Transforming Lives through the Peer Hostels Project

July 27, 2016

CoMHWA has been a partner in delivering an innovative peer support project for people living in psychiatric hostels.

The project was a landmark- a first for WA – by offering peer support groups to people living in psychiatric hostels. It also employed the first team of peer facilitators with personal experience of living in psychiatric hostels, who demonstrate people’s potential to move beyond institutionalisation to a better life situation.

Twenty individuals living in four hostels in the NDIA Hills site attended weekly peer support workshops between February and June 2016.

CoMHWA provided consumer advice to the project and coordinated and supported the peer facilitators who brought unique insight and understanding to the project.

The project successfully assisted our peers to better understand and prepare for the NDIS and to feel more confident in speaking up and sharing their personal aims for a good life. 100% of those attending wanted to return for future workshops, with one participant sharing that “This has just changed my whole life and outlook on life; I have a purpose for living.”

The CoMHWA team recognises the high potential of this project to support mental health consumers in accessing the NDIS, and to assist people living in psychiatric hostels, who are among WA’s most disadvantaged people.

You can view a full summary of the project in our Projects page.

The project was a collaboration of CoMHWA, WA Association for Mental Health, DADAA, National Disability Insurance Agency (Perth Hills).