Paul Dritsas

I am currently studying a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work, and I am looking for a placement.

As someone deeply passionate about mental health and human connection, I’m beginning a career in peer support work—driven by empathy, lived experience, and a strong foundation in customer service. I bring years of hands-on experience in hospitality and retail, where I’ve developed strong interpersonal, communication, and multitasking skills in fast-paced, people-focused environments.

I’m committed to growing my ability to support others by listening actively, sharing with purpose, and creating safe, inclusive spaces. Whether it is helping a participant feel welcome or assisting them through a challenging moment.

I am always open to connecting with others in the mental health, community services and peer support space. I will be keen to collaborate, share stories and advocate with these people.

I am currently completing my placement at GROW as part of my Peer Support Certificate.

My work can be summarised by the following points…

• Established and maintained a supportive and welcoming environment by building rapport, encouraging open communication and creating trust with participants.
• Reflected on and improved work practices to drive continuous improvement of service delivery.
• Collaborated with coworkers, using diverse strategies to improve operations and support team objectives. 
• Used own lived experience effectively to give hope and encouragement to diverse individuals.

Prior to this, I worked in several retail and hospitality settings. This improved my interpersonal skills, building rapport and creating a welcoming environment for diverse customers. I believe skills are highly transferable to a peer support role.

I am currently studying a Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Support Work, to be completed by November 2025.

This course helped me understand the following…

• Applying relevant legal and ethical requirements within a peer support role.
• Using motivational interviewing and recovery-oriented mindset to instill motivation and autonomy in diverse individuals.
• Sharing my story when relevant to provide hope to participants.