Abstract
Objective: Little is known about how organisations can best support the Suicide Prevention Peer Workforce. The present study aimed to identify and understand the systemic barriers and enablers that influence the sustainability of Suicide Prevention Peer Work.
Method: 12 participants elected to participate, the majority of whom were currently or previously employed as Suicide Prevention Peer Workers. Qualitative research involving focus groups and individual interviews were used to identify and understand how various systemic factors inhibited or empowered each participant’s professional practice. Transcripts were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis and a Dialogical analysis.
Results: Three primary themes emerged from the data: (1) “Passion and Good Work, There’s Plenty of That”; (2) “Poor Preparation for Peer Integration”; and (3) “Is There an Up?”. Participants reported that limited career opportunities, low pay, and devaluing of Lived Experience expertise were barriers to sustaining their professional practice. Accessible supervisory support and improved understanding of the peer work role were among some of the systemic enablers.
Conclusion: In conclusion, this research makes a novel contribution to the identification of the systemic barriers and enablers influencing the sustainability of Suicide Prevention Peer Work. The present study offers several recommendations to stakeholders to improve the working conditions of the Suicide Prevention Peer Workforce.
Key Points
What is Already Known About this Topic:
1. Suicide Prevention Peer Workers are continuously confronted with various systemic barriers that impact the sustainability of their professional practice.
2. Poor compensation and a lack of Lived Experience leadership in the workplace are among the previously identified systemic barriers.
3. Little is known about how best to sustain Suicide Prevention Peer Workers in their professional practice.
What this Topic Adds:
1. Detailed insights into the systemic barriers and enablers influencing the sustainability of Suicide Prevention Peer Work. Poor compensation and limited career progression opportunities were some of the barriers most frequently cited by participants.
2. Recommendations for stakeholders on how to best improve the working conditions of the Suicide Prevention Peer Workforce. Ensuring Lived Experience expertise is valued equally to other types of professional expertise emerged as an important recommendation.
3. An example of how co-design research can elevate Lived Experience expertise throughout all phases of the research process.