Peer support is built on lived experience, connection and hope. For Elvis and Robin, the Peer Worker Apprenticeship has provided more than a qualification – it has given them the confidence, knowledge and recognition to continue growing in roles where their experience makes a meaningful difference every day.
At Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT), Peer Support Workers are recruited because of their lived experience rather than formal qualifications. Once in post, they are supported to develop their skills and, for many, the Peer Worker Apprenticeship has become an important next step.
For Elvis, who recently became the first Peer Support Worker at CWPT to complete the apprenticeship, the programme has strengthened both their practice and future ambitions.
The apprenticeship gave me the foundation to excel in my career as a Peer Support Worker," he says. "It explored areas such as safeguarding, emotional intelligence, multidisciplinary working and the history of peer support in much greater depth. The skills I've gained are invaluable when supporting people, especially when having difficult conversations.
Completing the apprenticeship has also opened new career opportunities, giving Elvis the confidence to explore progression into roles including Social Work or Occupational Therapy.
Robin, who is currently two-thirds of the way through the programme, has found the apprenticeship equally transformative. After five years in a Peer Support Worker role, they wanted a structured way to build on existing knowledge while gaining a recognised qualification that reflected their expertise.
I can better evidence and articulate my role amongst colleagues and peers," Robin explains. "I've reflected on my practice in much more detail and have been able to apply what I've learned straight away. It's also given me opportunities to lead lived experience groups, deepen my understanding of co-production and learn alongside other Peer Support Workers.
For Stacy Cooper, Trust Lead for Coproduction and Lived Experience at CWPT, these individual stories reflect a wider shift across the workforce.
The apprenticeship has become a key feature in our development offer. [...] We've seen Peer Support Workers grow in confidence and become better equipped to explain what makes peer support unique. It has added credibility to this specialist profession and helped us create a clear career pathway that combines experience, training and qualifications.
As Elvis and Robin's experiences show, the apprenticeship is about much more than achieving a qualification. It recognises the value of lived experience, builds confidence in practice and creates opportunities for Peer Support Workers to continue developing their careers while strengthening the services they help deliver.
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Peer Worker Apprenticeship
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