Using autoethnography to reflect on peer support supervision in an Irish context.

Peer Support Workers and Family Peer Support Workers have been in place within an Irish context for a number of years outside statutory services. In 2016, the Mental Health Directorate of the Health Service Executive recruited for a newly established role. These new workers were employed directly into services and had the full privileges of employment, including supervisory and line management structures. Despite the growth of the peer support movement internationally, there has yet to be a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers in statutory services. This paper has gathered a variety of experts in peer support in Ireland to begin conversations which will hopefully lead to a clear model of supervision for Peer Support Workers. From the use of an autoethnographic approach four main themes were constructed to gather a complete picture of supervision for Peer Support Workers in Ireland as well as what an ideal model would involve. The paper concludes with recommendations for more research to be conducted in this area so that a clear, workable model of supervision can be created to protect the essence of lived experiences roles in statutory mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]