In the past year, we have made significant strides in advancing the quality of care for individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) by incorporating Peer Coaches into therapy and nursing education sessions.

Building on prior research from the Leading Your Best Life initiative, we have been working to expand the role of Peer Coaches – individuals with lived experience of SCI – by involving them in direct collaboration with therapists and nurses.

The result is the recent launch of the Co-Facilitated Therapy Sessions and Education in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Rehabilitation project, funded by the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

This collaborative research initiative, a partnership between AQA, BehaviourWorks at Monash University, and Austin Health, seeks to further integrate Peer Coaches into therapy and education sessions, working alongside healthcare professionals to enhance patient engagement, offer emotional support, and improve rehabilitation outcomes.

Key Objectives

1. Defining the Intervention: Developing a structured model for integrating Peer Coaches into therapy and education settings.

2. Assessing Feasibility: Evaluating the logistics, resources, and training required to implement co-facilitated sessions.

3. Evaluating Effectiveness: Measuring the impact of Peer Coach involvement on patient outcomes, including rehabilitation progress and emotional well-being.

Recruitment and Rollout

The recruitment process for Peer Coaches is currently underway, with the initial rollout planned for January 2025. Peer Coaches will undergo comprehensive training to ensure they are equipped to engage with patients and healthcare teams in a supportive, professional manner.

Impact and Future Directions

This project represents a forward-thinking approach to SCI care, recognising the immense value of lived experience in the recovery process. The insights gained from this research will be instrumental in refining how Peer Coaches can be incorporated into future SCI rehabilitation programs.

  • January 9, 2025

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Acknowledgment of Country

AQA acknowledges that we live and work on lands stolen from the oldest continuous culture on earth. While our office is on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, we live and work on First Nations lands across Victoria. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, and that this was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. We pay our deepest respect to Elders past and present, and we thank them for holding wisdom and caring for country. We also acknowledge that AQA’s work of building a more caring and inclusive society - where everyone has the resources they need to live well - follows in the footsteps of a long and ongoing struggle of First Nations peoples across the continent to be afforded the self determination, respect and resources they need to live well.

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