Northern Health is proud to expand our Staff Peer Support Program – an initiative designed to strengthen our culture of care and support the wellbeing of our staff and volunteers.

Launched in August 2022, the Staff Peer Support Program offers confidential, brief support for staff experiencing work or personal concerns, as well as guidance and referral to longer term, professional wellbeing resources and services. Peer Supporters are trained employees who volunteer their time to support colleagues, helping create a safer, more connected and psychologically supportive workplace.

The expansion of the Staff Peer Support network, which involves a recruitment drive for new Staff Peer Supporters, encourages managers to nominate team members who may be well suited to the role. We want to expand the network of Staff Peer Supporters across Divisions, teams, campuses and disciplines and we encourage staff to think about who in your team would be a good fit for the role.

There are several benefits to having Peer Supporters amongst teams, or becoming one yourself. These benefits include:

• A positive impact on morale, Staff Peer Supporters foster a workplace that is psychologically safe where staff feel supported
• Greater accessibility to support. Having Staff Peer Supporters across different teams, Divisions, campuses and workgroups makes it easier for staff to reach out and seek support early, and builds staff awareness and linkages to other professional supports like EAP. Early support seeking reduces the risk of longer term or more severe psychological injury
• Strengthened organisational preparedness to respond to critical incidents and stressful situations in the workplace
• Staff Peer Supporters gain a sense of fulfilment at work through supporting others
• Staff Peer Supporters acquire valuable skills to foster their own personal and professional development. The Peer Support training includes two-day qualification training which covers peer support skills, psychological first aid, stress and resilience, managing ethical issues in peer support, and more ongoing training and supervision.

Further information about the Peer Supporter Recruitment process can be found on the Intranet here, including the Staff Peer Supporter Position Description and how managers can make a nomination.

Speech Pathologist and Staff Peer Supporter, Rachel Nolan, says the program has been invaluable for both her professional growth and her sense of connection across the organisation.

“I value the Peer Support training and network as a wonderful way to connect with like-minded colleagues who are also passionate about supporting others. Being a Peer Supporter not only allows me to be there for my colleagues, but also helps build strong relationships with Peer Supporters across the organisation who share the same commitment to care. If you naturally look out for those around you, becoming a Peer Supporter is a chance to build on those strengths, receive formal training, and use your skills to make a meaningful difference.”

All Northern Health staff and volunteers can access the Staff Peer Support Program, with information on how to contact a Peer Supporter, available here.

This Program expansion represents an important step in strengthening our culture of care.

We look forward to welcoming and training our new Staff Peer Supporters and celebrating the work of this dedicated group as they continue to support our people.