New Grants To Help Grow And Develop The Peer Support Workforce

Work-based learning provider, Careerforce, has announced the launch of its Peer Support Training Grants for people employed in the Mental Health and Addictions Sector.

Funded by Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, the new grants aim to help grow and develop the peer support workforce and strengthen the voice of those with lived experiences within the workforce.

The grants were developed as part of the response to the government inquiry into mental health and addiction in New Zealand, and that proposed the development of a resilient, diverse, skilled, and sustainable workforce that accurately reflects the communities it serves. It highlighted the importance of expanding the provision of peer support within multidisciplinary mental health teams.

The grants cover enrolment fees for the Careerforce Apprenticeship in Health and Wellbeing Peer Support ($2,000), and the Supporting a Person’s Mental Health and Addiction Wellbeing Supplementary Credit Programme ($700). Both programmes are fully work-based.

General Manager Employer Services, Stephanie Clark, says. “Our training programmes aim to ensure workers can support people safely while drawing from their own personal experience, and provide them with strategies that also enhance their own wellbeing.

“We recognise the growing need for a qualified peer support workforce, so we’re especially pleased to offer these grants that help reduce the cost of training for workplaces.”

Full information about the Peer Support Training Grants, including eligibility criteria, can be found on the Careerforce website. Employers enrolling learners into apprenticeship programmes may also be eligible for Apprenticeship Boost funding.

© Scoop Media