Dear Academy of Peer Services learners and friends,
We wanted to share a message from Martha Barbone, Director of Operations for the National Association of Peer Supporters:
Peer Support Responses to Fear
Many in our community may be feeling extra stress with all of the talk about the Coronavirus outbreak, officially now called COVID-19.
As peer supporters, we are in a position to support others around their own fears as well as the general fear in our communities. Encouraging people to discuss their fears is a great practice. Our discussions can provide accurate information, and it can help others find accurate information from appropriate sources. In this way, people can decide what they need to do to in order to minimize their risk of becoming infected, and it also can have their minds put at ease if they realize that they have already taken necessary precautions.
We can respond to fear with compassion and also offer constructive support. (Click for full article.)
During the COVID-19 crisis, we at the Academy of Peer Services can confirm our online courses will continue to be available for the remainder of this term and will again be available at the start of next term for you. And, as always, we welcome any of your colleagues, peer or non-peer, that have an interest in learning about peer support services to take our free courses.
2020 Academy of Peer Services Calendar
Term 1: 1/6/20 — 3/30/20
Term 2: 4/27/20 – 7/20/20
Term 3: 8/17/20 – 11/23/20
As you know, the Academy has been a fully remote learning environment from the start. Our staff work from remote locations and everyone with an interest in peer support services can access our online and on-demand courses from anywhere that has an internet connection.
While other institutions scramble to move their in-person instruction to online delivery to minimize the spread of COVID-19, we assure you our systems are already in place to work with no interruption.
In addition to our online courses, many rich learning opportunities are available through our Virtual Learning Community, including recordings of our free Faces and Places of Peer Support webinar series. (Learn more)
Our Calendar provides updated links to free webinars and recordings by a variety of Technical Assistance Centers like SAMHSA’s Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS), Mental Health Technology Transfer Centers (MHTTC), Doors to Wellbeing (DTW), and the National Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS).
Planning ahead – Save the Dates
March 30, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET
Webinar: Supporting Older Adults Part 1: Building on Strengths, with Liz Brier, Clinton Green, and Gayle Bluebird
Academy of Peer Services - Faces and Places of Peer Support Series
March 31, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET
Peer Services: Peer Providers Offer Understanding, Respect, Mutual Empowerment, and Support to Others Through Use of Their Personal Experiences, with Martha Barbone and Rita Cronise
April 7, from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET
Supervision of Peer Providers: Effective Supervision of Peers by Non-Peer Supervisors, Joanne Forbes and Rita Cronise
Be sure to watch the Virtual Learning Community Calendar for these and many more online learning opportunities. The Calendar will also contain updates from OMH and other sources as preparations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 continue.
Feeling Isolated? Get Connected!
We also continue to offer our online Networking and Leadership Development Meetings each Thursday evening from 6:00 – 7:00 pm.
Last evening, for example, Angela Cerio presented, The Intergalactic Federation of Crazy Folk and other memories of the legends of the movement in New York, based on an article she wrote for City Voices.
Leadership in the group rotates and members are encouraged to give presentations on topics of interest to the group. To receive a weekly invitation with the meeting agenda, connection information and latest job opening and calendar announcements from the website, join the free Virtual Community mailing list, click here.
Rest assured
We are sending this message to share Martha Barbone’s message from theNational Association of Peer Supporters (NAPS) and to remind you, as a valued Academy of Peer Services learner, you can expect the same high level of operations and user support that you’ve come to expect from us each day.
The Academy of Peer Services team,
Amy, Rita, Karen, Athena, Varsha, Maryam
(Disclaimer:This is an operational email intended to inform our learning community of pertinent information.)