Welcoming you all on my journey as a CPSW (Community Peer Support Worker)

My journey with Connected started November 2023 as a volunteer in Cohort 10.  I was lucky enough to secure a paid role with Connected in March 2024 just before the end of my training.  The training with Connected gave me the best start in my Community Peer Support Worker journey, providing me with a great tool belt of knowledge and confidence to go out there and provide support to families and do this safely with my previous lived experience.

Training to be a Connected Peer Supporter

One thing I love about my job is the variety of work throughout the week, no day or week is ever the same and I get to meet so many amazing families along the way.

As a CPSW you will find me in all different places across Derby.  Some of my work is Hospital based, where you may see me on the pre-natal and post-natal wards and at times delivering birth support on the labour ward.  My time delivering birth support has been nothing but magical, often knowing the parents prior but at times it being the first time we have met.  It is amazing being part of someone’s journey into delivering their baby and empowering them to make the right decision for themselves and their baby.

As part of my role on the pre-natal and post-natal wards and the neonatal intensive care unit, I spend time meeting new and expectant families, giving them a safe space to talk and offload.  I also spend time on the neonatal intensive care unit facilitating one of our regular coffee afternoons, providing a regular space for parents on the ward to come and have a coffee and a chat and get to know other parents on the ward who are in a similar position as themselves.

A big part of my role is to facilitate groups in the community.  We have groups in different parts of Derby including the City Centre, Chaddesden, Alvaston, Littleover and Normanton.  Throughout these groups I provide peer support in a community setting to mums, dads and non-birthing parents.

As well as the above I provide 1-1 support for families.  This can consist of support over the phone or support face to face in the home or a place picked by the family/parent being supported.  My support starts in pregnancy and continues up until 12 weeks postnatal, and is led throughout by the parent.

One of my favorite things about being a CPSW for connected is the amazing volunteers I get to meet and see on a weekly basis.  Being employed by Connected as their CPSW I get to introduce our new cohort of volunteers to different parts of the community and watch them shine at doing what they do best.

Connected’s values shine through myself and the team in every part of our role.  I will always strive as a CPSW to create safe and empowering space for new and expectant parents to be themselves, talk through the good and hard times without judgement.

I would encourage anyone interested in volunteering for Connected to go for it, you won’t look back!! I learnt so much on my training and developed some amazing friendships within my cohort.

To any new and expectant parents reading this, if you are interested in attending any of our groups, myself or one of our volunteers will always be there to make you feel comfortable, not just on your first visit but every time you come and be there with a nice hot drink.