The Challenge
Peer support from lived experience strengthens recovery and prevents relapse, but stigma, myths and limited funding keep it out of reach for too many.
Our Impact
Together with our lived experience partners, we champion peer programs, challenging myths and embedding them in care to boost recovery, reduce relapse and strengthen systems.
Key Quotes
“I believe lived experience roles play a vital role in recovery & connection, & I feel truly privileged to now be in a position to offer that same support to others.”
Turning Point lived experience trainee
“When people are accessing services & they're connecting to peer workers who are working alongside clinical staff, there's a new level of trust.”
Turning Point lived experience manager
Major Milestones
Building the evidence for Recovery Housing
In 2017, Turning Point was commissioned by the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) and Mind Australia to evaluate Oxford Houses - small 4-6 bedroom rental properties supporting people in recovery from alcohol and drug use.
These houses provide more than accommodation: they create safe, stable, and supportive environments where residents can build community and sustain recovery. International evidence has shown the effectiveness of these communities, with benefits including reduced relapse, improved wellbeing, and stronger social connections through peer support.
Turning Point’s six-month evaluation confirmed these outcomes in the Australian context, showing Oxford Houses reduce isolation, foster belonging, and provide affordable recovery housing. The findings secured ongoing funding and strengthened the case for expanding the model nationally as a proven, peer-driven recovery approach.
Pioneering phone-based peer navigation
In 2021, Turning Point launched a peer navigation pilot within DirectLine, Victoria’s 24/7 alcohol and other drug helpline, to explore how lived experience can support early help-seeking.
In this unique intervention, trained peer workers build compassionate, recovery-based relationships with callers. They help identify needs, explore resources, and inspire hope through shared experience.
An evaluation of the pilot confirmed the approach’s positive impact: participants reported improved recovery skills and reductions in substance use. Trust and connection, rooted in peer support, emerged as key enablers of change.
These findings chart a promising path forward. By demonstrating that peer navigation improves recovery-related outcomes, Turning Point has paved the way for integrating lived experience roles at the earliest stages of the help-seeking journey, transforming how addiction support begins and unfolds.
Supporting broader adoption of SMART Recovery
Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a strengths-based, peer-led group program grounded in evidence-based techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing. Sessions are guided by a lived experience worker, creating a safe space where participants can share their journeys and learn from one another.
In 2021, Turning Point research confirmed that SMART Recovery can be successfully integrated into the Victorian AOD system. The study demonstrated numerous benefits, with 72% of participants reporting improved ability to manage their substance use after completing the program, while 86% felt better connected with others.
By building the evidence base, this research highlighted the value of peer-led approaches in treatment and paved the way for wider adoption of SMART Recovery across the AOD sector, strengthening recovery support for individuals and communities.
Training the next generation of peer workers
Launched in 2025, our Lived Experience Trainee Program is unprecedented in its size and scope, representing a major step forward for peer work in the addiction sector.
Our first four trainees are completing formal qualifications while gaining on-the-job experience across Turning Point, expanding our lived experience workforce and strengthening its presence across clinical, research, and education programs. One role is dedicated to a First Nations trainee, ensuring diverse voices are represented and supported.
Embedding lived experience at the heart of our organisation delivers real benefits for patients - building trust, improving engagement, and breaking down stigma. This program not only enriches our services but also demonstrates to the wider sector what is possible when investment is made in lived experience leadership and peer work.
Read the Impact Story below for more info.
Growing our workforce
In recent years, Turning Point has significantly expanded its Lived Experience workforce. Following the appointment of a dedicated manager in 2023, this vital service has grown to more than 350 hours of lived experience contribution each week.
Embedding lived experience across our organisation has had a profound impact. For clients, it has strengthened trust, engagement, and recovery outcomes. For staff, it has created a deeper connection to the purpose of our work, reminding us of the real lives behind the services we deliver.
This growth demonstrates the vital role lived experience plays in shaping effective, compassionate care, and highlights Turning Point’s commitment to ensuring these voices are valued and heard at every level of the organisation.
IMPACT STORY
From Experience to Expertise: Training Tomorrow’s Peer Workforce
When I was accessing AOD services myself, people with lived experience made a lasting, positive impact on my journey. I believe lived experience roles play a vital role in recovery and connection, and I feel truly privileged to now be in a position to offer that same support to others.
Turning Point lived experience trainee
In 2025, Turning Point welcomed four new Lived Experience Peer Support Trainees to our growing workforce. Guided by a team leader and our Lived Experience manager, this groundbreaking program is the largest of its kind in Australia, with one position dedicated to a First Nations trainee.
The initiative combines formal study, either a Certificate IV or Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drugs, with structured, on-the-job training across multiple sites. This approach gives trainees the chance to bring empathy, insight, and hope to the people we support, while developing their own skills in a supportive environment.
By embedding peer trainees across our organisation, we are shining a light on the critical importance of lived experience. Their involvement helps reduce stigma, raise awareness, and build a culture where lived experience is not only valued but essential. We know lived experience workers make a profound difference to consumer outcomes. Their ability to connect, inspire hope, and build trust plays a vital role in engagement and recovery. By training and supporting this workforce, we are investing in better outcomes for the people we serve, now and into the future.
Download a postcard of this impact area
