Role of the Aboriginal Peer
Support Worker
Ailsa Munns
Curtin University
Peer Support
• A system of giving and receiving help founded on key
principles of respect, shared responsibility, and mutual
agreement of what is helpful. It is about understanding
another’s situation empathically through shared
experiences (Adapted, Mead, Hilton & Curtis, 2001).
• It is based on the premise that connecting with others that
have had “the same or similar experiences can lead to a
sense of genuine empathy and shared understanding, to
reassurance and hope” (Basset, Faulkner, Repper &
Stamou, 2010).
• The defining feature of peer support is that it refers to
relationships and interventions between people who are
peers and who are equal in ability, standing, rank or value
(Fulton & Winfield, 2011).
• A trusting relationship, offering companionship, empathy
and empowerment, where feelings of isolation and
rejection can be replaced with hope, a sense of agency and
belief in personal control (Repper, 2013).
• Little evidence on Aboriginal peer support, especially for
parents support.
Midland study
• Identify and examine the elements required to deliver a culturally
secure Aboriginal led home visiting child health parent support
program in Midland;
• In partnership with the Aboriginal community in Midland,
implement and evaluate a culturally secure Aboriginal led home
visiting child health parent support program;
• Explore the self perceived suitability, feasibility, acceptability and
effectiveness of a culturally secure Aboriginal led home visiting
child health parent support program in Midland;
• Inform a model for a culturally secure Aboriginal led home visiting
child health parent support program in Midland.
Justification and Background
• Enhancement of parental capacity and resilience
• Midland SEIFA index 888 - Ranking 1 in WA and 2 in Australia
• Short and long term health and developmental trajectories
• Research studies such as Maternal and Child Health Project.
Strengths and needs analysis (Larson & Bradley, 2009) and Evaluation of
the Halls Creek Community Families Program (Walker, 2010).
• Peer led support for Aboriginal parents crucial for effective
culturally appropriate strategies & recognition of local impacts.
Methodology
• A critical methodology – Participatory Action
Research
• Allows participants to explore own needs with
political, historical, psychosocial & psychocultural
considerations (Roberts & Taylor, 1998).
• An empowering critically informed approach with
collective self-reflective inquiry (Kemmis & McTaggart,
1998).
Action Learning Sets
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5taffaStaff
f
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW & Coord
5 PSW &Coord
5 PSW & Coord
8-10 Clients
8-10 Clients
58-10
Clients
Clients
8-10 Clients
4 CKI
4 CKI
4 CKI
4 CKI
Action
learning set 1
Action
learning set 2
Action
learning set 3
April 2013
May2013
June2013
CKI: Community Key Informants
Clients: ClientAboriginal women/families
PSW & Coord: Parent Support Workers
;
Local Project Coordinator
Action
learning set 4
August 2013
Action learning
set 5
Action
learning set 6
Action
learning set 7
Action
learning set 8
Action
learning set 9
Action learning
set 10
Sept 2013
October 2013
Nov 2013
Dec 2013
Feb 2014
March2014
Data Management
• Parent Support Workers and Project
Coordinator - a combination of unstructured
and semi structured interviews during the prestudy phase and action learning sets.
• Thematic analysis
Emerging Themes: Positive and challenges
Overarching Theme
 Parent Support
Well we’re just pretty much here to support them in whatever they need support in.
And you know just praising them on, on their parenting skills and acknowledging their
strengths and building their confidence up to know that they you know that they’re
doing the best that they can.
Enabling Themes
 Development of Client Acceptance and Trust
• Creating safe spaces
She felt safe yarning and that but she said there’s no one else I can yarn to about the
problem what I’m going through.
• Developing trust
They’re all like very guarded and they’ve got that wall there and they’re still sussing
you out.
 Delivery of culturally relevant support
…the peer support workers themselves, they’re local women, they really have
that invested interest in giving back to community, it’s everything they focus
on you know.
 Advocacy
• Enabling
So I ended up getting in contact with her and then I ended up ringing around, I
found St. Vincent De Paul, they do food and fuel cards. So I passed that
message onto her and she ended up getting help.
• Barriers
‘Cause she was pregnant as well and she wanted to be in a house before baby
was born… there was also issues on priority waitlist. I said to her I don’t have a
magic wand.
 Development of Therapeutic Communication
• Flexibility of engagement – face to face, phone, text
…ring back in a few days or something you know just to check how everything’s going
• Confidence building
Yeah I think I do ok, building up my confidence already. I won’t go in there and just freeze
on the spot, mate I’m over that barrier now.
 Creating Safe Home Visiting Practices
• Enabling
So I brung them into the office. They’re all in that one house and they’re all sort of like
frightened from when grandmother goes out, gets on the slops, come back and be abusive
to ‘em all.
• Self care
But we made the decision that at all times now with this client there’ll be pairs going all the
time…in regards to potential family violence.
What should Peer Support Workers do?
Self Identified by PSWs
• Show good things.
• Bring up alcohol or smoking as things not to do.
• Show the right path.
• We are here to support and help families with their
journey.
• The families are not alone.
The Future
Peer Support Worker perseverance
• There’s a lot of families out there that have a lot
of potential but just supporting them
• They haven’t kicked us out yet
• Other than the magic wand that we want…if we
find that bloody magic wand.
Acknowledgements
• Peer Support Workers, Project Coordinator and Education
Support Worker at Ngala
• Ngala management
• Centre for Research Excellence in Aboriginal Health &
Wellbeing at Telethon Kids
• The Western Australian Nurses Memorial Charitable Trust
• Research supervisors Prof Desley Hegney, A/Prof Marion
Kickett, Prof Rhonda Marriott and A/Prof Roz Walker
References
•
Basset, T., Faulkner, A., Repper, J., & Stamou, E. (2010). Lived experience leading the way: Peer
support in mental health. London: Together UK.
•
Fulton, K., & Winfield, C. (2011). Peer support. A discussion paper from the Centre fore Welfare
Reform publishing in association with Paradigm. Suffield, UK: Centre for Welfare Reform.
•
Larson, A., & Bradley, R. (2009). Maternal and child health project. Strengths and needs analysis.
Geraldton, WA: CUCRH.
•
Mead, S., Hilton, D., & Curtis, L. (2001). Peer support: A theoretical perspective. Psychiatric
Rehabilitation Journal, 25(2), 134-141.
•
Repper, J. (2013). Peer support workers: Theory and practice. London: Centre for Mental Health
and Mental Health Network, NHS Confederation.
•
Walker, R. (2010). Evaluation of Yanan Ngurra- ngu Walalja: Halls Creek Community Families
Program. Perth, WA: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.