The findings highlight training, supervision, pay, nonpeer staff/peer staff relationships, as important factors for statutory mental health peer support programs.

No abstract

To explore the psychosocial benefits of participating in a 2-year community arts project, eight people living with long-term mental health problems were interviewed. The project involved participants in selecting items of professional artwork, creating personal responses and curating a public exhibition. Interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Participants experienced the arts project as improving self-worth, emancipating self from illness labels, offering a sense of belonging, enabling acquisition of valued skills and offering meaningful occupation and routines. Some regarded their developing creative skills as improving their self-management of mental health. However, some anticipated the project's ending with anxiety.

Occupational therapy could overcome occupational alienation experienced by mental health day service clients, through the development of services within and beyond day services which promote a sense of belonging and offers meaningful occupation.

Institutional barriers could be overcome with a dynamic balance between risk management and mental health promotion through occupation. This demands a sustained focus on occupation for everyone involved in providing care and treatment in these settings.