Engage Aotearoa

Tag Archives: Peer Support

Better Blokes support groups

March 1, 2021 1:53 pm ⋅

Better Blokes is a peer support service for men who have survived sexual abuse. They run support groups across Auckland. Visit their website for more information. While their groups don’t run during level 3, you can still use their online chat service and call their phoneline for support.

  • West Auckland Group
    Mondays 7:30 – 9:30 pm
  • Pacifica Group
    Wednesday 7:00pm – 9:00pm
  • Mt Roskill Group
    Mondays 7:30 – 9:30 pm
  • Northshore Group
    Thursdays 7:30pm – 9:30pm
  • South Auckland Group
    Mondays 4:00pm – 6:00pm
  • Epsom Group
    Wednesdays 10am – 12:00am

Visit the Better Blokes website to find out more about their services and how to contact them: https://betterblokes.org.nz/

Posted in: Men, Support, Trauma ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

New programmes added to The Wellbeing Sessions

January 30, 2021 9:40 am ⋅

Whakatau Mai: The Wellbeing Sessions are a series of free online groups funded by the Ministry of Health as part of the national Covid19 response. They were started during the first Lockdown by the good folks over at Changing Minds who have curated a weekly calendar of zoom sessions that anyone with an internet connection and a device can join.

You’ll find regular sessions covering things like mindfulness, journaling, yoga, The Mind Tribe’s safe tapering group, and the recently added Realities Group, which I am really excited to see up and running, plus a bunch of one-off sessions like the upcoming Food & Mood session on February 4th.

The Realities Group
An opportunity for people who experience other realities to discuss their experiences and gain support, with the aim of better understanding these experiences and how to live well with them.  Based on the principles of the Hearing Voices Movement.
https://wellbeingsessions.eventcalendarapp.com/u/22079/91766

The Wellbeing Sessions will run through to the end of February 2021. Here’s a little recommendation Rachel Hunter shared from managed isolation.

Posted in: Community Participation, Online Resources, Personal Development Tools, Service-User Movement, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Online Wellbeing Sessions from Changing Minds

August 6, 2020 5:08 pm ⋅

During lock-down Auckland’s service-user network, Changing Minds, started sharing free peer-led support sessions online and this project has grown wings to make it easier for people to connect and take care of themselves during this extra stressful time.

Visit www.wellbeingsessions.nz to select from a menu of options from mindful journaling, fitness sessions, poetry readings, a drop-in support group, a supporting families group and more.

Posted in: Community Participation, Entertainment and Creativity, Online Resources, Personal Development Tools, Service-User Movement, Support ⋅ Tagged: , , ,

Te Pou: Peer support competencies ‘sandstone to sharpen practice on’

November 24, 2014 10:12 pm ⋅

The following is a press release from Te Pou, from their website:

The resource Competencies for the mental health and addiction service user, consumer and peer workforce were launched on November 11 at Te Pou in Auckland.

Dr John Crawshaw, director of mental health, gave an opening address to the mental health and addiction sector people from across the North Island. He acknowledged the pivotal role the service user, consumer and peer workforce has in informing service development and working alongside clinical services, supporting people to self manage and drive their own recovery.

Dr Crawshaw was followed by two peer support workers who spoke about their experience and what peer work meant for them. Elton Hakopa, addiction peer support worker from the drug court, gave a stirring and entertaining outline of his experiences. Elton gave the quote of the day, or even the year when he said “these competencies are the sandstone I will sharpen my practice on”.

Ahmad Al-Ali, mental health peer worker from Mind and Body, also entertained the crowd with his self-deprecating wit and story of courage. Both exemplified the state of gratitude they were in to be able to use their powerful experiences to support other people’s self-determination and wellbeing.

Robyn Shearer, Te Pou chief executive, talked about the power of people from across mental health and addiction co-designing and co-developing the competencies.

Two documents created to support the competency framework were also launched: The Service user, consumer and peer workforce guide for managers and employers and the Service user, consumer and peer workforce guide for planners and funders. These are available to download alongside the competencies. These documents provide information and sound direction for people managing and employing peer workforce members and for planners and funders investing in this exciting growth area in the mental health and addiction workforce.

To contact Te Pou or for further information:

http://www.tepou.co.nz/

Email: info@tepou.co.nz

Te Pou phone numbers online here.

Posted in: Human Rights and Legal Issues, Online Resources, Professional Development, Research, Service-User Movement, Social Change ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Free Webinar: Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support | 20 March 2014

March 10, 2014 7:55 pm ⋅

What:  A free webinar titled The Road to Recovery: The value of MHCC’s Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support in strengthening your organization’s policies, programs and practices. (ENGLISH ONLY)

When:  Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:00 am, New Zealand Daylight Time

Duration:  One hour

Peer support is an important factor in the process of recovery. People who have experience with mental health problems or illness can offer support and encouragement to each other when facing similar situations. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) recently released Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support to outline the important aspects of formalized or intentional peer support. The guidelines focus on the empathetic and supportive role of a peer support worker in fostering hope, empowerment and recovery.

Join the free webinar on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, to learn how you can use these Guidelines to bring the power of formalized peer support to your organization or community.

Register here for free

Guest Speakers:

  • Steve Lurie, Executive Director, CMHA (Toronto)
  • Kim Sunderland, Executive Director, Peer Support Accreditation and Certification (Canada)
  • Wendy Mishkin, British Columbia Schizophrenia Society, Victoria Branch
  • Karen Henze, Programs & Operations Manager, NISA/Northern Initiative for Social Action
  • Roy Muise, Program Coordinator & Peer Mentor, NS Certified Peer Support Specialist Program

For more information go to the MHCC website.

Or contact:
Liz Wigfull, Knowledge Broker
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Office: 1-613-683-3744
Cell: 1-613-857-4890
Email: lwigfull@mentalhealthcommission.ca

Posted in: Online Resources, Service-User Movement ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,