Health Education England (HEE) are exploring what capabilities are required for people that become peer support workers for autistic people. These capabilities will cover the skills, knowledge and values that Peer Support workers must have to do the job.
Autism Peer Support is where autistic people use the lessons learned from their own experiences to support other autistic people. As well as their own experience they also need the knowledge skills and values to understand other people’s needs and give good support.
The aim is to improve the quality of community-based support for autistic people.
Skills for Care, the National Autistic Society, together with Sussex Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes & Hypermobility Disorders CIC (SEDS) and Resolve Development, which are both autistic led organisations, are leading the project for HEE. We need to find out what autistic people, families and other key stakeholders think those capabilities are.
To do this, we will be holding 12 online/virtual meetings in December 2021 and January 2022. There will be a maximum of 12 people per meeting to ensure everyone has a chance to have their say.
Each session will last 1 hour, and each will be jointly co-produced by an autistic person. Depending on the size of the group attending the meeting, you may be asked to participate in small group discussions. Information will be provided in advance.
Participants can be paid £15 per hour. Information about what will be discussed will be provided before the meeting.
The following options are offered to anyone who finds virtual meetings challenging or who would prefer a 1:1 chat.
– 1:1 phone call or virtual meeting
– Fill in a questionnaire
Those who use alternative communication methods will be supported to do so.
To take part, please contact Skills for Care by emailing policy@skillsforcare.org.uk or visit our web page SkillsforCare for dates & times of the meeting for you to choose and a link to the online questionnaire