Activity: Exploring Advocacy As a certified peer specialist, there will be many times you are called on to step into an advocacy role. The previously covered four areas of advocacy are often interconnected. In Section 6, the topic of moral injury was introduced. Moral injury can occur when asked to betray or ignore a peer specialist’s core values, ethics, or principles. Below are some examples of situations that could lead to moral injury in peer support: • A certified peer specialist who values seeing the peer through a strengths-based lens is required to use deficit-based language in documentation. • A certified peer specialist is required by the employing agency to involve police and call 911 when the person they support does not identify as being in crisis or consent to police involvement and the peer is not a danger to themselves or others. • A certified peer specialist works in a program that does not meet the linguistic, cultural, or accessibility needs of peers, leaving peers with varying linguistic, cultural, or accessibility needs to go without peer support or other resources. • A certified peer specialist who is expected to participate in developing a treatment plan for their peer when the peer is not present or involved in any way. • A certified peer specialist is required to turn away a person seeking support because they do not have a permanent address. • A certified peer specialist is asked to share an organizational job posting with their circles when that certified peer specialist has been harmed and felt undervalued within the organization. Without engaging in the advocacy process, moral injury for the certified peer specialist and harm to peers they support can occur. Situations such as those outlined above can be addressed through changes as a result of advocating. When advocating, it is worthwhile to reflect on both what values or ethical principles guide you in your role and what you have already learned about boundaries. Remember: • Effective people set boundaries . Doing so keeps you in control of your time and efforts and makes you feel better about yourself. This leads to increased self- esteem, confidence, and self-respect. • Practice makes perfect . If this is not familiar behavior it will feel awkward and unnatural at first; developing or changing habits takes time. Pushback is natural. People may not like it at first. Setting boundaries provides opportunities to practice honest, direct communication. With practice comes skills and with skills comes a sense of accomplishment and personal/professional growth.
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