Peer Support Working in Mental Health

Would you like a career as a peer support worker or a family peer support worker? Then this course is ideal for you.

General Entry Requirements Peer Support Workers will have a previous history of mental health problems and be in recovery or recovered. Family Peer Support Workers will have experience of supporting someone with mental health problems. Potential students will be interviewed prior to commencement of the programme. This process will provide an opportunity for DCU staff to review the educational academic entry point of the student and apply RPL guidelines. In addition to ‘expertise by experience’ and ‘family supporter experience’ there are a number of entry criteria: Evidence of critical thinking, literacy, communication/writing skills at level 5 NFQ. This can be in the form of formal qualifications (e.g. Leaving Certificate) or the equivalent Where applicants do not have formal level 5 NFQ qualifications they will be assessed through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) All applicants are required to submit a personal statement (1000 words) detailing your experience and interest in the course. Your personal statement should be unique and tailored to the programme for which you are applying. Some guidelines on writing a personal statement can be found here: https://www.dcu.ie/registry/Personal-Statement-Guidelines.shtml# Prospective Students must secure a placement as a peer support worker or a family peer support worker for 19 hours a week (paid or unpaid) for the duration of the course (September - April). The placement can be in a voluntary or statutory services but there must be a placement supervisor to support the peer support worker while engaging in peers support work. Applicants must complete this Supervisory Requirement Template and provide it as part of their application. A copy of Identification Due to the specialist nature of this programme, additional criteria may be used to assess suitability to undertake this programme. For further information, please contact the Programme Chair using the contact details above.