Jared Lambert

Provided leadership and coordination for peer support workers, liaising with agencies such as police and ambulance services to respond to individuals in mental distress. Applied peer support principles—including experiential knowledge, mutuality, and non-directive support—to hold space for distress, validate lived experiences, and empower individuals without imposing solutions.

Key Skills:

• Active listening skills
• Providing emotional support and presence in distress
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Collaboration with Wellington Crisis Resolution Service
• Liaising with clinical lead to support referral and transitions to community mental health teams
• Listening without judgment or proposed solutions
• De-escalation
• Holding companionate and sensitive space for suicidally and suicidal ideation
• Authentic and warm relationship building
• Maintaining therapeutic peer-relationships with Tāngata whaiora

Support individuals in supported accommodation living with acute mental health conditions, predominantly schizophrenia. Facilitate daily cares and medication, appointment attendance, and emotional wellbeing.
Key Skills:

• Medication administration
• Mental health documentation
• Client rights
• Providing supportive presence during distress
• Self-care support
• Individualised and tailored care
• Validate emotions, challenges, and perspectives
• Empathetic support during hallucinatory experiences

Provided phone and online support for LGBTQA+ individuals and families, offering empathetic listening and advocacy without prescribing solutions. Empowered callers to address their challenges while maintaining professional boundaries in high-distress situations.
Key Skills:

• Empathy
• Active listening
• Note taking
• Advocacy
• Crisis response
• Empowerment-focused support

Led and mentored teaching teams to enhance social competence and emotional education practices. Guided internal evaluations, performance management, and conflict resolution while fostering inclusive, culturally responsive environments across four kindergartens.

Key skills:

• Assessment processes
• Team management
• Conflict resolution
• Advocacy
• Supporting diverse family needs
• Community engagement workshops
• Internal evaluation
• Professional boundaries
• Performance planning
• Systems thinking and planning

Developed a passion for fostering young children’s social and emotional skills through quality teaching, learning and curriculum design. Strengthened assessment and organisational skills while working across three kindergartens.

Key skills:

• Individualised planning
• Responsive teaching practices
• Co-regulation strategies
• Collaborative planning
• Health and safety processes
• Narrative-based learning assessment
• One-on-one teaching and learning
• Holding space for emotional and social growth