Lived experience, gathered in a range of respectful ways, should be woven into the commissioning process, so that together, government and non-government partners, can listen, understand, and redesign from the human experience of our services, systems and supports.
Supported by resources like the guide to lived experience in commissioning a tool in the lived experience checklist, and the Commissioning Lived Experience Panel (the Panel).
What we have heard
To improve, we regularly listen to the experiences of Canberrans accessing services, supports, and programs. Generally, lived experience participants have told us there are opportunities to improve:
- Consistent levels of respectful customer service to vulnerable people
- Appropriate support and adjustments to people with disability (including communication support)
- Specialised support for people experiencing domestic, family, and sexual violence.
- Specialised support (or dedicated team) for First Nations people
- Services that have a trauma informed lens to delivery
Lived Experience Narratives
We gather lived and living experiences from previous consultation activities, commissioning cycles or years of service or program reporting. Peak bodies and service providers routinely share experiences and insights from Canberrans that are supported by their services or programs. Here we provide a central location to access recent lived experience insights that may support your commissioning activities.
Homelessness Lived Experience Report [PDF 235KB] [Word 4.6MB]
Multiple homelessness experiences revealing interactions with a wide range of services, and supports for domestic and family violence, mental health and criminal justice.
Client A – Lily and her parents Kim and Lan [PDF 317KB] [Word 795KB]
A family who recently migrated to Australia from Vietnam. Kim and Lan have a daughter Lily (3 years old) and Lily has developmental delays that were identified by a childcare service and the family was referred to a community organisation for assessment and case management. The case management support would include working with the National Disability and Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Client B – Jill, Wiradjuri women with two children. [PDF 322KB] [Word 795KB]
Jill is currently receiving women’s homelessness accommodation and support services. She is a Wiradjuri woman and mother. She has experienced trauma, domestic violence, and homelessness. Jill is living with trauma, and this has impacted her parenting of Mark (6 years old) and Tim (4 years old).
Client C – Aryan and Dayamai and their two children [PDF 322KB] [Word 795KB]
Living in Canberra for two years since migrating to Australia from India. Aryan and his wife Dayamai have two children Jey (7 years old) and Mia (3 years old). For Aryan and Dayamai, English is a second language. Aryan and Jey are fluent and Dayamai relies on them to communicate until her English improves. Dayamai sought medical care for Mia who was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. The doctor then raised concerns about Mia’s health and welfare that prompted referral to A Community CALD integrated family support service.
Client D – 12-year-old Sarah [PDF 341KB] [Word 794KB]
Sarah was in foster care for 18 months when she was three and then returned to the care of her Aunty. Sarah is in her first year of high school and has been hanging with a group of young people, some of whom have been charged and entered the youth justice system. While Sarah has not been charged, she has received a formal warning from ACT Policing for shoplifting and underage drinking.
Client E – 10-year-old Rowan [PDF 339KB] [Word 794KB]
Rowan, was experiencing learning challenges at school and his teacher/school social worker met with his Mum to find therapeutic supports for him. As a young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student, Rowan was referred to an integrated youth service delivered by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation
Client F – Cody – 25-year-old young person [PDF 310KB] [Word 793KB]
Cody was new to Canberra and had come to the service after the Police suggested she might benefit from it. Cody has a long, quite serious criminal history, with offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She lives with complex and profound experiences of cumulative trauma, including significant family violence and abuse and then being surrendered into the care of CYPS in her early teens.
Page updated: 28 Feb 2024
