Yesterday the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, The Hon Emma McBride MP, launched Peers at the Table: Sharing stories, busting myths, transforming care, a new podcast series developed by COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN in partnership with Co-Equal’s Phil Crawford, at Parliament House, Canberra. 

The launch featured a live panel discussion with podcast contributors, creating an opportunity to explore the role of lived experience and peer work in strengthening mental health services. 

COORDINARE CEO Prudence Buist said the series provides an important platform for people with lived and living experience to share their insights and help shape the future of mental health care. 

“This series provides important lived experience perspectives on accessing mental health services and contributes ideas to improve help-seeking experiences for all Australians. 

"Through the experiences and expertise shared by contributors, the series encourages conversations about how mental health services can be more person-centred, recovery-oriented and responsive to the needs of people who use them. 

“The podcasts are designed to be a lived experience-led educational resource for mental health service providers, supporting person-centred, recovery-oriented and trauma-informed approaches to care. 

“The peer workforce in South Eastern NSW has grown significantly over recent years, reflecting increasing recognition of the important role lived experience plays in supporting recovery and shaping the future of mental health care.” 

Since 2021, the number of peer workers delivering services within South Eastern NSW PHN-funded mental health and suicide prevention services has grown from 70 to more than 200, while the number of PHN-commissioned services incorporating peer roles has increased from 15 to 39. Peer workers now deliver around 27–28% of care across commissioned services employing peer workers, compared with approximately 5% five years ago. 

COORDINARE Regional Peer Workforce Project Coordinator Courtney Cross said the series aims to challenge assumptions, build empathy and encourage new ways of thinking about mental health and recovery. 

“Through storytelling, we hope to amplify lived experience voices, foster greater understanding of peer work and inspire new approaches to designing and delivering services. 

“We hope each episode encourages people to listen differently and appreciate what becomes possible when people with lived and living experience are genuinely at the table.” 

Ms Cross thanked the contributors who shared their experiences throughout the series. 

“Sharing lived and living experience is an act of courage. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time, insight and expertise to this project.” 

The Parliament House launch featured the premiere episode, Rethinking Recovery, which explores what recovery-oriented practice looks like from a lived experience perspective. 

Peer worker Mark Thompson, who features alongside Neil Fraser in the episode, said being involved in the podcast was both a privilege and an opportunity to share knowledge gained through lived experience. 

“When we look at things from a relational perspective, we not only have the opportunity to support others, but to find new ways of seeing, thinking and doing for ourselves. 

“It is an inescapable fact that what peers do, and the way peers do it, changes lives for the better.” 

For more information, including a link to the first episode in the Peers at the Table series, Rethinking Recovery visit here.  

This program is supported by funding from COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN through the Australian Government’s PHN Program.