Question:
Assessment Item:
Critical analysis of the involvement of peer workers in contemporary mental health service settings Total Weighting: 45% Length: 2500 words (the reference list is excluded from the word count).
The aim of this assignment is to extend students’ understanding of emerging roles and contributions of consumer workers in mental health services, their ability to critically evaluate the risks and benefits associated with this involvement, and to apply this knowledge to inform their individual ability to support and utilise these roles in practice.
The task requires synthesis of the broad range of concepts and literature related to consumer and carer participation and recovery, and extrapolation from this to predict potential risks and benefits for different stakeholders within an applied setting.
In this assignment, you are asked to write an essay which examines and critically analyses the growing involvement of paid peer support workers in mental health services.
To complete this assignment, you are required to complete the following tasks.
• Review and analyse the literature and research evidence related to the development of peer support mechanisms for people with mental illness and the employment of peer workers in mental health services, including discussion of: o the settings in which peer workers have been involved, o the models of peer support utilised, and o the outcomes achieved.
• Select one specific mental health service setting in which peer support workers have been utilised, and provide a detailed critical analysis of the issues, risks and benefits of involvement of peer support workers in that setting, including discussion of the perspectives of each of the following: o the consumer, o the peer worker, and o the employing organisation.
Students are expected to draw on and make reference to the concepts and methods covered within the course content and readings, and other relevant research literature in completing this assignment. The assignment should be properly referenced according to APA Referencing Style for all references to research literature, websites and other relevant academic sources.
Criteria & Marking:
1. Comprehensive description of the concepts and issues relevant to the development of peer support, including settings, models and outcomes
2. Demonstrated ability to apply theoretical concepts to analysis of risks and benefits within a specific service setting and from different stakeholder perspectives
3. Research: use of relevant literature to support ideas and key points
4. Demonstrated highly developed writing skills including form, expression, grammar and spelling, and use of citations and referencing consistent with APA style guidelines
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