Stacey joined Mental Health Matters in May 2023 as a Peer Support Worker at our Knowsley Moving Forward Together service.

What interested you about the role?

I was interested to work with MHM because I feel mental health support at the community level is vital in today's world. I specifically liked the idea of a job that required creativity whilst allowing me to draw on my own experiences of mental health challenges & improvement. I have learnt a lot during my 20 years of working within the mental health system, however the real teaching was to be found during my two main experiences of mental health decline & the road that led out of them. The combination of all these experiences left me with a real passion to work with others in a way which felt truly authentic, I believed the Peer Support Worker role was perfect for this.

What do you enjoy about your role?

So far, I have enjoyed each day I've attended work, meeting clients, bringing forward ideas & connecting with others in the community who are offering services to Knowsley residents. Absolutely it was a challenge to begin with, taking in the new setting, systems, training & beginning the workload however through all of this I was supported wonderfully by the friendly MHM team & now I have even more excitement about what the future holds.

What have you learnt since starting this role?

I'm learning at every turn, whether it be names, services, locations I'm unfamiliar about or refining & building on my abilities to connect & communicate with people. Staying open to the learning opportunities in each moment is important, I feel.

Plus, I'm always learning to lean into trust & this role is no exception. Trusting I'm in the right place, trusting in myself & what I can bring to the role, trusting I'll pick up the skills that the role requires, the list goes on!