Lived Experience Engagement Advisory Panel

Our first Commissioning Lived Experience Advisory Panel includes:

• Lisa Kelly from Carers ACT
• Beth Garwood from MIEACT
• Linda James from CREATE Foundation ACT

Members are appointed for a term of two years or the expiry of the current Commissioning Roadmap.  New members are welcome and can self-nominate, be nominated by the Panel or by strategic commissioning teams. Members nominate as individuals and are selected based on their experience and ability to contribute to the provision of strategic advice to Commissioners. Membership requirements:

• Members represent a diverse mix of lived experience perspectives from the human services and health systems
• Members bring a diverse mix of relevant experience in undertaking and/or using research into the lived experience of individuals
• May include people with relevant expertise such as people that use or have used services; representative bodies or individuals; service providers; and/or researchers
• Members can apply current, relevant, local knowledge to inform and advise commissioning activities
• Members can work as a team to provide clear, practical, useful advice to inform commissioning activities.

The Panel supports Commissioners and the commissioning process by:

• ensuring Commissioners and partners in commissioning processes hear and use the voices of lived experience.
• helping Commissioners to plan and undertake commissioning processes in a way that most appropriately includes, and is informed by, lived experience.
• connecting Commissioners with existing lived experience insights, so people aren’t asked to again provide insights and experiences that they have already shared.

The Panel is guided by the 2022-2024 Commissioning Roadmap and provide advice during the DISCOVER phase when lived experience insights are identified and/or involvement is being planned.

Commissioners will submit their proposed lived experience approaches to the Panel for review and advice during the DISCOVER phase.

The Panel will provide independent, highly focused, and practical advice to Commissioners on:

• Sources of existing lived experience insights
• Gathering methodologies and questions or prompts
• Sensitivities and triggering considerations
• Protocols for consent, privacy and sharing
• Training and capability support

The Panel will provide advice by:

• Identifying and communicating gaps or challenges
• Researching what works to address gaps or challenges
• Collating and sharing lived experience knowledge that its members have access to
• Providing guidance on how lived experience input could be gathered
• Identifying approaches that improve lived experience gathering and involvement
• Identifying priorities and making recommendations to Commissioners

Every commissioning cycle should seek advice from the Panel to inform commissioning planning. The Panel does not have the power to direct or mandate the work of Commissioners but presents valuable and unparallel strategic advice from sector leaders.

Step 1 - Contact your Directorates Strategic Commissioning Team for assistance in packaging up your approach ready for review. We will help you be clear about what advice you are seeking.

Step 2 – Submit your commissioning cycle plan for review by the Panel, allowing two weeks.

(Advice from the Panel can be provided in writing, conveyed through your Strategic Commissioning Team or you may be asked to present and discuss your approach directly with the Panel.)

Step 3 – Receive Panel advice and make amendments to your approach.

To seek Panel advice contact: CSDCommissioning@act.gov.au or HealthCommissioning@act.gov.au