Authors: Raffael Di Batolomeo & Anna Scheepers
Year: 2023
Event: 2023 The MHS conference - Adelaide
Subject: Recruiting to Lived Experience Positions: Understanding Lived Experience Expertise to Prepare, Interview, and Collaborate Effectively
Type of resource: Video
Abstract:
In hearing from the people and families walking the path of distress, challenge and wellbeing and experiencing services and mental health systems, there is growing recognition and demand for Lived Experience informed roles and infrastructure. The presence of Lived Experience informed expertise can play a significant role in inviting and modelling how to centre humanity in services, processes, and responses. To meet this need and offer both quality and quantity of presence, the Peer Workforce must rapidly expand. However, to have effective impact and influence, there needs to be clear understanding of scope of practice and a posture of collaboration to build and support a workforce with strategic purpose, safety, and sustainability.
Effective recruitment is central to establishing a Peer Workforce that can deliver both on the demand and the sought-after point of difference. Those recruiting and applying need to have clarity, connection, and confidence in Lived Experience expertise and application to ensure that positions appointed are authentic and accountable to achieve the desired influence and impact.
When considering and recruiting to positions applying Lived Experience, it’s important to think through what knowledge base is being sought or needed to deliver the point of difference? What is the difference between having life experience and applying lived expertise in practice? What guides decision making around who may be a ‘good fit’ for a Lived Experience position? What do equitable and accessible recruitment processes look like, sound like, and feel like? What questions are appropriate to ask to draw out what is essential for a Lived Experience positions in different contexts? What considerations are important to bring together an organisation and worker with safety and sustainability?
This workshop is designed for managers and leaders who are supporting, recruiting, and/or establishing Lived Experience workforce and services.
The workshop will explore and co-create understanding on:
• Explaining Lived Expertise as the primary knowledge base of Lived Experience workers
• Embodying Lived Expertise through 4 “P’s”: Principles, Processes, Posture, and Practices
• Preparing interview spaces to share power and contribute together
• Creating conversation that will help draw out Lived Expertise application
• Considering what is needed to effectively work together to help recruiting decisions
• Offering feedback to build knowledge and opportunity for the future
Learning Objective
Participants will gain a clear understanding on applying Lived Experience as the foundation of practice. Participants will also learn how to prepare interview spaces, and recognise and draw out Lived Experience application in recruitment processes.
References
Byrne, L., Wang, L., Roennfeldt, H., Chapman, M.,
Darwin, L., Castles, C., Craze, L., Saunders, M.
National Lived Experience Workforce Guidelines.
2021, National Mental Health Commission.
Hodges, E and Reid, A 2021,
A guide for enabling lived experience involvement and leadership to thriveand have impact in your organisation
. SA Lived Experience Leadership & Advocacy Network (LELAN), Adelaide.
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