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How peer support can assist job-seekers with a disability move into work

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2020

Diana Dorstyn Open the ORCID record for Diana Dorstyn [Opens in a new window] ,
Gregory Murphy ,
Elizabeth Potter  and
Ashley Craig
Diana Dorstyn*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Gregory Murphy
Affiliation:
School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Elizabeth Potter
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Ashley Craig
Affiliation:
John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: diana.dorstyn@adelaide.edu.au
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Abstract

Anecdotally, there are frequent reports that peer-facilitated initiatives can be successfully used in employment services. However, in Australia, there is little information about how to effectively deliver peer support. In this paper, we discuss how peer-based interventions might be used to supplement formal return-to-work services and contribute to positive job-seeking outcomes. We illustrate the potential of vocational peer support using a real situation involving a young adult who successfully returned to work soon after sustaining a traumatic injury. Future research should explore the inclusion of various peer support structures and formats as a component of other employment services, to help people with long-term conditions and disabilities achieve a range of vocational outcomes and to guide practice in this area.

Keywords

Employmentsocial supportspinal cord injuryrehabilitationself-efficacy
Type
Articles
Information
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , July 2020 , pp. 7 - 11
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press and The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling

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