Development of a Community-Based Training for Peer Support Workers in Youth Mental Health Settings: An Exploratory Pilot Study

Integrating peer support workers (PSWs) into mental health community programs for young people has the potential to increase their access to mental health services. However, very little research has focused on the development of training that is relevant for and readily accessible to youth and employees seeking to acquire a general overview of peer support fundamentals as applicable to youth mental health in community settings. This pilot study aimed to document the implementation fidelity of a newly developed youth mental health peer support training and its impacts on participants' understanding and perceived ability to provide peer support in community-based youth mental health settings. A multiple-informant approach was used to develop the training which is mapped onto the existing theoretical framework for peer support (Mead, Hilton, & Curtis, 2001). A descriptive quantitative and qualitative research design was used and data were collected using self-reported measures. Five participants completed the 16-hour training, which was offered online through videoconferencing. Results showed that, overall, components of the training were implemented with a high level of fidelity to the theoretical framework. Furthermore, participants reported that the training has had a positive impact on their level of preparedness and ability to provide peer support. Despite the limited sample size, this study suggests that the training developed has practical value as an introductory training tool for youth mental health PSWs. Moreover, this study is the first to provide evidence that the theoretical framework selected is relevant to inform such training.