Lived Experience Framework - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by ‘lived experience’? Don’t we all have lived experience?
We all have experiences that make us who we are.
The broadly accepted understanding of lived experience is a “first-hand, life-changing experience that affects your view of the world and/or your place in it, which leads to a process of meaning-making”.
In the context of the DVA Lived Experience Framework, we refer to the experiences that lead veterans and their families to be clients (or eligible to be clients) of DVA’s services, and experiences as a DVA client. Within the veteran community, many people consider the military experience to be one that is life-changing for the veteran and their family.
What is lived expertise? When does lived experience become lived expertise?
People with lived expertise have gained skills, knowledge and wisdom from their experience which they can use to support others, or to improve systems. They are ready, willing and able to share their story in a way that focuses on the positive outcomes of their recovery journey. This can look like:
- advocating for their own needs (e.g. I want to access a service that has been helpful for me in the past)
- walking alongside a person, supporting them through their recovery journey (e.g. peer work)
- systems advocacy and reform – providing input to policies, programs and services (e.g. being part of focus groups), contributing to research, or inspiring hope (e.g. by sharing stories of recovery)
- leadership – contributing to decision-making (e.g. sitting on recruitment panels, participating in steering committees).
The DVA Lived Experience Framework aims to increase the participation of people with lived experience and lived expertise. Different kinds of participation will have different experience, skills, knowledge and wisdom required. People with lived experience will be supported to develop lived expertise where relevant and appropriate.
What about the positive stories? Can we learn from good experiences we have?
A life-changing event is anything that has happened that changes the way we see the world and our place in it. Whether a positive or negative change, these experiences challenge us to grow new wisdom, skills and knowledge.
A life-changing event could be:
- moving to a new city
- death of a loved one
- becoming a parent
- travel to a foreign country
- abuse, physical and/or emotional
- falling in love (and getting married)
- a near-death experience
- severe illness or injury
- changing careers
- ending of a relationship
Within these events, there may be parts that are positve and negative, or they may be wholly positive, or wholly negative. The wisdom, skills and knowledge we gain from these events are what helps us support others and improve systems.
We have heard some concern that the DVA Lived Experience Framework will just be providing a platform for grievances and negative stories. That concern is understandable, but through understanding that the DVA Lived Experience Framework aims to harness the wisdom from these experiences, we hope that staff can see the incredible potential lived experience and lived expertise have to improve what DVA does and how they do it.
How will the Lived Experience Framework help DVA improve services for the veteran community?
Many systems traditionally have decisions made by people ‘at the top’. DVA staff need to understand, from a human perspective, the reasons why policies or programs aren’t always experienced in the way they are designed/intended. That’s why it’s important to give veterans and their families (people with lived experience) a more active role in the way their services are designed, delivered and evaluated. It’s fundamental to improving DVA’s systems and services.
What is the Lived Experience Register? What is the purpose of the Register?
The Lived Experience Register (the Register), once established, will allow people in the veteran community (veterans, family, community, caregivers and supporters) to register their interest in sharing their lived experience and lived expertise to support continuous improvement across DVA, including participation in working groups, committees, and broad consultation and engagement. The Register will provide DVA with a pool of skilled and knowledgeable people willing to participate in DVA programs to enhance veteran & family services.
Before the Register is launched, there will be extensive consultation and planning to ensure DVA meets privacy, legal and data security obligations, and that it meets the needs and expectations of people with lived experience and lived expertise.
Everyone's lived experience is different and individual. How can lived experience representatives speak on behalf of others' experience?
It is always preferred that an individual shares their own story and is supported to do so, however lived experience representatives can also speak about the common factors in shared experiences.
To enhance the opportunities for individuals to share their own lived experience and lived expertise with the Department, DVA is developing a Lived Experience Register. The Register will be a pool of people with diverse lived experience that they can draw upon. Anyone from the veteran community, including veterans, families and supporters, will be welcome to join the Register.
DVA will provide training and support for those that choose to join the Register, so they can confidently share their lived experience and lived expertise in the way/s they choose. More information about the Register will be available soon.
Why do we need a Lived Experience Framework? Doesn’t DVA already do a lot of consultation with veterans and families?
DVA has a process for consultation and engagement, which helps gain more information about how the Department can best support the veteran community.
The Lived Experience Framework aligns with existing consultation processes and provides a pathway for DVA to seek input and feedback from people with lived experience and lived expertise, who can partner with DVA in activities like:
- service design and delivery
- decision-making
- governance
It also supports DVA staff to partner with people with lived experience and lived expertise respectfully and meaningfully and reminds us to ask, “Whose perspectives are missing?”. The DVA Lived Experience Framework encourages us to explore better ways to hear from as many members of the veteran community as possible (including the people who are not often heard) to ensure that the changes DVA makes are meaningful and effective for the veteran community. DVA knows there are many people in the veteran community who have developed skills, knowledge and strengths from their personal experiences. People who wish to share theirs will be able to participate once the Register is established.
Another aspect of the DVA Lived Experience Framework is the expansion of DVA's Lived Experience Professional workforce. This workforce has functions that extend beyond consultation activities. More information will be provided about this as our implementation progresses.
Doesn’t every veteran have lived experience?
In the context of DVA’s Framework, every veteran does have the experience of serving, and their families have experiences of being a military family. We know these experiences are rich and diverse.
Many veterans and their families/community experience significant events, both from their service and in their personal lives. Using lived expertise as a tool is a personal choice. It is up to a person to decide for themselves if they wish to identify as having lived experience, and if they are ready, willing and able to share it.
Lived experience should also be considered in context. For example, if DVA is evaluating a chronic pain program, people who have experienced chronic pain, and people who have supported/cared for someone with chronic pain, must be involved in the process.
What about families? How is their lived experience considered?
Families experience challenges as part of service life which can affect their mental health and wellbeing and therefore are included in the Lived Experience Framework alongside veterans.
The term ‘family’ may include partners, children, parents and friends and caregivers. Families and caregivers have their own unique perspectives and needs, including, but not limited to, the care of a veteran, that may also require support. Family and caregivers might also be DVA clients, but even when they are not, DVA’s programs, policies and services directly impact them so their perspectives and wisdom are essential.
How does the Lived Experience Framework apply to veterans and veteran family working in DVA?
DVA is fortunate in that many veterans and veteran family members are employees who have an understanding of the military experience, which enhances their work and the service they provide. However, not all veterans and veteran family members employed by DVA have chosen to be in lived experience designated roles which requires them to utilise both their lived (living) experience and lived expertise. The Framework refers to these employees as Lived Experience Professionals. Lived Experience Professionals have:
- a relevant lived experience as a requirement of their role;
- roles which require the deliberate and intentional application of lived expertise, using the values and principles of lived experience practice; and
- the knowledge, skills and training to purposefully include their lived expertise in a deliberate and trauma-informed approach.
It is important to not assume that all veterans and veteran family members in DVA identify as having lived experience or lived expertise, nor that they would be ready, willing and able to share their stories.
As we further develop and implement the DVA LE Framework, talking to veterans and family members inside DVA will continue to be important, and of course, they will be able to join the Lived Experience Register once it is established.
What is the role of Lived Experience Professionals within DVA’s workforce?
Like many Australian organisations, DVA employs a diverse workforce, many of whom have lived through, or live with, challenges and significant experiences. While some DVA employees are veterans or veteran families, this is not the case for all employees. Any of these people could identify as having lived experience, and some may choose to share that. Ensuring the wellbeing and safety of DVA’s workforce is a key consideration, and without the right training and support, expecting someone to share their lived experience can be a risk – both for the person and for DVA. That is why it is important to understand the role of Lived Experience Professionals.
Unless they are in a designated lived experience role, (for example, a Peer Worker in Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling (Open Arms)), a person with lived experience would not be considered a Lived Experience Professional. Lived Experience Professionals must draw on their lived expertise as part of their daily work and have undergone training and support to do this in a safe and meaningful way.
How do we make sure all lived experiences are represented?
The DVA Lived Experience Register will be open to the veteran community and veterans, families, caregivers and supporters with lived experience will be able to nominate to be on the Register.
Participation will be encouraged from veterans and their community from different cultural backgrounds, the LGBTQIA+ community, the First Nations community, people in regional and remote areas and other groups that have different experiences of service life, being a veteran or veteran family and DVA.
How does the DVA Lived Experience Framework relate to the peer work in Open Arms?
Open Arms peers are one type of Lived Experience Professional in DVA. They work alongside clinicians, counsellors and clinical care coordinators in Open Arms, which is an accredited mental health service. Peer workers:
- draw on their own lived experiences from both the military and mental health service system to support veterans and their families
- have undergone specific training
- support and walk alongside veterans and families
- provide insight and support to the wider Open Arms workforce in understanding the unique challenges that veterans and their families have experienced during and post-service.
The DVA Lived Experience Framework has been developed using the same lived experience values and principles that underpin peer work. The Framework provides an overarching structure under which the Open Arms Peer Program is just one component.
If someone has been through a challenging or traumatic event, won’t it upset them to talk about it?
People with lived expertise usually have good insight into their wellbeing and have often developed great skills and abilities to manage their own distress.
The DVA Lived Experience Framework ensures that the right training and support is available, and people can choose how and when they share their experiences. There will also be training to support DVA staff working alongside people with lived expertise.
Won't bringing people with lived experience into DVA increase the risk of vicarious trauma in our staff?
Implementing the DVA Lived Experience Framework includes measures to ensure that people with lived experience and expertise are ready to share the skills, knowledge and wisdom they have gained from their story.
This includes making sure they are able to share in ways that are supportive, safe and specific. DVA staff will also receive training to help them work alongside people with lived experience in ways that are trauma-informed and in scope of what has been sought.