PROSPER is a Genio Trust funded project undertaken by the Mayo Recovery consortium, a collaborative working group of Mayo Advocacy Group (Service user) and voluntary sector service provider ( MAYO MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION) in collaboration with the HSE (Mayo Mental Health Services.) The group provides strategic direction for recovery policy to Mayo Mental Health Services and operational guidance to the Mayo Rehabilitation and Recovery Team.
Key Challenges: Recovery is a realistic possibility for people diagnosed with a mental illness in Ireland. In addition to the significant benefits of personal recovery there is increasing evidence of greater benefits to communities through improved employment outcomes and empowerment. the strongest evidence in support of the recovery approach can be found in relation to the involvement of peer support specialists in the delivery of care and support. This project will extend existing capacity in mental health services for service user and carer involvement already achieved by means of the DCU leadership initiative and the Trialogue process.
The primary aim of PROSPER is to provide effective peer support to facilitate the movement of identified individuals with mental health difficulties from institutional care to more independent living situations in County Mayo. The secondary aims are to develop local capacity for peer support as a sustainable model of care available to all individuals with mental health difficulties, to provide the required training and supports for service users to become peer support workers and to provide service providers with the necessary training and infrastructure to work with the peer support model of care.
Outcomes and Benefits
At a local level:
The PROSPER initiative is designed to address a number of 'key challenges' in the 'Implementing Recovery, Organisational Change' project, such as:
- Delivering comprehensive user-led education and training programmes
- Establishing a 'Recovery Education Centre' to drive the programmes forward
- Increasing personalisation and choice
- Redefining service user involvement
- Transforming the workforce
- Increasing opportunities for building life 'beyond illness'
At a national level:
- Information about the most effective methods for producing organisational change in relation to helping services move towards a greater 'recovery-orientation'means of a peer support model of care.
- The opportunity to influence key organisational and individual level outcomes which will be of value to regulators and policy makers in mental health in Ireland and abroad.
- Information to inform future studies on the effectiveness and costs of recovery-oriented services.