News story
From Scholarships to Workforce Pathways: What we learned from the Peer Work Scholarship Program
QAMH has finalised its project summary for the Peer Work Scholarship Program, highlighting the program’s impact in expanding access to peer workforce training across Queensland.
Delivered with funding from the Queensland Mental Health Commission, the program concluded in December 2024 and supported 178 people with lived-living experience to undertake the Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work. By removing cost barriers and providing mentoring and practical assistance, the initiative enabled people from across Queensland to pursue peer work as a meaningful career pathway. This included participation from regional, rural and remote communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, both priority areas for peer workforce growth.
Demand for the program was strong, with 320 applications received across multiple scholarship rounds. Recipients represented a diverse cohort, including people entering the workforce for the first time, mid-career changers seeking more meaningful work, and experienced workers formalising their peer practice.
Alongside expanding access to training, the program generated important insights into the peer workforce pipeline. While financial assistance and mentoring supported strong engagement in study, vocational placement emerged as the key point where pathways into the workforce stall. Many students reported difficulty securing placements due to limited support in sourcing suitable opportunities, alongside organisational capacity and supervision pressures.
In response to these findings, QAMH is progressing Phase 2 of the initiative, which will focus on developing a paid peer work placement model. This next phase aims to support host organisations to offer structured placement opportunities and strengthen the bridge between training and employment.
Read the full project summary.
