10 October is Mental Health Awareness Day. This year, the theme “Lived Experience Heard: Real Voices, Real Change” reminds us that the most meaningful improvements in mental health care come from listening to those who have walked the journey themselves.
Across our organisation, Lived Experience Peer Workers, together with members of our Consumer Carer Advisory Group (CCAG), play a critical role in ensuring the voices of consumers, families and carers are not only heard but actively shape the way we deliver and improve our services.
Our Peer Support Workers (PSWs) bring a unique and invaluable perspective. Drawing on their own lived experience of mental health challenges and recovery, they walk alongside consumers and families during some of the most difficult periods of their lives. Through connection, understanding and shared experience, they offer hope, advocacy and practical support. Their presence helps consumers feel heard, understood and empowered, demonstrating that recovery is possible and that no one has to navigate their journey alone.
“My experience as a peer worker at Hotham St Clinic is about advocating for consumers, ensuring their voice is always in the room and keeping the consumer at the forefront of everything we do. I really value being part of the multidisciplinary team at Hotham St, where my voice and my lived and living expertise are genuinely heard and valued and being able to contribute a different perspective and bring the consumer experience into these conversations. I value being able to be part of positive change and make a difference, not only to consumers but to the service as a whole,” said Jessica Hurst, Lead Consumer Peer Support Worker, Hotham Street clinic.
Beyond individual support, lived experience is embedded in how we design and improve our services. Our Consumer Carer Advisory Group provides a vital forum for consumers and carers to contribute their insights, ensuring service development and quality improvement initiatives reflect the real needs and experiences of the people we serve.
This partnership has been instrumental in a range of important initiatives. Members have contributed to the development and review of consumer information brochures, helping ensure resources are meaningful, accessible and relevant. They have played a key role in the co-design of our Adult Community Model of Care, bringing valuable perspectives that help create more person-centred services. Their advice and feedback continue to influence quality improvement activities across the organisation, ensuring consumers and carers remain at the heart of decision-making.
When asked about his role as a member of CCAG, Josh responded, “I like being part of co-design and having a voice in decision making; it’s very empowering to me. I think a lot of change happens at the grass roots level and comes from lived experience voices being heard. I enjoy the process of implementing change and I feel like my own experience is valued by Northern Health as I see things change from the feedback I have given.”
These contributions are powerful examples of what happens when lived experience is genuinely valued. Real change occurs when services are developed not only for consumers and carers, but with them.
“Lived experience voices matter because they have the power to transform mental health care by bringing authentic insights and understanding into clinical spaces. Through the sharing of personal stories and perspectives, people with lived experience help shape a more compassionate and effective mental health system that is better equipped to meet the needs of service users. We can learn a lot from each lived experience voice because behind every diagnosis is a real person with a unique journey and valuable knowledge to share,” said Chris Ferguson, Director of Lived Experience.
This Mental Health Awareness Day, we acknowledge and celebrate the dedication, courage and expertise of our Lived Experience and Peer Workers and Consumer Carer Advisory Group members. Their voices help us build services that are more compassionate, responsive and effective.
Featured image shows members of the Consumer and and Carer Advisory Group (CCAG) with Chris Ferguson, Director, Lived Experience (3rd from right).