Forfatter: Silje Margrethe Jørgensen

That’s what we aim to find out in the pilot project we recently started in collaboration with Romerike Prison, Ullersmo unit. In spring 2024, five inmates completed an 8-week introductory course. The course was developed by prison officer and program coordinator at Ullersmo, Elise, and Nina from “NAV in prison”. The idea emerged during the 2022 World Overdose Day, and many hours have since been spent organizing it, with support from KBT Vocational College.

Now, six inmates have begun studying to become peer support workers. It requires many adjustments, but if successful, this could be the start of something bigger.

Time management and unpredictability

Like many other projects, it takes some dedicated individuals to make this pilot a reality. There is no doubt that both Elise, Nina, and their colleagues are exactly that. Management is also on board. When some of the KBT staff went to Ullersmo to start up the semester, an inspector told us: “It’s fantastic that we are making this happen!” We completely agree!

Many potential challenges will need to be overcome in the coming year, and solutions need to be found quickly. Organizing the teaching schedule is a bit of a puzzle. Someone serving time in a high-security prison has less control over their daily schedule than most of us take for granted. They can’t decide when to receive visitors or go shopping, let alone use the internet. Many also have other scheduled activities throughout the week, from work to substance abuse treatment, or other learning activities.

Bringing digital education into a high-security setting

Much of the peer support worker education is conducted digitally, and it’s not just the students’ limited internet access that requires the program to be adapted for a high-security prison. Strict rules apply to what can be brought past the security check. For example, a PC or smartphone cannot be brought in when a teacher from KBT Vocational College visits. Presentations must be sent in advance, and printed copies of information are often used instead.

Throughout the academic year, students will also receive several guidance sessions, which are usually done digitally. In this case, we will compensate by traveling to provide in-person guidance.

Theory and practice

As a vocational program, the peer support worker education includes 50% practice. Normally, students find a placement near where they live. A practice period consists of 270 hours. In the prison, they need to think differently about what kind of work can count as practice, such as giving presentations.

Awareness of possible pitfalls and role conflicts

One major difference between students in prison and those on the outside is that they cannot leave their environment after work or school. They remain in the same setting 24/7, making it challenging to separate their different roles. Although they will not have practice in their own department, most people around them know that they are studying.

On the first day of class, both students and staff showed awareness of these issues, which is a good start. One student reflected aloud on the potential to end up in a position of power over other inmates, which they need to be mindful of.

Peer support workers in the correctional system

While peer support workers in mental health and substance abuse are becoming more well-known and widespread in Norway, it is still in the early stages within the correctional system. However, it is more established in other countries, such as the UK. Recently vi visited St. Giles trust in Wales, and learned a bit of how they work with prisons. We will write more about that soon!

Mutual desire to establish an educational program in prison

At KBT Vocational College, we have long recognized the potential for peer support workers in the correctional system, inspired by other countries. When Romerike Prison contacted us, it was a perfect fit. After discussing various educational setups, we have now launched a pilot project. Although we have planned for many things, unexpected events may arise over the next year.

We look forward to the collaboration in the coming year. If the pilot project is successful, it may eventually lead to the development of a program for more prisons in Norway.

This article was translated from Norwegian with an AI-tool.

What does the future hold for training and educational opportunities for peer support workers in the Nordic and Baltic countries? KBT Vocational College, along with organizations from Sweden, Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Denmark, has been working on this question for the past few years. Through a network collaboration supported by Nordplus, we have drawn inspiration and knowledge from one another. This collaboration has accelerated the development of training for peer support workers in several countries.

Applying for a New Project – Seeking to Develop Common Training Materials

On April 30, 2024, the latest project on networking for peer support worker education in the Nordic and Baltic countries concluded. We leave the project with a strengthened network, which has potential for further development. The main goals of the Nordplus network were to create a larger network for the education and training of peer support workers and to build a common understanding for future projects.

Through the network, we have identified some needs. Therefore, the network has applied for funding to develop shared educational materials, including videos that will provide a common understanding of what a peer support worker is and what is needed to enhance their competencies. The network got fundings for further work, and a new project has started. We will tell more about that in a new post.

Project Partners

• Sweden: NSPH
• Estonia: MTÜ Kogemusnõustajad
• Iceland: Hlutverkasetur
• Lithuania: Mental Health Perspectives
• Latvia: Zelda
• (Guest) Denmark: Peer Partnerskabet

Relationship Building Over Time

This project is the third Nordplus project initiated by KBT Vocational College to bring together the Nordic and Baltic countries for peer support worker training.

The project has both strengthened previous relationships with partners and expanded the network. This is a network for collaboration, not competition. Program Director Preben Hegland is optimistic about continued collaboration and envisions the network growing with more partners and countries in the coming years.

Community Around the Important Role of the Peer Support Worker

The partnership is built on a shared understanding that peer support workers play an important role in healthcare and that there is a need for education and competence development to ensure that both the peer support workers and the system can work together effectively.

All partners in the project are committed to creating a community and a common meeting place for the Nordic and Baltic countries to address the topics surrounding peer support workers.

Sharing Experiences on Education

Sharing experiences about accredited education in Norway and supporting partners in their startup phases will continue to be important for KBT Vocational College going forward. One example of the network’s effectiveness is that NSPH in Sweden is working to establish an education for peer support workers at the same level as KBT Vocational College. This will enable great opportunities for collaboration between these educational programs in the future.

This text was translated from Norwegian with help from the AI-tool chatgpt.

With our hybrid education model*, you can study from anywhere in the country. However, many still prefer having a classroom to attend. From autumn 2024, KBT Vocational College also have campuses in Hamar and Ålesund, in addition to Trondheim and Kristiansand.

To make this happen, we cooperate with local organizations. In Hamar we cooperate with Sagatun Recovery, in Ålesund with Havskue opplæringssenter and in Kristiansand with ROM-Agder.

*The teaching is online with in-person sessions. The lessons are streamed online, and students can choose to attend in the classroom or participate entirely online. During session weeks, many students travel to their campus. Students living outside Trøndelag, Agder, Innlandet, or Møre og Romsdal attend sessions in Trondheim or participate online only.

The application deadline for the 2024/2025 academic year has passed, and the next opportunity to apply is from March 20, 2025.

This text was translated from Norwegian with help from the AI-tool chatgpt.

One of the researchers behind the CHIME recovery framework, Dr. Mary Leamy, is a collaborator on the CHIME 2.0 project. On June 6th, Leamy visited us in Trondheim, both to work on the project and to lecture for the students in the Peer Support Worker education.

What is CHIME?

CHIME is an acronym for Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning, and Empowerment. The CHIME framework was developed by researchers in England and presented in a 2011 article*. The researchers created the framework after reviewing nearly 100 qualitative research articles on recovery.

 *Leamy, M., Bird, V., Boutillier, C. L., Williams, J., & Slade, M. (2011). Conceptual framework for personal recovery in mental health: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 199(6), 445–452. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.083733 

CHIME 2.0.

The CHIME 2.0 project focuses on the implementation of recovery and CHIME in Norwegian municipalities. In the project, we work on developing and delivering recovery-oriented training courses for service leaders and staff in municipal mental health and substance abuse services. CHIME 2.0 is supported by the Dam Foundation through the Norwegian Council for Mental Health.

Meeting experts through the education program

At KBT Vocational College, you receive lessons from both regular teachers and experts in various subjects. These experts come from academia, research, and the field of practice. Recovery is an important topic in the Peer Support Worker education, so it is a great pleasure to welcome one of the key researchers in the field of recovery.

Research on recovery and the CHIME framework

Dr. Leamy discussed how they reviewed numerous qualitative research articles on recovery and developed the CHIME model, which many of us recognize today. The model is more complex than the acronym CHIME alone suggests, and Mary guided the students through the different categories in the model. She recommended reading the original 2011 research article for a deeper understanding of the CHIME model.

Students also learned about recent research, including ongoing studies in Thailand. Much of the previous research on recovery comes from Western countries, so it will be interesting to see what findings emerge from another part of the world.

INSPIRE – Measuring personal recovery

While the CHIME framework explains factors important for personal recovery, it is not ideal for measuring recovery processes. Therefore, researchers at King’s College London, in collaboration with service users, developed the INSPIRE tool, which you can read about and download at researchintorecovery.com. Leamy emphasized the distinction between clinical and personal recovery, where clinical recovery refers to being symptom-free.

Variations of the CHIME model

In recent years, there have been several variations of the CHIME model from different groups, which add one or more letters. Leamy pointed out that most of these are not research-based and divert the framework in directions different from what the CHIME model was intended for.

This text was translated from Norwegian with help from the AI-tool chatgpt.