Spaces to Grow
About this report
Spaces to Grow is a community-wide report about Peer Workers in the ACT. It looks at how peer work is used in mental health and related services. The report is based on two surveys from 2024:
- one with individual Peer Workers
- one with organisations that employ them.
Peer Workers use their own lived or living experience to support others. Their work is based on care, trust, empathy, and recovery. They may work in mental health, disability, drug and alcohol services, LGBTIQA+ support, domestic and family violence, and more.
This report was created with Peer Workers and the ACT Office for Mental Health and Wellbeing. It shares what is working well, what is not, and what we need to do to build a strong and safe peer workforce in the ACT.
What we found
The report shows that Peer Workers in the ACT:
- work with strong values and use lived experience to connect with others
- are often in casual jobs, with limited support or career growth
- are not always paid fairly or seen as skilled workers
- need better access to training, supervision, and clear roles.
Peer Workers bring care, hope, and connection. But they often work in systems that do not fully understand or support them.
Key recommendations
The report includes 12 recommendations, including:
- grow the peer workforce across all service areas, not just mental health
- make training easier to access, including a Certificate IV in Peer Work
- recognise lived experience as a skill that should be paid for
- improve contracts and supervision to support Peer Workers and reduce burnout
- fund services that support peer work values and leadership
- create a hub-and-spoke model to support Peer Workers across the ACT.