Anti-racism in action: Kimberley Penney’s transformational peer support
Kimberley has been a consistent, compassionate presence, someone who sees my son not just as a "case" or "patient" but as a whole person; complex, unique, and deserving of dignity and understanding.
The success of the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is measured not only by data, but by the real-life impact on those we serve.
At South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), Peer Support Workers (PSW) have been at the forefront of culturally informed, co-produced approaches, helping to rebuild trust, empower, and transform the experience of care for service users and their families.
Kimberley Penney, a PSW with SLaM, has become a “lifeline” for many - including Jordan* a young Black man living with autism, schizophrenia, and substance misuse challenges - and for his mother, Tanya*.
In a moving, unsolicited letter shared with senior leaders, Tanya describes Kimberley as a “bright lighthouse of understanding and stability in what has often felt like a storm.” At a time when her son resisted help and she felt exhausted and alone as an unpaid carer, Kimberley became a consistent, compassionate presence - someone who never gave up, listened without judgment, and showed up, again and again.
Jordan had struggled to connect with services, and services had struggled to engage him. However, with Kimberley’s tailored support, Jordan engaged with a drug counsellor, began his detox journey, and started completing an Advance Choice Document (ACD) - a powerful tool for ensuring that future care reflects his needs and wishes. These steps reduced the risk of future crisis and brought a renewed sense of hope to both him and his mother.
Kimberley is different from the others. She just waited on me… she didn’t give up… she listens… She understands me when I don’t even know how to explain things… she makes me feel like I matter. - Jordan
As a woman of mixed Black heritage, Kimberley brings deep cultural insight to her role, offering families a sense of being understood in ways that can complement and enhance traditional service approaches. PCREF supports staff to develop this kind of cultural understanding - by listening, learning from lived experience, reflecting on their own practice, and embedding inclusive approaches into their work.
What sets Kimberley apart is not only her professional skills but her cultural insight; she understands the nuances and intricacies of the Black family experience. She understands the trauma, the silence, the resilience, and the unspoken burdens that many in our community carry and are still carrying.
She understands the systemic barriers our young Black boys and men face; the suspicion, the misdiagnosis, the exclusion, the lack of tailored support, and she has shown incredible skill and heart in navigating all of this.
Every young Black person experiencing mental health challenges needs a Kimberley. She is a bridge, a lifeline… a gift. – Tanya
Through PCREF, PSWs like Kimberley co-deliver anti-racism training, help design local change initiatives, and champion tools like ACDs - ensuring lived experience shapes how care is delivered. In doing so, they are not only reshaping individual lives, but also helping to rebuild trust, challenge systemic inequality, and redefine what equitable and culturally competent mental health care can be.
As part of SLaM’s commitment to become an anti-racism organisation, Kimberley’s work stands as a powerful example of what meaningful change looks like on the ground.
*Names have been changed for anonymity
