Thursday 13 March 2025
The pioneering work of our amazing peer support workers has been celebrated in style.
Dozens of people – including peers from across the Trust and our partner organisations – gathered to mark the power of peer support at a special event.
Head of peer work Mark Allan said: “Peers add something unique to services. The passion and commitment they have is amazing, and we are very proud of them.
“We know that peer work works. We have proved that we really are making a difference to people. What our peers are achieving is something very special.”
Helping to change lives
All peer workers have lived experience of mental health difficulties and use their experiences and specialist training to support patients, carers and families.
More than 40 peers currently provide one-to-one and group support to help people in our care work towards their own goals and ambitions – and more posts are planned.
“Lived experience and peer support recognises and holds relationships as central to effective care and support,” said Trust lived experience director Chris Morton.
“The celebration was our way of highlighting the power of peers. Our peers can have a profound impact on people’s lives, and their work is highly valued.
“It was incredible to see the passion and hear the stories of those who have been affected by their mental health and now use these experiences to help others.”
Improving quality of life
Just six people were employed as peers at our Trust in 2022, but that figure has now grown to 44. It is expected to pass 50 soon and reach 100 over the next three years.
Senior peer leader Claire Atkins, who gave a speech at the recent celebration, is a firm believer in the power of peer support – as it helped change her own life.
Claire, who works for Durham and Darlington on acute inpatient wards, said: “Peer support workers saved my life. I am who I am because of what has happened to me.
“If one of the people I now support takes just one thing from me, it’s a good day for me. This is an amazing job. We can really help people to turn their lives around.”
Peer numbers soaring
Peer workers currently work within Trust services such as in-patients, community rehabilitation, health and justice and Early Intervention in Psychosis.
But, as post numbers grow, so peers will move into more areas – with the overall vision being to eventually support patients, carers and colleagues across all teams.
“We have all worked so hard to make our roles a success and bring peer support into services in TEWV,” said Jodie Ridley, peer lead for health and justice.
“Peer support, lived experience involvement and co-creation are all so important and a key part to helping aid the changes needed to make services stronger.
“I feel incredibly proud to be a part of the peer support service. There are exciting times ahead!”
Why lived experience matters — senior peer worker Claire Atkins
Senior peer worker Claire Atkins is a great believer in the power of peer support – as it helped turn her life around.
Claire struggled with her mental health as a teenager, spending some time as an in-patient, but now uses her lived experience to support people in our care.
“I am who I am because of what has happened to me,” said Claire, who is from Newcastle. “I absolutely love my job, and can’t imagine doing anything else.
“All peers have been through stuff. We take that stuff, that trauma, and try and do something with it, which means what we went through wasn’t for nothing.”
Claire was just 16 when she was hospitalised in the mid-1990s.
“When I left I signed up with the Recovery College in Newcastle, where I attended classes in life skills given by people with lived experience of mental health,” she said.
“That is what ultimately drove me to do what I do now. I had a lightbulb moment and knew I wanted to do what they were doing. Peer support workers saved my life.”
Changing lives for the better
Claire went on to become a therapeutic enabler with the college for several years, before joining TEWV as a peer worker.
She is now a senior peer in Durham and Darlington on acute inpatient wards, and also has a “small secondment” as the peer lead for research.
“I have a career path for the first time in my whole life, and I never thought in a million years that would happen,” said Claire.
“I was offered a chance to go from being an in-patient to being a leader. It’s amazing and gives me a reason to get out of bed. We all support each other.
“If one of the people I support takes just one thing from me, it’s a good day for me. This is an amazing job. We can really help people to turn their lives around.”
