Peer Support Work in Mental Health Services

In this important book, Michael John Norton draws together his deep experience and national leadership of mental health peer support work in Ireland. He skilfully takes the reader on a journey, describing how peer support work is part of a wider mental health system transformation. I was particularly impressed by his thoughtful discussion of lived experience, the ethical and implementation challenges created by peer support work, and his insights on working with specific groups, e.g. families, young people and forensic populations. This book will influence policy and practice, both within and beyond Ireland. Mike Slade, Professor of Mental Health Recovery and Social Inclusion, University of Nottingham, UK Peer Support Work in Mental Health Services: Theory, Research, Policy and Practice provides a unique synthesis of evidence, policy and practice from the standpoint of lived experience. The author brings extensive experiential wisdom from multiple sources: as someone who uses mental health services, has been employed as a peer support worker, has led the implementation of peer support across Ireland and is an academic, working in university education and research. Norton distils information from various sources (people, places, practice, theories, policies and research) to provide a comprehensive critical analysis and interpretation of the current position of peer support. This is enriched by relevant and accessible case studies from experienced peer workers with specific expertise. Norton not only explores the conflicts, dilemmas and questions that surround peer support, he also draws on evidence to construct new models for understanding the role and mechanisms underpinning peer support, and to pose resolutions and topics for further research. This is an invaluable text for anyone working as a peer support worker and for those planning, managing or seeking to understand the potential of peer support and lived experience as an essential contributor to system transformation. Julie Repper, CEO, ImROC I think this new book on intentional peer support working in mental health services richly adds to the discourse on peer support working and the understanding of the work. It explores the development of peer support working as an intentional and professional application of lived experience and gives some very important and insightful understanding to the development of peer support working. In that regard the book sets out useful definitions of both ‘Peer support working’ and ‘Lived experience’. There is also a very useful discussion contained in the book around the ethical challenges of issues including the role of mutuality and reciprocity and how they are actualised in intentional peer support. Overall the book is a welcome addition to the repository of knowledge on Peer support working in services based on a review of the practical experience of developments in recent decades as well as the author’s own insights. It will be of benefit to people interested in peer support working and to services wishing to introduce and improve peer support working. And most importantly I think it provides a platform for further enriched discussion and advances in peer support working in the coming years by providing a base line of current practice and understandings of the role. Michael Ryan, Head of the Office of Mental Health Engagement and Recovery, Republic of Ireland