazing, but to also be acknowledged for my work collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team highlighted the fact that the support I provide impacts both carers and clinicians,” said Ms Cooper.
“As lived experience workers, we often we get caught up with the here and now and remain focused on doing our best to provide person-centred care to be able to mentalise and advocate for the patient or carer’s needs. The Lived Experience awards provide a way of recognising the uniqueness that the Peers provide which adds value to the care we provide.”
The day was also filled with education from a variety of speakers including Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Strategy and Planning Branch Lived Experience Manager Craig Worland, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning Lived Experience Educator Deb Lattimore, and Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Services Executive Director Kieran Kinsella.
Organised by the Social Inclusion and Recovery Team, the Peer Forum is one of the avenues that MSAMHS supports the Lived Experience Workers across inpatient and community teams.
“The Peer Forum is a great way to support the development and growth of the Lived Experience workforce across MSAMHS,” said Yasmin.
“It’s also an opportunity for the Peer Workers to let us know what they need to feel supported to undertake their roles safely and meaningfully,” she said.