Competencies for the Aotearoa CPSLE workforce

This document sets out the competencies required for effective consumer, peer support, and lived experience (CPSLE) mahi in Aotearoa New Zealand. It supports a shared understanding of what effective CPSLE mahi looks like across diverse roles, settings, and levels of influence. It also provides guidance for CPSLE kaimahi, employers, leaders, and partners who work alongside the CPSLE workforce.

The CPSLE workforce includes people whose roles are grounded in lived and living experience of mental health challenges, addiction, recovery, and wellbeing. These roles recognise lived and living experience as a valued form of expertise that strengthens relationships, informs mahi, and contributes to consistent, more responsive, and equitable services and systems.

The CPSLE Competency Framework (July 2026) builds on the earlier competencies (2014 and 2021) and reflects the continued workforce growth and maturity. It responds to evolving scopes and expectations of CPSLE roles and places a greater emphasis on values-led mahi.

The competencies are designed to be used flexibly to support effective and responsive mahi and service development, professional development, reflective practices, workforce planning, and organisational learning and development. Recognising that CPSLE mahi develops over time through experience, reflection, and learning, the competencies are structured across three levels: Essential, Enhanced, and Leadership.

A glossary of key terms is provided at the end of the framework.