Authentic peer support work: challenges and opportunities for an evolving occupation.

Background: The peer support worker (PSW) belongs to the fastest growing occupation in the mental health sector, yet it is often under-valued and poorly understood. Despite an emerging evidence base, and strong support from mental health service users, the PSW remains on the periphery of mainstream services in northeastern Ontario.

Aims: To examine the role of the PSW, along with the challenges and benefits, and to understand why the PSW is not more integrated within mainstream services.