Information Session Handout
PREFER
Peer Recovery Education for Employment & Resilience
Project Purpose:
We hope to provide opportunities and tools for people to work on furthering their own personal recovery
and because we are offering a comprehensive set of 8 trainings, we also provide a base of education and
skills training that can be used to further opportunities to work in voluntary and paid employment roles in
peer support, recovery education, addictions, mental health, and social services more broadly.
Project Basics:
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The PREFER program consists of 8 trainings that are independent of each other but are
complementary and build on your learning + regular monthly involvement in the PREFER
community + attending the annual SUMMIT.
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Each done in fairly intensive format, ranging from full day (9-5) workshop to four full days
in a row; some trainings are more spread out being one day a week for three weeks.
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Small group sizes -- 10-30 participants.
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Groups offered in Toronto - central/northern and in York Region.
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You may have one training in one month and none for a few months.
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We have bursaries to support 65 people -- All training is free to participants (including
materials)
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Full program involves: 17 ½ full days of training + the summit and
involvement/participation in the participants’ network (minimum 80% of meetings) +
employment preparation group (3 days) + occasional progress support meetings with the
coordinators.
Training Groups:
(1) Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)
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WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Plan.
Developed in Vermont, USA, in 1997 by Mary Ellen Copeland and a group of
friends who had all experienced the mental health system.
The WRAP program involves an educational and planning process that is grounded
in mental health recovery concepts such as hope, education, empowerment, selfadvocacy, and interpersonal support and connection. Within a group setting,
individuals explore self-help tools (eg. peer counseling, focusing exercises,
relaxation & stress reduction techniques) and resources for keeping themselves
well and for helping themselves feel better in difficult times.
We’ll be using WRAP as a tool for ourselves and developing our own personal
WRAP plans, but also be learning about WRAP so that we might later be able to
facilitate WRAP groups.
Three full days, small groups of 10 participants.
First groups in July 2012
You may also find groups in the community: at self-help centers/groups, drop-in
centers, mental health support agencies and other places people in recovery
gather.
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Information Session Handout
(2) Like Minds: Peer Support Education
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Developed as an educational program for Peers in the Mental Health System. The
curriculum for Like Minds was designed by the Consumer/Survivor Community,
and meant to be delivered by Peer Educators.
Program expectations:
1. Knowledge and appreciation about recovery and peer support
2. Learning about and feeling comfortable doing peer support
3. Personal preparation to do the work
4. Reflection and Knowledge integration
Three days; small groups of up to 21 people
First group this summer
(3) Anti-Oppression Training
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Training on the nature of discrimination and oppression of all types with opportunity
for self-reflection and capacity building to provide anti-oppressive support when
working with other people.
Special focuses on discrimination related to ability/disability and mental health
labels and experiences and on the power imbalance in a worker-supporter
relationship.
Offered as a half-day workshop
(4) Pathways to Recovery Facilitator Training
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Pathways to Recovery is a tool to help people move forward in mental health
recovery. It is an extensive self-help workbook (2002) developed by a group of
consumer/survivors and social work educators at the Kansas School of Social
Welfare
The workbook orients people to recovery, helps us to identify our personal
strengths and dreams, and refocus on reclaiming positive sources of identity and a
life beyond being a person with a psychiatric disability or a full-time consumer of
mental health services. It helps us think about and plan how to live a full life.
Looks at various parts of a person’s life (housing, relationships, spirituality,
hobbies, other activities) and where we’d like to make changes. using a strengthsbased approach to a person-centred self-help group.
Will be run as a three full days of training in small groups of approximately 10
people in order to learn how to facilitate Pathways groups.
(5) Gaining Autonomy with my Medication (1 day workshop)
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Came out of Quebec from an alliance between service users, alternative resources
in mental health, an advocacy group, and a research team.
A process of learning; understanding medication and its effects on all aspects of
life with a harm reduction approach and looking at quality of life
Questioning one’s needs & wants with respect to psychiatric medication.
It is part of a process of personal development. Three major steps to work
through: Awakening to being a person, rather than an illness; (2) Observing
myself and my quality of life; (3) Recognizing my needs, resources, rights and
learning about my medications; (4) Making Choices about my medication -adjusting, continuing, reducing, etc.
A tool to enhance skill and comfort supporting people who are examining the role
of medications in their lives and as wellness tools.
Offered as a one-day training
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Information Session Handout
(6) Crisis Intervention & (7) Suicide Prevention
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Training in basic, short-term crisis intervention AND suicide prevention from the
Gerstein Centre.
Non-medical, recovery-honouring approach; not focused on risk assessment
Offered as two full days of training (back-to-back) in small groups of 20
participants.
(8) WRAP Facilitation Certification
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The final training workshop you will do.
Training in facilitation skills; practice developing and delivering group format.
Learn skills for planning, organizing, and facilitating WRAP (and other recovery)
groups, managing conflict, group dynamics, and how to support participants in
group settings.
Will get a full set of resources that you can keep and use for future groups.
Intensive four full days in small groups of approximately 10 people.
Employment Skills Group & Support
Opportunity to work on employment related issues and concerns, learn about employment culture,
resumes and cover letter standards, job searching strategies and resources, and discuss and work
through barriers to employment. Offered as a three day workshop.
Participants Network:
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Participants will also meet regularly through the participants network in order to support each other
and remain connected to each other and the PREFER process
Includes opportunity for skills practice and reflection on learnings
monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month, in the evenings (6:30pm – 8:00pm)
starting in November
Meeting sites will alternate between North Toronto and Richmond Hill locations
Also an e-mail list and online options for connecting with each other
Summit
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An annual, conference-style networking and learning opportunity
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Open to the broader recovery community, not just those accepted into PREFER.
Application Process
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Application forms are online at: www.cultureofrecovery.org
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The application deadline is Tuesday May 22, 2012
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Consists of a one-to-two paragraph answer to the question “What makes you a good
candidate for this program?” (**Please contact us if writing or another aspect of the
application process is a barrier – there are different ways you can apply.)
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All applications will be considered and everyone will get a response.
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There are spaces for people who have none of the training and spaces for people
who will only be doing part of the trainings.
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You may be invited to a short interview to be held in June 2012.
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Opportunity to re-apply in next year.
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Training starts in early July 2012!
Questions/Program Contact:
Elizabeth Carvalho & Theresa Wali, Co-Ordinators for PREFER
Krasman Centre, 10121 Yonge St., Richmond Hill, Ontario
Tel: 905-780-0491 ext: 125
Fax: 905-780-1960
e-mail: [email protected]
www.cultureofrecovery.org
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