Exploring Peer Practice in Disability Support: Benefits, Enablers and Challenges

Please join us for the Healthy Development Adelaide (HDA) forum held in conjunction with our partner organisation Novita.

This session explores the benefits of peer practice in the context of disability support from several different perspectives, including peer programs for parents and caregivers with a child with disability, and peer programs for teenagers with disability. Peer programs can deliver significant benefits for families and young people with disability, arising from the core values that underpin peer practice and the distinctive role people with lived experience can play in supporting others. There are a number of factors that need to be considered, however, to ensure peer programs are delivered in safe and effective ways. It is timely to be considering the enablers and challenges associated with peer practice because it is well-aligned with the shifting disability policy and funding landscape, where supports outside the NDIS, often group-based, will play an increasingly important role.

The aim of this session is to provide food for thought – to encourage reflection amongst policymakers, researchers and service providers about the role of peer practice in disability support. Novita currently offers a small number of programs and services which incorporate elements of peer practice, but we see this as an area of growing importance that we would like to engage with more deeply. Drawing on learnings from our current service provision, and from the peer practice experience across the disability sector and more broadly, we aim to build a deeper understanding of the benefits of peer practice and the conditions under which it works best. We hope that our reflections will also be of interest to others who care about optimising supports for families, children and young people.

The session comprises four presentations followed by a panel Q&A in which we welcome questions or reflections from the audience. The four presentations are outlined below.

OUR SPEAKERS

Veronica Coram, Research Officer, Novita

What is peer practice and what are its benefits? An overview of the research evidence

This presentation explores what peer practice is, its underpinning principles and the benefits it can deliver. The presentation outlines the evidence on when peer-led programs are effective and potential implementation pitfalls and challenges. There is a particular focus on peer supports for parents of children with disability.

Veronica is a social policy researcher and evaluator who works in Novita’s Research and Development team. She has particular interests in service delivery models, practice-based research and impact assessment. Veronica is also mum to a grown-up daughter and a 15-year-old son with autism and has experience as a parent-peer group facilitator.

Kate Nicholson, Clinical Lead in Physiotherapy, Novita and Abbey Brown, Parent-Peer Facilitator, Novita

Reflecting on clinicians and parent-peers working together to support families with a child with disability

This presentation considers how clinicians and parent-peers can collaborate to provide effective supports for parents with a child with disability. Co-facilitation of group programs means parents can benefit from distinct perspectives and expertise. The presence of a parent-peer can shift group dynamics and open up safe spaces for sharing.

Kate Nicholson has experience facilitating parent groups. She has worked with children and families with developmental and physical concerns in both regional and metropolitan settings in South Australia, Victoria and the United Kingdom. Kate is particularly passionate about family centred practice.

Abbey Brown has a background in education and experience as a parent-peer group facilitator. She is currently studying psychology and working with children in a school wellbeing role. Abbey is also mother to four wonderfully unique children, with her eldest being autistic.

Brooke Starr, HIPPY Coordinator, Novita and Jodie Molitor, HIPPY Coordinator, Novita

Structured peer mentoring for families with children with a disability

This presentation explores the benefits, limitations and possible enablers to support a structured peer mentoring program for parents and children with disabilities. The session draws on the experience of HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters), run by Novita Community.

Brooke Starr has a Bachelor of Psychological Science from UniSA and has been working at Novita in the HIPPY program for 8 years as a Coordinator and Line Manager. She is heavily involved in community programs in the northern suburbs, working with local governments to improve outcomes for children in the north.

Jodie Molitor was a teacher for 12 years in a range of SA schools and Leader of Learning and Wellbeing across the early years. She has recently completed a certificate in Domestic and Family Violence to combat the growing number of migrants in the western suburbs area who experience DV. Jodie has been a HIPPY Coordinator since joining Novita in early 2023.

Veronica Coram in conversation with Ruby Wilson, Lived Experience and Community Researcher and other young people

Peer supports for teens in transition

Peer programs can be a great fit for young people in the teen years, but they are not for everyone. This presentation draws on young people’s experience of supports during their teen years to investigate the potential benefits of peer-led programs such as mentoring for this age group.

Ruby Wilson is a member of Novita’s Innovita team of lived experience and community researchers and also works at the NovitaTech store in Hindmarsh. Her current research activities include a project exploring the benefits of accessible video gaming for children and young people with disability. Ruby is a graduate of Novita’s Transition to Work program.

OUR CHAIR

Petr Prasil, Manager, Research & Development, Novita

Petr is a Manager of Research and Development at Novita and oversees a diverse range of innovative projects and cross-sector collaborations. He is committed to transforming advances in technology and evidence-based practice into practical solutions for people living with disability. Petr leads an inclusive R&D team that combines academic experience, engineering knowledge, clinical expertise and lived experience of disability.

Other event information:

Networking and light refreshments will follow the session from 7.30pm.

This is a public forum and also open to the community, everyone is welcome to attend.