I joined PEGS very recently as a Practitioner and although I’ve worked in various health and social care roles previously, PEGS is unique.
Part of my role involves leading the regular peer support online drop-ins, this is a great privilege. The parental figures who attend these meetings are so open, honest, their willingness to share their experience and support one another is genuinely moving. Before attending these meetings many of the parents felt alone and isolated, during the drop-ins they listen are able to connect with other people who truly understand them and through these connections they become part of a community. As a practitioner I try to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and has a chance to speak if they want to, sometimes I may offer signposting, though I am very aware that the parental figures are the experts and I have a lot to learn.
In addition to hosting drop in sessions part of my role involves delivering our Empowering Parents in Crisis (EPIC) programme. EPIC is another opportunity for me to engage with parents, in a structured way. For some parents the programme may be their first opportunity to fully acknowledge what they’ve been experiencing and be freed from some of the blame and judgement that they’ve felt elsewhere. Being a part of EPIC delivery feels very rewarding and humbling.
The third main aspect of my role is one to one phone calls with parents who require focused support and an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings in detail. One to one calls allow me to help parents to explore their issues and challenges, I can offer signposting where appropriate and possibly help with other practical issues. In my experience the most important part of one to one work is building rapport and giving someone the space to voice thoughts they may not otherwise be able to express, this acts as a “safety valve” for anxiety and can help parents recover from, or avoid crises.
When I’m not doing any of the above I’m often on the PEGS team group chat, which maintains a team dynamic, this is important when you’re working from home and it gives us all the chance to help one another, so that we can be more effective for the parents we support.
