Using autoethnography to reflect on peer support supervision in an Irish context
Norton, Michael JohnORCID: 0000-0002-7420-9339, Martha, GriffinORCID: 0009-0004-5079-1514, Collins, Michael, Clark, MarthaORCID: 0009-0001-0207-4869 and Browne, Elaine
(2023)
Using autoethnography to reflect on peer support supervision in an Irish context.
Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, 20
(2).
pp. 67-87.
ISSN 1759-5150
Peer Support Workers and Family Peer Support Workers have been in
place within an Irish context for a number of years outside statutory services. In
2016, the Mental Health Directorate of the Health Service Executive recruited for a
newly established role. These new workers were employed directly into services and
had the full privileges of employment, including supervisory and line management
structures. Despite the growth of the peer support movement internationally, there
has yet to be a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers in statutory
services. This paper has gathered a variety of experts in peer support in Ireland
to begin conversations which will hopefully lead to a clear model of supervision
for Peer Support Workers. From the use of an autoethnographic approach four
main themes were constructed to gather a complete picture of supervision for Peer
Support Workers in Ireland as well as what an ideal model would involve. The paper
concludes with recommendations for more research to be conducted in this area so
that a clear, workable model of supervision can be created to protect the essence of
lived experiences roles in statutory mental health services.