In this episode of the Community of Excellence podcast, host Nil Suner speaks with Claire Groves, a peer coordinator at the North London Foundation Trust. Claire shares her personaljourney with mental health, detailing her experiences with addiction and recovery. Claire discusses her transition into peer support work, the importance of lived experience in mental health services and the challenges and rewards of working in crisis services. Claire emphasises the significance of training, self-awareness and the value of sharing experiences in supporting others.

In this episode of the Community of Excellence podcast, Nil Suner interviews Femi Gbadamosi, a lived experienceworkforce lead, about his journey into the field of mental health and peer support. Femi shares his unique path from studying accounting to working in forensic mental health services, emphasising the importance of lived experiencein supporting others.

The conversation explores the role of peers in mental health services, the challenges they face and the impact ofpeer support on recovery. Femi discusses the need for better support for peers, the significance of resilience in their work and the potential for cost savings in mental health services through effective peer support.

In this episode of the Community of Excellence podcast, Selina Akhtar shares her journey into peer support work, discussing the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. Selena emphasises the importance of lived experience in mental health services and the evolution of peer support roles over the years.

Selina also delves into the significance of self-care and personal growth, highlighting the need forsystemic support for peer workers and the value of mentorship in professional development. The conversation offers insights into the complexities of mental health, advocacy and the importance of authenticity in one's role.

In this episode of the Community ofExcellence podcast, Nil Suner speaks with Angela South, a senior peer coach, about her journey in mental health, the importance of lived experience and the role of authenticity in peer support.

They discuss the challenges and rewards of being a peer worker, the significance of self-care, non-negotiables andhow to navigate grief while supporting others. Angela shares insights on refining the sharing of lived experiences and emphasises the need for peer support networks to combat isolation in the field.

In this episode of the Community of Excellence podcast, Nil Suner speaks with Dave Burnside, the lived experiencelead at Odyssey in Auckland, New Zealand. They discuss the role of peer support in mental health and addiction recovery, the challenges of role clarity within the peer support framework, and the importance of lived experience in bothacademic and community settings. Dave shares his personal journey from addiction and incarceration to becoming a leader in peer support, emphasising the need for authentic connections and the power of hope in recovery. Theconversation also touches on the intersectionality of social issues, including gang culture, and the necessity of creating supportive spaces in the community.

In the first episode of the Community of Excellence podcast series, Nil Suner and Qas Hassan engage with David Gilbert, who shares his profound journey through mental health challenges and the impact of these experiences on his professional life. David discusses the importance ofpatient leadership and the value of lived experience in healthcare, emphasising the need for community support and resilience. He offers advice for new patient leaders and explores the role of entrepreneurship in patient care - highlighting inspiring examples of patient-led initiatives.

In this episode of the Community of Excellence podcast, Danielle, a computational neuroscientist, shares her journey into neuroscience and mental health, discussing the importance of integrating lived experiences into research. She highlights the challenges faced in academia regarding the recognition of lived experiences and the need for more structured pathways for peer support. The conversation also explores cultural differences in substance use between the UK and the US, innovative treatment approaches in mental health.