b'Helping throughPeer Research Projectpeer support This year Uniting commenced its first Peer In 2021 we recruited an alcohol and other drugsResearch Project. Consumer partnerships at (AOD) Peer Support Worker who brought fiveUniting acknowledge the importance of the years of professional experience to the role. lived experiences of people who use, interact with, or are eligible for our services. From Working within our Catalyst Non-Residentialgovernance to service design, delivery, evaluation Rehabilitation program, the Peer Supportand improvement, to service participation and Worker prepares consumers for group treatment,engagement, consumers are recognised as equal withdrawal (detox) services and undertakes harmpartners in Uniting and have a role in helping the reduction sessions where appropriate. The roleorganisation live its purpose and values.also offers post-program support to consumers,Uniting has been seeking to deepen its providing individual guidance, referrals to otherpartnerships practice with consumers through services and helps to reconnect consumers with the Consumer Partnerships Framework launched their family and community. in 2018. We are now wanting to review our work It is a unique role as the Peer Support Workerand have asked:shares their own lived experience of substance use What is working in consumer partnershipsand recovery to inform their support work, as wellat Uniting?as role modelling recovery for consumers.What should we change?Making meaningful changeWhere can we improve things?This year consumers were more meaningfully How can we deepen our practice?involved in two senior decision-making groups What should we do next?at Uniting. Three consumers worked on theFour Consumer Peer Researchers are workingConsumer Experience and Service Improvementwith us to assist in the design, data collection Committee, while two consumers joined theand turning the evaluation into clear actions.Quality and Safety Board Subcommittee.The key principles of the Uniting ConsumerFind out morePartnerships Framework are that we are inclusive and share ownership. Senior governance partnerships are a way of sharing power and creating change together.Uniting Vic.Tas Annual Report 2021-2022 43'