Study on the effectiveness of peer support in the employment domain

What is it about?

A Vocational peer support curricula was used to train peer supporters to use their skills in the employment domain. Research was done to see if the intervention proved effective in supporting people with mental health challenges to choose, get or keep work. While the outcomes were not as positive as hoped, the study nonetheless demonstrated that vocational peer support led people to think more about work possibilities due, in part, to the peer relationship involved. The study also faced limitations which are described for future researchers.

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Why is it important?

People with mental health challenges face high levels of unemployment. While evidence based supported employment has been shown to help people "get a job," no interventions to date support people from the lens of vocational recovery. Vocational peer support may address this issue by offering employment support from those who have, similarly, had life disruption related to mental illness and have, nonetheless, found the way to meaningful and sustainable employment.