Community of Excellence
Community of Excellence
The Community of Excellence is a collation of people and organisations supporting and championing mental and physical health peer and lived experience work and workers.
Find out more by reading the Peer Worker Communty of Excellence Report
Aims of the Community of Excellence
- Create more visibility for peer and lived experience workers
- help organisations recognise their value
- support wellbeing
- provide training, development, and opportunities for career progression - Support standardisation across boroughs
- explore and learn from different approaches
- coproduce best practice according to community needs
Our plan was to move forward with building a sustainable and impactful co-produced Community to change practice and culture. It looked to priotise how best to develop and embed support for Peer Workers within the NHS culture including career development and progression.
This drew on the evidence gained across the 2-year journey, while adhering to, and promoting the themes identified to support, develop and sustain Peer Working.
We captured a wealth of knowledge, action plans and ideas to translate how Peer Workers, and those who work closely with them, feel the Community could be co-produced and the difference it should make.
In May 2024 and in May 2025 we held in-person events which supported old and new connections. Both events showcased some of the work that members of the Community have been focussed on. This has ranged from embedding Lived Experience in research, Peer Support groups, creative work, volunteering, Podcasts, and a Wellcome proposal.
Please sign up if you want to get involved or receive updates.
About the Community of Excellence project
In 2023, the Community of Excellence facilitated a workshop with various stakeholders. This resulted in the ideas and essential values guiding the community of Excellence.
The following themes were identified, not only as necessary for peer workers but for the work that they do and for the relationships that they have.
These were:
- Inclusion
- Equality
- Integrity
- Helpful communication
- Openness
- Transparency
- Awareness of environment
Read the Community of Excellence report
The Peer Pathway Map
In early 2024, we organised a working group and co-produced an initial event in North London, showcasing the journey and expertise of peer workers within the area, and began the work on the map.
Throughout 2024 regular meetings and feedback sessions helped to ensure that diverse narratives were showcased in what we produced.
The Peer Pathway Map is a visual resource to highlight how peer and lived experience workers find themselves in the work, how they move through different areas, and where there are opportunities (and challenges) when considering progression.
The map is an open resource and we invite you to download and use it.
Podcasts
The Community of Excellence has officially launched a new podcast series, bringing authentic voices and powerful conversations on mental health, recovery, and the transformative role of lived experience in care.
Hosted by Nil Suner (with contributions from co-host Qasim Hassan), the Community of Excellence Podcast highlights stories from leaders, researchers, and peer support workers across the globe. Each episode delves into how lived experience shapes recovery, inspires change, and strengthens communities in mental health services.
The series explores vital themes including:
- Patient Leadership: David Gilbert shares his groundbreaking journey and the importance of patient leadership in healthcare.
- Mental Health & Research: Computational neuroscientist Danielle Kurtin discusses integrating lived experiences into academia and innovative treatment approaches.
- Hope in Recovery: Dave Burnside reflects on his path from addiction and incarceration to becoming a leader in lived experience work in New Zealand.
- The Peer Worker Journey: Angela South emphasises authenticity, resilience, and self-care in peer support roles.
- Evolution of Peer Support: Selina Akhtar highlights mentorship, systemic change, and the growth of lived experience roles.
- Peer Support in Services: Femi Gbadamosi shares insights on resilience and the critical impact of peers in forensic mental health.
- Peer Support in Recovery: Claire Groves reflects on her journey into peer support work and the healing power of sharing experiences.
"Community of Excellence is about amplifying the voices of people who have walked the journey of mental health challenges — not just as patients, but as leaders, researchers, and change-makers," says host Nil Suner. “This podcast celebrates the power of lived experience to transform lives and shape better systems of care.”
The podcast is available now on Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, and Youtube.
For questions and suggestions, please contact: Nil Suner
**Special thanks to Fat Freddy's Drop for the clearance to use a sample of HOPE (LOCK-IN) featuring Lisa Tomlins.**
Other resources
Content coming soon.
