About the Course:

OnTrack Wellness and Recovery Center prepares participants for a successful learning experience in relation to becoming a NC CPSS. It also provides an awareness and introduction to the role of a Peer Support Specialist, and the significance of sharing a lived experience in peer support work. During this training the participants develop and understanding of their own recovery story, build upon strengths, network with other peer supporters and understand the important role peer support can play in the recovery process.

We believe wholeheartedly in the benefits of people with a lived experience of recovery with mental health and who uses that lived experience to help and support other people who are going through similar things. This training focuses on the development of peer support services in substance use disorder and mental health services settings. It aims to augment traditional and non-traditional treatment setting/services. The training encompasses needed support services including but not limited to wellness and recovery planning, mentoring, mutual support, self-determination, networking, self-advocacy, whole health recovery, one on one work, support group facilitation, code of ethics and standards, confidentiality, change model, recovery concepts and much, much more.

The peer support training course equips trainees with the skills and techniques necessary to become a peer support worker. Trainees learn about sharing their story, active listening, problem solving and boundaries as well as recovery concepts and peer toolkits.

The overall learning outcomes for this course are that successful participants will be able to:

• Describe peer support within a range of mental health settings
• Understand and practically demonstrate peer support values and principles
• Demonstrate their ability to utilize their own personal experiences of mental distress to provide hope and inspiration for others
• Demonstrate their ability to support their peers to identify and meet their own personal goals and aspirations and use a variety of peer support techniques and tools.