Workplace psychological wellbeing: Participatory Action Research for peer support mentorship development

This project aims to enable individuals with serious mental illness to secure, sustain, and advance employment within the community-based workforce. By employing a participatory approach, the initiative engages individuals with lived experiences to directly address employment challenges faced by those with mental health challenges. In the first phase of the study, interviews were conducted with nine individuals with lived experience, four employers, and seven service providers. From these interviews, three critical components were identified for job retention and career progression for people with serious mental illness (PSMI): (1) Support within and outside the workplace; (2) Continuous access to mental health and employment services; and (3) Positive self- perception, work-related resiliency, and effective symptom management among employees. Based on these findings, the second phase involved participatory action research (PAR) aimed at empowering PSMI to co-develop a peer-support network. This network focuses on enhancing their value as employees and identifying as well as managing challenges related to achieving longer job tenure and career advancement. Ten participants as co- researchers involving in the PAR process experienced significant transformative benefits, culminating in the establishment of a peer support network. They collaboratively engaged in three steps of the action research cycle over a 3-month period and decided that establishing peer support is a prioritized action. Currently, the group continues to meet biweekly, with plans to expand into a national online peer support network. The success and ongoing commitment of the group highlight the importance of inclusive and participatory research methods in addressing employment challenges for PSMI. This approach not only enhances their employment outcomes but also fosters a sense of community and mutual support among participants. A novel contribution to the field was the development of a sustained partnership with co- researchers, attributed to the investment in building relationships, facilitating genuine power-sharing, and promoting peer support.
Study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)