NAPS -The Instituite

Morning fellow Peers.

So what did you think about the institute? Any comments/thoughts? We peers want to know what you have to say.

Some thoughts from my perspective.

First I want to thank NAPS for a world class overall presentation. I sensed an atmosphere of passion for recovery and all it entails. I heard the recovery /peer voice in those that shared ideas with us all in the group activities. I especially found it around the coffee pot. It was interesting to hear the cacophony of so many voices sharing their own sense of recovery and the way they carry that out in providing peer services. Awesome stuff!


For me a personal highlight of attending recovery/peer focused conferences is meeting new friends. I was in a group with people from such places as Montana, W. Virgina, Michigan, Pittsburgh, etc. The exchange among us went rather well I thought.

One of the most interesting aspects yesterday for me was hearing from different people who received their trainings from different "vendors" and work in various types of programs. the viewpoints and experiences for me provoked so many thoughts that it was hard to keep up with my note taking on what was taking place in front of me and what I was thinking. My brain was responding to the internal and external.


So I was curious what people thought about the last part of the day. Specifically, the setting up and performing program evaluation research.

I have to be honest ,and say that some of the ideas presented I had some difficulty reconciling.
The reason for this, is investigation of any kind, of any thing, requires distinct ways of defining not only what is to be measured, but the way the phenomena is measured and a precise definition of what operationally is being measured. Moreover, and this speaks to a bigger picture, when doing program measurements doesn't it behove us to test it against something to see what it was, wheres it's going, and how it got there?

Descriptive stats have their place, but they are just that; descriptive. They don't test for anything as far as I can see. This is not to say that I don't value the ideas presented I just think they are a part of what needs to be a much bigger package.

An example of what I am talking about? We all know, in one form or another (I hope :) ) what WRAP is. But do programs from Alaska and Florida, for example define and operationalize the term "Liking myself" mean? Isn't safe to consider that they might be very different things in different part of the county,world, planet?

Not only that. How can you behaviorally define "liking myself" as part of a program outcome? What does it look like? How do you measure it? How does it (or did) it change lives?


Those are just some thoughts to consider..


One last thing of note I wanted to share and this is in regard to the "rehab plan" exercises.
The woman from Horizon House (on the panel and forgive me I've misplaced her name) pointed out we need to be good teachers when educating those we serve. An additional thought that i had to this is that many of us, as CPS and the Peers we work with experience learning challenges in one form or another. We all learn in different ways. Visual learning, like that of a train map, is a major challenge for me. I have a real hard time in the visual-spatial realm. And I'm willing to bet there are many like me in that respect. My point is finding out, by asking or observing, how the peers we work with learn can be a major asset in the "learning curve."

I want to thank Dr. Salzer for his comprehensive overview of the current research with respect to community intergration. I'm wondering if the Dr was aare he was "preaching to the choir", as one peer put it when he was presenting his findings.

One thing of note. The Concept that Dr. Salzer that drop in centers and clubhouses were seperate enviornments struck me as interesting. I wanted to hear more about that and how that effects peer run-operated services-and agency run peer services. Maybe somebody posting has some thought to share?


Good work Dr. S, thanks for your efforts and I hope you got that grant application done. Go you!

last thing

I wanted to take the time to Congratulate two Bucks County CPS on recent Job changes/hiring.

Way to go Donna G. congrats on your new position.

And welcome to Partial at LVF Julie H. I look forward to working with you :)

have any thoughts/ideas/concerns/resources, etc....BLOG them here...

J

Welcome NAPS anfd to the PS Blog

In celebration of the National Associationof Peer Specialists conference I thought it would be a good idea to start a blog for Peer Specialists everywhere. Essentially is anyone providing peer services is welcome to post here.

I have one mission in mind; .

The free exchange of thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions, assessment's, of the Peer movement and all that it encompasses.

If, for example, you are providing services and are in need to *"blow off steam" your words and images are welcomed here.

If anything I want this to be a supportive environment. Having said that there are 3 important rules to follow while posting.

1) Regardless of where you work, who you serve, and what you do. When criticizing a person place or thing please leave that entity/person/thing as an anonymous thing. The idea is not to mud sling, but to be creative, solution oriented, and recovery based.

2) If you have an idea or thought as to what you would like to see and or read here please feel free to contribute. As the Recovery Innovations training reminds me, I am not the expert on you. You are and I can't read minds ;)

3) I Strongly recommend that you pass this on to others Peer Support people. Whether they are paid employees or volunteers. EVERYONE is equal here!


I welcome any and all comments, commentaries, leads on jobs, research outcomes, resources, poetry, quotes, Are you feeling me? :) Good!


Now that I have gotten that out of the way...

Real excited here about participating in the conference this week. I have most of my seminars chosen and really look forward to the talent show part of the program. I'm hoping to hook up with some other musician's as a way "connecting" with others and do some singing.

I have the following questions I want to get some feed back on.

1) What are you hoping to gain from the conference?

2) What are you thinking in terms of your work/volunteer experience?

I'll be checking up on the site several times a day while the conference is taking place and hope to find you VOICE here in words.

Until next time

I'm your CPS Blogger

Jeff


"E-Z Does it, but do it.

Over and Out...


PS: If I missed somethng you feel is important to us peers-BLOG IT!