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Congratulations to Lucy Dalley, who has become the first Peer Support Worker in our organisation to complete the Peer Support Worker Apprenticeship.

Lucy currently works as a Senior Peer Support Worker in the West of England Gender Identity Clinic (The Laurels) and completed the apprenticeship in April 2025.

Shelby Fox, Trust Lead for Peer Support Work, said: "This is more than a personal milestone - it represents a step forward for peer support workforces, which until this apprenticeship, had no nationally recognised qualification.

"When recruiting for peer support roles, we want to understand how a person can use the experiences that have shaped them to support others. We know how life can get in the way of receiving the education and grades that you may have wanted, so we value lived experience over formal qualifications. Organisationally, this is recognised and DPT offers the opportunity to undertake the level 3 apprenticeship in Peer Support.

"For many, peer support can be a route back into work and, for some, a stepping stone into other careers. Completing this apprenticeship enables Peer Support Workers to gain a qualification that can support their progression into professions such as nursing, social work, or occupational therapy.

"The Peer Support Worker Apprenticeship sets a precedent, demonstrating that lived experience is not only meaningful but also professionally recognised.

"Well done, Lucy - your dedication and perseverance are truly inspiring!" 

Q&A with Lucy:

What inspired you to take up the Level 3 Peer Support Worker Apprenticeship?

I had recently completed a four-year Yoga teacher training and qualified in that area. Despite it being such a lengthy and intense piece of academia, it did not have any purpose outside of the Yoga world. I decided that just having a few GCSEs wasn't good enough any longer. This apprenticeship offered the opportunity to progress to other academia in the future as it was the equivalent of 2 A-levels.

I also felt that some formal qualification in the role that I had been doing for ten years, as a volunteer and now a paid peer support worker, would add some recognition to the role. There can still be an undervaluing of the role across healthcare and being qualified would help in this area. I also felt that I incorporate the apprenticeship into my existing job role.

How has the apprenticeship supported your personal and professional development?

I found the apprenticeship was extremely hard work. It was hard because it was so easy. I appreciate that doesn't make sense, but with any apprenticeship you have to evidence learning and doing that is difficult when you know your job well.

I had to revisit this and with the agreement of my tutor. We decided that most of my work would be reflective essays based on the skills and knowledge expected of the apprenticeship. This led me to develop my reflective skills which strengthened my development. 

I also learned about academic writing, a subject matter I had avoided for most of my life. I also learned how to reference in Microsoft Word, which takes all the hassle out of it!

Can you describe a highlight or proud moment from your apprenticeship?

A highlight in the apprenticeship was being asked to co-facilitate a workshop about challenging conversations. My tutor recognised that I wasn't shy about presenting, and I already do a great deal of that in my role with our team. I put together a presentation based on some of the conversations I have with our patient group and worked with two tutors to deliver this to others on the apprenticeship. This is very in line with the mutuality of peer support; I shared my experiences to help others in their development.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

I have already mentioned the challenge of finding it so easy and having to find learning outside of the material within the apprenticeship. I would say the other biggest challenge was ring-fencing the day a week to focus on this aspect. My role requires a lot of flexibility, and it was almost impossible to put aside a day. Instead, I set myself weekly targets and kept to them. I would often have a month's worth of learning to evidence, and I would divide it by four and then chip away at it for a couple of hours here and there. It wasn't ideal but it worked for me.

How has this apprenticeship influenced your current role or future career plans?

I couldn't answer this question with any conviction at the moment. I know I now have options, but after four years of Yoga training and then starting this apprenticeship eight weeks later, I feel I need a break and to just do my job for a little while. Whilst doing the apprenticeship, I acquired a senior peer support worker role, and we have recruited two more peer support workers to our team at the Laurels. I have been using those reflective skills from the apprenticeship to build my own team. This has included writing an SOP and laying down a structure for how peer support works at the Laurels. For ten years, it's all been in my head and now I've had to formalise so we can all work in similar ways.

What would you say to someone considering this apprenticeship?

This apprenticeship looks easy on the surface, but the reality is that it requires a lot of work. It's definitely a worthwhile undertaking but you need support from people in your team and be able to find the time to do it. Don't be afraid to ask for help!

To find out more about Apprenticeships on offer within our organisation or the Peer Support Apprenticeship, please contact the Apprenticeship Team at dpt.apprenticeships@nhs.net.