Reaching People with Mental Disorders through Voluntary Peer Support in German ‘Jobcenters’. A Qualitative Approach.

• In Event: Innovative Citizen and Volunteer Support Systems

Abstract

People with mental disorders are at increased risk of unemployment due to causal and selective effects (Stauder 2019). Empirical studies show that in Germany, a high proportion of those receiving benefits from the authorities responsible für employment promotion (‘Jobcenters’), are affected by mental illness (Schubert et al. 2013). This target group hardly benefits from fluctuations in the labour market and thus experiences permanent exclusion from social participation through work (Göckler 2015). Within the ‘Jobcenters’, people with mental disorders often do not find the support conditions they would need to stabilise their life situation. High caseloads, standardised procedures and the possibility of sanctions in case of non-compliance often prevent a trustful counselling relationship and support that is oriented towards the individuality of each case (Kupka/Osiander 2016).
The present study is located in a model project that tries to achieve better access to this group of people by implementing a peer support approach (Mead et al. 2001; Walker und Bryant 2013). So-called peer support volunteers are people who experienced a mental illness themselves, were able to overcome it and now support ‘Jobcenter’-clients on a voluntary basis. They work in a triangular relationship with the ‘Jobcenter’ staff and are supposed to facilitate the establishment of trust and to gain access to subjective perceptions of the clients (Coatsworth-Puspoky et al. 2006).
The empirical question addressed in this paper refers to the implementation of a peer support approach in the institutional context of the ‘Jobcenter’: To what extent do institutional framework conditions and practices effect peer support volunteers and how does peer support shape the institution and lead to changes? The question is embedded in a larger qualitative study following a grounded theory approach (Corbin/Strauss 2008) and uses 30 problem-centred interviews and 6 focus group discussions with peer support volunteers as data basis.
With regard to empirical findings, the analysis of the data shows that peer support and the institutional context influence each other. On the one hand, the ‘Jobcenter’ framework shapes the peer support volunteers’ support activities and restricts their ability to act at certain points, for example when it comes to benefit regulations, perceived institutional targets or role conflicts in relation to the employees. On the other hand, it becomes clear that the peer support volunteers bring about changes in institutional practices and in the actions and attitudes of the staff. By talking about their own perceptions in the position as clients, they bring in the perspective of those affected. In addition, changes in the framework conditions of counselling within the project (e.g. lower caseloads, meetings outside the official context...) have an impact on the support and distinguishes it from the regular context.
Both mental disorders and unemployment can be understood as consequences and phenomena of social crises. In this respect, the relevance to the thematic focus of the conference can be framed: The study offers an insight into an approach that tests new ways of social participation by integrating actors from the third sector into official structures (Seibel 1990).

References

Coatsworth-Puspoky, Robin; Forchuk, C.; Ward-Griffin, C. (2006): Peer support relationships: an unexplored interpersonal process in mental health. In: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 13, p. 490–497.

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Stauder, Johannes (2019): Unemployment, unemployment duration, and health: selection or causation? In: The European journal of health economics: HEPAC: health economics in prevention and care 20 (1), p. 59–73.

Walker, Gill; Bryant, Wendy (2013): Peer support in adult mental health services: a metasynthesis of qualitative findings. In: Psychiatric rehabilitation journal 36 (1), p. 28–34.

Author

• Klara Lammers, Hochschule Bielefeld, University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI)