The Benefits of Working with Individuals with Lived Experience
This content explores the significance of working with individuals who have firsthand experience in various aspects, such as the Homeless Response System, through initiatives like CFTH's Consumer Advisory Council. It discusses the definition of Lived Experience and details how CFTH engages with and benefits from individuals with such experiences to enhance services and support systems for those in need.
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Presentation Transcript
The benefits of working with The benefits of working with individuals with Lived Experience individuals with Lived Experience CFTH Conference May 22, 2024
What is Lived Experience Ways CFTH works with LE individuals CAC- Consumer Advisory Council Topics Topics Meaningful Engagement with individuals with Lived Experience Information and Discussion
What is Lived Experience? What is Lived Experience? Definition Definition- - Personal knowledge about the world gained through direct, first-hand involvement in everyday events rather than through representations constructed by others. Lived Experience as it pertains to the Homeless Response System Lived Experience as it pertains to the Homeless Response System- - Individuals who have experienced homelessness, and who may have gone through the Homeless Response System to receive housing assistance.
Ways CFTH works with individuals with LE
Ways CFTH engages Lived Experience individuals Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) Consumer Advisory Council (CAC)- - Board of individuals with Lived Experience who work directly with CFTH to provide input in a variety of ways. Steering Committee Representatives Steering Committee Representatives- - We have individuals with Lived Experience who sit on our Steering Committee and give input on all CFTH business. Review Committee Review Committee- -We have individuals with Lived Experience participate on our review committees, reviewing score cards during the funding process, as well as reviewing proposals for various vendors. Youth Action Board (YAB) Youth Action Board (YAB)- - Board of youth between the ages of 16-25 with Lived Experience of homelessness who work directly with CFTH providing input on various youth related projects. CFTH employee CFTH employee- - CFTH also has employees who have Lived Experience of homelessness
The CAC is a leadership advisory body that consists of members with current or past Lived Experience of homelessness. The CAC provides a platform for people who have experienced homelessness to share their firsthand experiences and provide meaningful input to improve The Way Home Continuum of Care (CoC); our local Homeless Response System (HRS). Members of the CAC bring unique perspective to the HRS, providing consultation and advocacy for ways to improve our supportive housing system and the services provided. As a member of the CAC, people have the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the HRS and have their voice heard. Consumer Advisory Council (CAC)
CAC Board Member CAC Board Member- - Deidra Young Deidra Young Deidra Young was one of the first CAC board members with CFTH. She has been on the Change Committee with Healthcare For The Homeless Houston for over 12 years, the Editor and Chief of the Consumer Voice Newsletter, and has also served as the Co-Chair and Secretary of the Lived Experience board with SEARCH. Deidra has served on the National Consumer Advisory Board as a Regional Representative, Co-Chair and is now the current Chair of NCAB, and is still a CAC Board member with CFTH.
Meaningful Engagement with Meaningful Engagement with individuals with Lived Experience individuals with Lived Experience
Inauthentic Engagement vs Meaningful Engagement Inauthentic Engagement Inauthentic Engagement Meaningful Engagement Meaningful Engagement Foster relationships with those persons with lived expertise whom you plan to engage. Allow them to be a part of the planning process from the very beginning and center their voices and perspectives at all times. Be sure to uplift the impact of their work, challenging any personal self-esteem issues and raising community understanding of their humanity. Create a collaborative environment that is informed by placing the highest value on the perspectives of those persons with expertise. Therefore, including people with this experience who are willing to share is of the highest priority not just something that has to be done Organizational and system leaders should shift approaches to working, creating more accessible spaces for people with lived expertise to meaningfully engage. In practice this could mean: Meeting outside of regular business hours. Providing acronym sheets to meeting participants. Leaving professional titles out of introductions. Being flexible with language in meetings . Meeting in neutral spaces. When deciding what is needed to accomplish this, input from persons with lived expertise is centered. Showy engagement is when a person with lived expertise is brought to the table simply for appearances. This often involves inviting a person to an event to speak about their often traumatic and negative experiences of homelessness and attempting to navigate the system. This type of engagement is for the benefit of the meeting organizers and does not result in true system change. Tokenism is when people with lived expertise are invited to the table solely to fulfill a requirement or check a box. Their participation is seen as a means to an end. Expecting people with lived expertise to volunteer their time in a manner that accommodates the organization and decision-makers. Decisions are often made behind closed doors and those in power decide what information is shared with whom and when it can be shared. This lack of transparency leads to a lack of trust and buy-in.
Important things to consider The contributions of persons with lived expertise are valued and prioritized. Therefore, the organization and decision- makers should make efforts to accommodate persons with lived expertise, which may include providing transportation, meals, Wifi, and other technology that allows for full participation. Most critical, persons with lived expertise are compensated for their time and contributions. Nothing About US Without US It means that no policy should be decided by any representative without the full and direct participation of the members of the group(s) affected by that policy.
Creating a LE Advisory Board: Creating a LE Advisory Board: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S92lk_BRcz8 A video call held with a CoC leadership on the topic June 2019 CoC Quarterly Call (youtube.com) June 2019 CoC Quarterly Call (youtube.com) of Lived Experience Advisory Committees June 2019 CoC Quarterly Call (youtube.com) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S92lk_BRcz8 Information Information And And HUD Exchange Integrating LE: HUD Exchange Integrating LE: Discussion Discussion SNAPS In Focus: Integrating Persons with Lived Experiences in our Efforts to Prevent and End Homelessness - HUD Exchange SNAPS In Focus: Integrating Persons with Lived Experiences in our Efforts to Prevent and End Homelessness - HUD Exchange SNAPS In Focus: Integrating Persons with Lived Experiences in our Efforts to Prevent and End Homelessness - HUD Exchange SNAPS In Focus: Integrating Persons with Lived Experiences in our Efforts to Prevent and End Homelessness - HUD Exchange SNAPS In Focus: Integrating Persons with Lived Experiences in our Efforts to Prevent and End Homelessness - HUD Exchange Discussion: Q&A Q&A
Thank you! Thank you! We appreciate your time, input and attention. If you would like to share any information or would like additional information on anything covered, please feel free to email me at me at agarmon@homelesshouston.org
