[SECTOR WORKSHOP]: Maintaining (Y)our Connection to the Value-base and Ethic of Lived Experience Leadership in Your Designated Role

The employment and integration of designated lived experience (peer) roles within multidisciplinary teams, service delivery and policy contexts across the mental health and social sectors is increasing. With this growth many in designated roles find themselves navigating a unique tension.

They are employed to draw on lived experience perspective, expertise, and leadership for the benefit of others, yet often work in environments that have limited understanding of the history, values, ethic, positionality, and scope of lived experience (peer) practice. This results in workforce carrying the additional labour of advocating for recognition, educating others about their roles, and protecting the integrity of peer work, whilst also fulfilling the requirements of the job they are employed to do.

These pressures may mean that over time lived experience (peer) workers drift from the values, principles and relational practices that are unique to the discipline, as well as become disconnected from the consumer movement and broader network of people with lived experience that is core to who we are in this work. Questions about showing up authentically, sharing power, standing up and speaking out, staying peer, leading change and championing justice amidst organisational expectations can be difficult to navigate alone. Where the weight of unaddressed structural problems are experienced as individual issues and failings.

This workshop will create space for people to reconnect to the foundations of lived experience leadership and peer practice. There will be opportunities to explore the complexity of being employed in designated roles, common challenges and tensions experienced, how we nurture community together and strengthening connection to the things that sustain us in our lived experience (peer) roles.

Who The Training is For: 

Maintaining (Y)our Connection to the Value-base and Ethic of Lived Experience Leadership in Your Designated Role training is designed for people employed in designated lived experience (peer) roles across the mental health and social sectors inclusive of suicide prevention, alcohol and other drugs, homelessness and family, domestic and sexual violence.

The training is suitable for lived experience (peer) workers in service delivery, projects, policy, research, leadership, and systems change settings.

* If you are being supported by an organisation and require an invoice please email info@lelan.org.au outlining the workshop/ training session(s) and attendee information. Please note that three or more people attending the same session from the same organisation will be registered using the member priced tickets.

What Will be Covered: 

• Understanding the history of the consumer movement.

• The relationship between lived experience, expertise, and leadership and how they show up in our advocacy and designated roles.

• Why both individual and collective approaches are important.

• How lived experience (peer) work is distinct from other disciplines and what our unique value is.

• Staying grounded in the core values and practices that guide us, without losing ourselves or making everyday a battle.

• Reflecting on 'staying peer' and how we work to shift and share power at different levels of influence.

• Navigating environments that may not be fully ready for lived experience (peer) designated roles.

• Exploring the tensions in our practice and deciphering when issues are organisational or structural issues and require a collective or more strategic approach.

• Strategies for advocating high fidelity peer practice within organisations.

• Collective ideas for sustaining our practice and remaining connected to the broader movement.

• Identifying practical strategies people can use in their own practice and organisations.

Structure of the Day: 

This is a one-day in-person training available to people that work in the mental health and social sectors, inclusive of suicide prevention, alcohol and other drugs, homelessness and family, domestic and sexual violence. The session will include presentation of information by the facilitator(s), large and small group discussions, and reflective exercises. The knowledge, skills and diverse experiences of attendees will be drawn on to create an environment of dialogue, shared learning, and community.

* Morning and afternoon tea will be provided by LELAN only. For lunch a supermarket and range of cafes and other places are close by for you to purchase food yourself, facilities are accessible for storing and reheating food you may bring.

Facilitator Information: 

This session will be facilitated by Ellie Hodges (Chief Executive) and Tanya Blazewicz (Senior Community and Projects Worker) with a panel of guest lived experience leaders in the afternoon.

You can learn more about LELAN team members and access numerous resources that inform and demonstrate our expertise via our website at www.lelan.org.au.

Scholarship Support for People with Lived Experience to Attend:

If you are a person with lived experience that is interested and available to attend but the cost of training is a barrier, please email info@lelan.org.au expressing interest and telling us about yourself, including how this will help you in any advocacy, representative or peer work role you have.

Bespoke Training Options with LELAN:

If you would like this or similar training to be facilitated within your organisation, please reach out to LELAN to discuss how we can tailor learning and development opportunities to your needs. The best way to do this is via info@lelan.org.au or 0431 953 526.