Training mental health peer support training facilitators: a qualitative, participatory evaluation

Abstract

The facilitator’s training for peer support workers in mental health course was a recovery‐based initiative addressed to professionalize peer support in Catalonia, Spain. Our aim was to elicit participants’ motivations, significant learnings, and opinions regarding the training programme. A qualitative approach was used through content and thematic analyses of the course contents and participation narratives. The motivations to attend the course were helping others, learning, and supporting the implementation of the peer support profession. Participants learnt concepts on pedagogy, peer support, and recovery. The key resulting themes were organization and moderation; peer support’s role, skills, functions, and values; language; health system knowledge; and types of support. The course programme seems appropriate in preparing people who have lived experience of mental health problems as facilitators of future peer support training courses. The present analysis identifies the participants’ vision regarding their learning needs. It aims to serve as a guide for similar train‐the‐trainers courses.

Widowhood and Health Status Among Chinese Older Adults: The Mediation Effects of Different Types of Support

“…Health status, which usually includes mental health and physical health, is a crucial indicator of successful aging ( 63 , 64 ). For mental health, it was measured using the abbreviated 12-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) ( 65 ).…”

Training of Lived Experience Workforces: A Rapid Review of Content and Outcomes

“…Nine studies reported general improvements in knowledge and skills from participating in training, immediately post-training (Bentley, 2000;Cleary et al, 2009;Compton et al, 2014;Hoagwood et al, 2018;Horwitz et al, 2020;Sanchez-Moscona & Eiroa-Orosa, 2021;Simpson et al, 2014) and at follow-up (Hegedüs et al, 2016;King et al, 2009). Across ten studies, trainees developed program-specific skills during the course of training participation (Blixen et al, 2015;Treloar et al, 2012;Willging et al, 2016), immediately after training (Crisanti et al, 2016;Gerry et al, 2011;Joo et al, 2018;Meehan et al, 2002;Weeks et al, 2006) and at follow-up (Rodriguez et al, 2011).…”

“…In five training programs in which it was assessed, the trainings were regarded as useful or beneficial by participants (Atif et al, 2019;Cleary et al, 2009;Deren et al, 2012;Franke et al, 2010;King et al, 2009), and content was appropriate and useful (Bentley, 2000;Franke et al, 2010;Meehan et al, 2002;Sanchez-Moscona & Eiroa-Orosa, 2021;Stockmann et al, 2019). In seven studies, support from other trainees and coaches/supervisors (Colon et al, 2010;King et al, 2009;Simpson et al, 2014;Stockmann et al, 2019;Tse et al, 2014;Willging et al, 2016), and family and service users (Tse et al, 2014) were seen as motivating factors.…”

“…In seven studies, support from other trainees and coaches/supervisors (Colon et al, 2010;King et al, 2009;Simpson et al, 2014;Stockmann et al, 2019;Tse et al, 2014;Willging et al, 2016), and family and service users (Tse et al, 2014) were seen as motivating factors. In over half of the studies that addressed training satisfaction, trainees indicated that they valued the way the course was run such as the style of teaching (Bentley, 2000), training methods/techniques (Atif et al, 2019;Bentley, 2000;Simpson et al, 2014), sharing of experiences (Bentley, 2000), joint learning space/positive group experiences (Blixen et al, 2015;Sanchez-Moscona & Eiroa-Orosa, 2021;Simpson et al, 2014;Stockmann et al, 2019;Toikko, 2016), online discussion platform (Stockmann et al, 2019), empathic/welcoming environment and empowering experience (Tse et al, 2014), and training being well-organized and interesting (Cleary et al, 2009). In one study, payment (stipend) provided incentive to attend, and the harm reduction approach was perceived to increase retention of trainees in program (Colon et al, 2010).…”

“…Further support was also recommended to promote professional growth immediately post-training (Gerry et al, 2011) and at follow-up (Colon et al, 2010), and some indicated the requirement for more formal support (e.g., coaching, supervisionKing et al, 2009;Willging et al, 2016). Two training programs were seen as too condensed and emotionally intense-trainees recommended that training be spread out over a longer time frame (Gerry et al, 2011;Sanchez-Moscona & Eiroa-Orosa, 2021).…”