Upcoming Events

Webinar Event: Peer Support in Mental Health - Evidence, Experiences & Insights

Date: 20th January 2025

Time: 2pm - 4.30pm

This webinar will focus on the evolving role of peer support in mental health services across England, drawing on our Peer Support Project research, including one of the largest umbrella reviews of peer support to date and from a nationwide qualitative study of the experiences of paid peer support workers across the mental health sector in England. Peer support worker roles are diversifying and multiplying across the statutory and the third sector in the UK, so an understanding on the best ways of ensuring that they can make effective and independent use of their own lived experience and are well-supported in satisfying and sustainable roles is crucial.

Practical Insights: we'll be describing how peer support roles are implemented in practice, what dynamics arise in the NHS and elsewhere in integration in teams, of team integration may be, and the essential support structures that help peer support
How to Strike the Right Balance: we'll discuss the balance between professional and experiential expertise and between independence and integration, highlighting effective practices and key gaps in current support models.
What is Helping or Hindering: we'll explore the findings from current literature on the help and hindrances faced by peer support workers, and the unique contributions they bring to recovery-focused services.
Directions for Commissioning Services: we'll describe the evidence that is available to shape commissioning and service delivery and making suggestions about how to shape commissioning priorities to create sustainable, impactful peer support services

MHPRU researchers and other leaders in this field will be speaking, including:

Prof Steve Gillard of City and St George's of Mental Health Research at the University of London - who leads an internationally recognised NIHR-funded research program on peer support in mental health services, exploring innovative approaches and peer-led interventions.
of Lancaster University - a clinical psychologist and international leader in developing and researching innovative psychosocial interventions, including based on peer-to peer interaction.Prof Fiona Lobban
Dr Una Foye, Dr. Ruth Cooper (post-doc researchers) and Natasha Lyons (lived experience research fellow) - MHPRU researchers (past and present) who have had leading roles in our research programme on peer support.
MHPRU lived experience researchers - Co-producers of this work will bring invaluable insights and perspectives on how this research is grounded in real-world experiences and truly reflective of the communities we aim to serve.

Prof Sonia Johnson and Dr Andrew Grundy will chair

Don’t miss this chance to engage with new research, hear directly from those involved in peer support work, and learn about key challenges moving forward. Sign up via Eventrbite for access.

Mental Health Question Time Event: Exploring Peer Support in Mental Health

Date: 27th January 2025

Time: 6.15pm - 8.30pm

Event: In-Person

This in-person event will build on the insights shared during the webinar, by offering a live, interactive discussion on the role and future of peer support in mental health and community services.The evening will feature a dynamic panel of speakers, each bringing unique expertise and experience to the conversation:

Julie Repper – Director of ImROC and a leading advocate for recovery-oriented practices, with a focus on the use of peer workers to drive recovery focused organisational change.
Mel Ball – Started her career as a peer worker, and now director of Lived Experience at the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, providing insights into the role of lived experience in shaping mental health care and policy.
Sharif Mussa – A dedicated Mental Health Nurse with a strong background in lived experience practice and peer support work sharing a dual perspective grounded in lived and professional experience
Brynmor Lloyd-Evans – Co-Director of the NIHR MHPRU and joint Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research at UCL, who had a leading role in the MHPRU our research project on peer support.
Karen Machin – A researcher and carer peer support worker, focusing on raising awareness of peer support needs, including being co-director at “With You”, designed to develop and deliver training for Peer Supporters, including delivery for Trusts.
Isaac Samuels - An established community campaigner, co-production advisor and a representative of Camerados, a social movement that encourages support for one another through "Public Living Rooms" including hospitals, universities and community spaces.

Attendees will have the unique opportunity to ask questions about the experiences and expertise of panellists who have worked in and alongside peer support roles, and questions regarding the latest research findings from the Mental Health Policy Research Unit’s Peer Support Project.

Chairing the event is Patrick Nyikavaranda - A co-lead for MHPRU public involvement and engagement, and a research fellow specializing in epidemiology and applied clinical research.

Whether you are directly involved in peer support or simply interested in its role in mental health care, this event offers a rare chance to engage, learn, and collaborate.