Role Titles and Descriptions for the Development of the Mental Health Lived Experience Workforce
Companion document to the Queensland Framework for the Development of the Mental Health Lived Experience Workforce. Designed to support the development of lived experience roles that are meaningful, authentic and reflect lived experience values.
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Roennfeldt, H., Byrne, L., Wang, Y., Chapman, M., Darwin, L. Role Titles and Descriptions for the Development
of the Mental Health Lived Experience Workforce. 2019, Queensland Government: Brisbane.
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Lived Experience workers apply an understanding of marginalisation, loss of identity and citizenship in their work to benefit others and contribute to system change
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Position descriptions can help to ensure role clarity and uniqueness of Lived Experience roles
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Lived Experience roles span across direct support to specialist and leadership positions
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Common principles of Lived Experience work include the capacity to covey hope, a personal identification with mental health experience and willingness to share experience
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Position descriptions include values, skills and theories underpinning Lived Experience work. These are described as personal qualities and core competencies for the role. ​
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Take home messages
Developing and Maintaining the Uniqueness of Lived Experience Roles
This document assists in writing position descriptions that ensure the clarity and the uniqueness of lived experience roles are upheld. Position Descriptions are important as they can support the uniqueness of Lived Experience roles by reflecting the distinction between Lived Experience work vs. the work of non-designated roles.
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Lived Experience work is about how experiences of marginalisation, loss of identity and citizenship are understood and applied to benefit others and contribute to system change. These roles exist across direct support and entry-level positions to specialist roles and leadership positions.
Lived Experience workers identified the following principles that were common across all these roles:
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Capacity to convey hope
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Personal identification with experiences of a mental health challenge
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Willingness to share experiences
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Lived Experience roles include advocacy and identification as a change agent – that is, having the ability to challenge harmful practices and contribute more effective mental health service delivery.
Values, Skills and Theory
Position descriptions list key criteria, core competencies and adherence to frameworks of practice. Position descriptions can also be broken down into into values, skills and underpinning theories in Lived Experience Work.
Values
Organisational values are reflected in an organisations mission statement and the position descriptions of employees should reflect the value of Lived Experience work.
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Below are the values underpinning Lived Experience practice.
Non-Judgemental
Capacity to be Vulnerable
Respect
Dignity of
Risk
Empathy
Openness
Human
Rights
Authenticity and Personal Investment
Social Justice
Skills
Lived Experience work requires diverse skills across a variety of areas and roles. These roles include direct work and indirect work. Importantly, the processes of Lived Experience work are emphasised as “not so much what you do, but how you do it’.
Direct
Work
Individual support and facilitating groups, sharing experiences, advocacy, connecting to resources, community building, relationship building, mentoring, building social connections, creative and strengths-based activities.
Indirect
Work
Planning and developing programs, administration, staff training, communication, supervision, peer training, promotion, research and evaluation
Skills associated with Lived Experience work:
Working with Groups
Coaching or Mentoring
Communication Skills
Purposeful Use of Experience
Working
Collaborativelly
Strategies to Overcome Adversity
Think Radically but Act Diplomatically
Linking to Community
Appreciating Other's World Views
Theories
Lived experience workers have identified working from the following theories and approaches:
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recovery framework
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psychosocial approach
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trauma-informed framework
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humanistic approach
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strengths-based framework
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holistic approach​​​
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Training recommended by Lived Experience Workers include Intentional Peer Support, Trauma Informed practice and Hearing Voices training. Connection to the wider community and Lived Experience networks are also important to ensure sustainability of the workforce.
Personal Qualities and Core Competencies
Core competencies and personal qualities reflect values, skills and underpinning theories.
Core competencies are described in clear statements and reflect what is fundamental to effective Lived Experience work.
Use the box below to see some of the personal qualities and core competencies of Lived Experience work in the words of Lived Experience workers.
Shared Skills and Specialisations
There is overlap between Direct Support and Indirect Support Roles, where both may require some direct support and management skills.
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Specialisations can occur in both direct and indirect support roles and may include working from the perspectives of:
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
People from the Deaf Community
People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
People Identifying as LGBTQIA+
Perinatal Mental Health
People with Experiences of Family Violence
Suicide
Involuntary Treatment
People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds
Eating Disorders
Child and Youth (or Carer Youth and Families)
Incarceration
People with Experience of Drug & Alcohol Use or Dependence
Homelessness
People Identifying as Neurodivergent
People with a Disability
Veterans
Other Diverse Experiences
Direct Support Example Role Titles and Position Description
Peer Worker (also Consumer Peer Worker etc...)
Family and Carer Peer Support Worker
Peer Mentor (and Recovery Mentor)
Consumer Rehabilitation Support Worker
Wellbeing (and Lived Expertise) Coach
Peer Artist
Lifestyle Facilitator
Lived Expertise Group Facilitator
Recovery Worker (and Assistant)
Lifestyle Facilitator
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Provide recovery-orientated, ‘consumer’ and/or ‘carer’ focused peer support
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Advocate for consumers
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Support consumers to make positive changes towards recovery by identifying strengths
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Serve as a positive role model
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Well-developed communication, both verbal and written, to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams
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Provide feedback and advice to multidisciplinary team members regarding consumer and/or carer participation
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Provide education and guidance on recovery-oriented practice.
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Work within appropriate boundaries and draw on knowledge and expertise gained through reflection on own lived experience.
Core
Competencies
Core
Attributes
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Communication skills
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Willingness and purposeful use of lived experience
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Awareness of boundaries
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Teamwork
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Problem solving
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Work autonomously
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Use of initiative, tact and discretion
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Certificate IV in Mental Health or Mental Health Peer Work (Desirable)
Qualifications
Indirect Support Role: Example Role Titles and Position Description
Director (and Manager)
Peer Support Supervisors (and Coordinators)
Carer (and Consumer) Consultant
Carer (and Consumer) Coordinator
Team Leader
Service Manager
Consumer Participation Coordinator
Lived Experience (Consumer) Academic
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Advocacy and development of the Lived Experience workforce
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Supervision and mentoring
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Business development
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Education, training and research
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Expert advice on policy, planning, evaluation, process
and strategic direction -
Lived experience perspective to support decision making
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Advocacy
Key
duties
Core
Attributes
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Communication skills
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Negotiation skills
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Ability to influence
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Ability to establish strategic partnerships
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Knowledge of recovery and service systems
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Knowledge of legislation
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Skills in training, education and research
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Ranges from Certificate IV to postgraduate qualifications
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Relevant previous experience