"*" indicates required fields
Our education and training programmes are designed to enable and support the progressive development of purposeful peer support workers. The programmes step participants through a progressive leaning cycle that builds.
PPSA Foundations
Introduces new and emerging peer workers to the role and what it involves. This course is ideally suited for people who have experienced peer support and have expressed an interest in becoming a peer worker, whether in a paid role or as a volunteer.
PPSA Principles & Practice
The foundational course in Purposeful Peer Support, familiarising participants with the PPSA framework – the wellbeing framework, six principles, five relationship practices and the four season of relationship model. This course is ideal for people with some peer support experience who are seeking to develop their practice.
PPSA GroupWorks
Designed to enable and support the facilitation of peer support groups. The course builds on the PPSA framework learning and is most suitable for people with substantive peer support experience with individuals and/or groups.
PPSA Reflective Practice
Designed to encourage and support the continuous improvement of your peer support practice – ongoing learning by practising co-reflection with other peer workers.
Our preference for residential courses, whether local or remote, reflects our view that the best learning occurs when participants work together in a co-learning environment for a continuous period of time.
PPSA Foundations
This course is designed for people who are interested in using their lived experience to become a peer support worker. The training provides an introduction to the Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa Framework, with a particular focus on self-care and boundaries as essential for practicing peer support sustainably, responsibly and ethically. Topics covered include:
- Self-care and wellbeing
- Sharing lived experience purposefully
- Personal and professional boundaries
- Human rights and discrimination
- Connecting despite differences
- Support at work
- Peer worker role accountabilities
PPSA Principles & Practice
This five-day residential programme is designed to develop the capability to understand the principles and practice of purposeful peer-to-peer support work – co-learning with other participants to gain an understanding and appreciation of:
- How to sustain wellbeing in their work.
- The six Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa (PPSA) principles.
- The five PPSA relationship skills.
- Four “seasons” that relationships can pass through, and how to navigate through each.
- How to apply these principles, skills, and understandings in practice sessions, to prepare them for peer-to-peer support work in their communities.
To participate in this programme, refer to our Training & Events Calendar. To learn more about Purposeful Peer Support refer to our PPSA Publications.
PPSA Groupworks
This four-day residential programme is aimed at people who are operating as peer workers and wish to develop their group facilitation skills In the context of peer support groups – co-learning with other participants to achieve the following outcomes:
- Develop more confidence in your ability to facilitate effective Purposeful Peer Support groups.
- Learn and practice a simple group structure and options for varying how it’s used, so you can make purposeful choices when facilitating peer support groups.
- Increase your understanding of group theories and group dynamics so you can respond effectively to the different and changing needs of a group and its members over time.
- Practice facilitating a peer support group with colleagues as co-facilitators, including receiving and giving reflective feedback to each other.
- Increase your understanding of how the Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa Framework applies to your work with groups.
The overall intention is that you leave with increased confidence to carry out your role in planning, preparing for, leading, and reflecting on peer support groups as part of your mahi.
To participate in this programme, refer to our Training & Events Calendar. To learn more about Purposeful Peer Support Groups refer to our PPSA Publications.
PPSA Reflective Practice
This course is designed to enable peer workers to co-reflect on their practice. Purposeful co-reflection provides a safe-space learning opportunity where two peer workers, or a group of peer workers, can explore opportunities to enhance the ways they perform in their roles. In this way reflective practice can help to develop and quality assure the peer workers practice.
Reflective practice also offers the opportunity for peer workers to refresh and reinforce their understanding of the purposeful peer support framework, to check their practice alignment with the core principles and practices and uncover other opportunities for strengthening their relational practices that can influence wellbeing outcomes.
Active participation in reflective practice is essential for peer workers to share their work experiences (challenges and learnings) in a way that will sustain the effectiveness of their practice.
Training & Events Calendar
If you want to register for a listed programme or make an enquiry about a future programme, please complete the registration form.
PPSA Principles & Practices
5-day residential programme
3rd – 7th March 2025
Venue: TBC
PPSA GroupWork
4-day residential programme
29th April – 2nd May 2025
Venue: Plymouth International, New Plymouth
[Special accommodation rates available]
PPSA Foundations
3-day residential programme
2nd – 4th December 2024, New Plymouth
11th – 13th February 2025, Hamilton
31st March – 2nd April 2025, Christchurch
PPSA Reflective Practice
3-day residential programme
10th – 12th June 2025
Venue: Plymouth International, New Plymouth
[Special accommodation rates available]
Course fees include all course materials and venue costs including tea breaks and lunch. Travel and accommodation costs are payable by the participant with on-site accommodation available at special rates.