Pathway for peer support to transform the mental health and addiction workforce webinar

Watch our second recording in the Te Huringa Tuarua webinar series - 5 October 2023. Find out how we can realise the potential of the peer support workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

We released our peer support workforce insights paper in June this year. This paper brings together and synthesises evidence from academic research, New Zealand data, and the voices of people with lived experience on the value of the peer support workforce in mental health and alcohol and drug services.

While the peer support workforce in Aotearoa is growing, it remains a small proportion of our overall mental health and alcohol and drug workforce. This is despite research and lived experience voices demonstrating the hope and other benefits peer support workers contribute to tāngata whaiora.

In this webinar, we shared the evidence that points to the need to further grow our peer support workforce. We also shared the changes we want to see happen to realise the potential of the peer support workforce, including those across different levels of our health system.

Who will be presenting:

Tanya Maloney, Director Mental Health and Addiction System Leadership

In her role, Tanya provides strategic thought leadership and influence in the transformation of the mental health and addiction sector. Tanya originally trained as a clinical psychologist and has clinical experience in community, acute, and secure mental health settings. She has held mental health management roles in the NGO and DHB sector, including General Manager of mental health for Counties Manukau DHB. She has also had senior management roles in public health, women’s health, and child health, and executive roles in strategic planning and funding in Australia and Aotearoa.

Angela Boswell, Senior Policy Advisor

Angela has a passion for using evidence and insights to inform changes that contribute to the wellbeing of people in Aotearoa. She has experience in mixed methods evaluation and integration of data sources and methods to create insights that contribute to system improvement. Her master’s degree in public health explored the economic evaluation of primary mental health interventions. Prior to joining Te Hiringa Mahara, Angela worked in Whanganui as the Wellbeing Programme Lead to roll out the Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addictions services and assist general practices in supporting the wellbeing of their populations.

Guy Baker, Principal Advisor Māori Whānau Lived Experience

He uri au o te iwi o Ngāti Porou

Ko Guy Baker awau

A personal journey of lived experience of mental distress later in life, sparked a passion that saw Guy join Te Kupenga Net Trust in Tairāwhiti as an adult peer support/advocacy worker, Consumer Leader, and Mataora. Guy was privileged to carry the voices of whānau to local, regional, and national forums where he was a Co-Chair of Ngā Hau e Whā (National Consumer Advocacy Group) and become a member of the National Association of Mental Health Services Consumer Advisors (NAMHSCA) prior to joining Te Hiringa Mahara in 2022.