Mental Health Pathway
The first peer support training course was co-produced and delivered in 2007. Ever since, Imroc has continued to deliver peer support training in partnership with NHS and voluntary sector organisations, including courses for international partners.
In 2021 Imroc started to deliver the NHSE contract where our delivery of training went from around 2-5 cohorts a year to up to 40 cohorts a year. With this increase we developed a progressive pathway for peer support training. We now offer courses for those just beginning to think about peer work, those in paid peer roles, and established peer workers looking for career progression.
We continually work with our trainees, and trainers to develop, adapt and improve our content, offer and experience of training. In 2023, we commissioned an external evaluation of our peer support training by Matter of Focus. This has given us an opportunity to reflect on what is going well and where we can make improvements.
Imroc has been working with national qualification awarding organisation, NCFE to accredit peer support courses and ensure our training is of the highest quality (www.ncfe.org.uk). We are also registered with CPD uk to provide CPD accredited learning opportunities (www.cpduk.co.uk) that meet current learning and development quality standards.
Explore Our Courses:
Level 2 Foundations of Peer Support
Our Level 2 qualification has been developed to meet the specific needs of our learners and has been accredited by NCFE demonstrating the quality and rigor. The course content has been developed in collaboration with educational and lived experience professionals to ensure it meets current standards and practices.
This customised qualification is designed to meet the needs of individuals who deliver peer support (formally or informally) who do not require the depth of knowledge provided by our Level 3, longer-form peer support training. Such individuals are likely to work or volunteer in non-professional, people-facing roles where they provide values-based, safe support to others. This could include people working in community spaces outside of mental health settings, e.g. people working in community centres, foodbanks etc.
Completing the ‘Level 2 Award: Foundations of Peer Support’ will confirm that the learnerhas basic understanding of the core principles of peer support, relevant to any setting. However, it should be noted that as a customised qualification, Imroc’s Level 2 Award is not regulated by Ofqual. As yet, there is no nationally recognised foundation-level qualification for Peer Support Workers.
The Level 2 Award also provides a stepping stone to our Level 3 Certificate in Peer Support Work (Mental Health) for individuals who are at an earlier stage in their mental health recovery journey or who have been out of education for a long time.
The Foundations of Peer Support course will enable participants to:
define ‘peer support’ and what it means to be a peer
appreciate the importance of connection as the foundation for peer support
recognise how to promote the safety and wellbeing of self and others when providing peer support
Understand how to engage in intentional and progressive peer support conversations
gain insight into how to support people in times of distress
know how to connect people to their communities of choice
be equipped with the knowledge to set up and run effective peer support groups.
10 hours (4 X 2.5 hour sessions)
For a tailored delivery option, please contact peertraining@imroc.org
Structure
Individuals in people-facing roles who support people with similar health and social challenges, share similar cultural backgrounds or offer highly valued practical and emotional support in any capacity who would benefit from training to provide values-based, safe support to others.
Who is this course for?
Module 1: Building connection
Module 2: Promoting safety and wellbeing
Module 3: Holding conversations that move us forward
Module 4: Supporting each other in groups and communities
Modules Covered
Induction & Assessment: No induction and Yes
Cohort Size: 12–20 participants
Cost & Booking: Contact peertraining@imroc.org
Additional Details
Level 3 Certificate in Peer Support Work
Our Level 3 qualification has been developed to equip learners with values, knowledge and skills that will enable them to deliver safe, effective peer support in the NHS or voluntary sector organisations.
This customised qualification has been accredited by NCFE demonstrating the quality and rigor. The course is designated a ‘Certificate’ because it involves more than 120 hours of taught content and guided learning. It is delivered at academic Level 3, which is equivalent to further education standard (e.g. A level, or BTEC Level 3). When learners complete the course, their certificates will carry the logos of both Imroc and NCFE.
It should be noted that as a customised qualification, Imroc’s Level 3 Certificate in Peer Support Work is not regulated by Ofqual. As yet, there is no nationally recognised qualification for Peer Support Workers.
The course maps to the 9 domains of peer support work as set out in Health Education England’s ‘Competence Framework for Peer Support Workers in Mental Health’.
The Level 3 Certificate in Peer Support Work (Mental Health) will enable participants to:
Recognise and value the expertise they have gained through their own lived and life experience
Understand and implement the evidence-based principles and values that underpin peer support
Draw on their lived and life experience to offer safe, effective, person-centred and recovery-focused support to help people live the life they want and live it well
Utilise strengths-based, progressive approaches that focus on the potential of every individual they support to find their own personal route towards recovery
Promote inclusion and respect difference to deliver equitable peer support to people from diverse cultures and backgrounds
Promote the rights of people they support and inspire recovery-focussed practices in the workplace
Work in a collaborative and co-productive manner with other professionals and services.
Completing the Level 3 Certificate in Peer Support Work (Mental Health) will indicate to employers and other education providers that the learner has studied at an appropriate level for the demands of the PSW role within health care and voluntary settings.
40 hours (16 X 2.5 hour sessions)
12 weeks in total is recommended for induction, training and completion of assessment.
Training is delivered in two parts.
Unit 1 is 2 sessions a week for 4 consecutive weeks, a halfway break then Unit 2 over another 4 weeks.
Alternatively, contact peertraining@imroc.org for bespoke delivery
Structure
Those in peer support worker roles or applying for a peer support worker role, particularly those in paid roles and those who deliver one-to-one support using their lived experience in any setting
Who is this course for?
UNIT 1: Exploring the values, theory and knowledge underpinning peer support work
Module 1 – Mutuality, connection and the 8 Core Values
Module 2 – Reciprocity and sharing our lived experience
Module 3 – Recovery-focused and progressive
Module 4 – Finding strength in self and others
Module 5 – Safe and boundaried peer support
Module 6 – Being non-directive
Module 7 – Finding strength in community
Module 8 – Overarching principles: equity and trauma-responsive
Unit 2: Promoting generative, innovative and rights-based peer support
Module 9 – Person-centred communication skills
Module 10 – Understanding our own story and supporting others to do so
Module 11 – The arc of the peer support relationship
Module 12 – Working in systems, recognising rights
Module 13 – Distress and the right to be safe
Module 14 – Holding space and alternatives to traditional approaches
Module 15 – Thriving in peer support work
Module 16 – Consolidating our skills and preparing to move forward
Modules Covered
Induction & Assessment: Yes and Yes
Cohort Size: 12–20 participants
Cost & Booking: For details, contact peertraining@imroc.org
Additional Details
Next Steps in Peer Support
This course will equip anyone working in the peer support world to step into more senior peer positions with an increased confidence and knowledge whilst upholding the important peer values that define the profession.
This course is aimed at anyone wanting to strengthen their knowledge and skills to develop peer services as well as to gain peer specific leadership and management skills. The course has been co-produced by a dedicated group of individuals with relevant bespoke skills and experience within the peer realm.
This 15-hour training (6 sessions of 2.5 hours each) is designed for individuals undertaking or planning to step into peer leadership and senior peer roles. Through interactive learning, participants will explore core leadership values, develop essential skills, and engage in practical exercises to strengthen their leadership approach.
Get in touch: peertraining@imroc.org
2 sessions per day for 3 consecutive weeks
Bespoke delivery available – contact peertraining@imroc.org
Structure
Individuals preparing for peer leadership roles
Those in senior peer support positions looking to enhance their leadership skills
Who is this course for?
Module 1: Core Values of Peer Leadership
Module 2: Leadership with Integrity
Module 3: Leadership with Vision
Module 4: Leadership with Awareness
Module 5: Leadership with Heart
Module 6: Practice
Modules Covered
Induction & Assessment: Yes
Cohort Size: 12 – 20 people
Cost & Booking: Contact peertraining@imroc.org for pricing and availability
Additional Details
Peer-Informed Supervision Training
This CPD certified course offers Imroc's best practice for those in supervisory roles to Peer Support Workers. To create this thought-provoking
and informative course, we gathered the most progressive thinking around providing peer-informed supervision.
This training explores the importance of being a peer-informed supervisor; not merely taking a recovery-focused approach to supervision but providing supervision that encompasses a recovery focus whilst holding a comprehensive understanding of the peer role and the unique challenges peer support workers face.
This 15-hour course (6 sessions of 2.5 hours each) is designed for current and aspiring supervisors of peer support workers. Participants will explore best practices, develop leadership skills, and learn how to create effective, peer-informed supervision structures.
Get in touch today: peertraining@imroc.org
2 sessions per week or per month for 3 weeks/months (typically delivered as full-day sessions)
Bespoke delivery available – contact peertraining@imroc.org
Structure
Who is this course for?
Current supervisors of peer support workers
Aspiring supervisors stepping into leadership roles
Service leads developing peer support pathways
Supervisors learning the Imroc Supervision Triangle
Module 1: Becoming a Peer-Informed Supervisor
Module 2: Being a Peer Ally
Module 3: Co-reflection
Module 4: Restorative Practices
Module 5: Development in Supervision
Module 6: Practical Session
Modules Covered
Induction & Assessment: Yes
Cohort Size: 12 – 20 people
Cost & Booking: Contact peertraining@imroc.org for pricing and availability
Additional Details
Team Preparation Training (Mental Health)
This CPD certified course provides a range of considerations for teams integrating peer support workers into their service and to identify positive supporting factors and areas for development.
The session will cover what a peer support worker is, what do they do (what work to they undertake, what values they work to), give space for teams to explore their thoughts and feelings about working alongside peer support workers and where needed exploring assumptions about the role. We will explore what steps a team needs to take moving forward and leave with some guidance around next steps and ideas that are bespoke to your team.
This 2.5-hour online session is designed for teams integrating peer support workers into their workforce. Whether you are employing peer workers for the first time, reintroducing them after a break, or expanding your peer workforce, this session provides essential guidance on implementation and best practices.
Get in touch today: peertraining@imroc.org
Structure
Online via Zoom
One 2.5-hour session
Teams employing peer support workers for the first time
Teams reintroducing peer support after staff turnover
Newly established peer support teams
Teams significantly expanding their peer workforce
Who is this course for?
Identify steps taken towards peer support
Recognise existing recovery-focused practices in their team
Summarise hopes and challenges in implementing peer roles
Present solutions for common team integration issues
Evaluate team readiness for peer support workers
What You’ll Learn
Booking & Costs: Contact peertraining@imroc.org
Induction & Assessment: No
Cohort Size: Up to 20 people