24 02, 2022

Finding my voice as an Expert by Experience – a blog fresh from the Toon

By |2022-02-24T16:44:17+00:00February 24th, 2022|Categories: Blog|Tags: , , , |

Desmond is an Expert by Experience (EBE) with Fulfilling Lives Newcastle and Gateshead. In this blog, he shares his story of how he came to find the EBE network and his involvement with the group.

  

After attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, a guy in the fellowship asked me if I’d heard of the EBE network – which I hadn’t. He told me that EBE stood for Experts by Experience: a network of people who met each week to discuss topics around mental health, substance misuse, homelessness and […]

15 09, 2020

The role of lived experience in creating systems change

By |2020-09-15T10:12:09+00:00September 15th, 2020|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

Creating lasting systems change – at local and national levels – is a key objective of the Fulfilling Lives programme and experts by experience have become increasingly involved in systems change work in their local areas. Our latest publication draws together the experiences and perspectives of partnership staff, partner and stakeholder organisations and insights and reflections from experts by experience (people with lived experience of multiple disadvantage) involved in systems change activities.

By providing a powerful, authentic voice and unique insights, experts are able to challenge assumptions, motivate organisations to do things differently and pinpoint areas for change. The opportunity to be involved in system change activity can be empowering and satisfying as it enables experts to reframe negative past experiences as learning to drive positive […]

19 12, 2019

The transition into full time employment: Reflections from an Expert by Experience.

By |2019-12-19T12:47:16+00:00December 19th, 2019|Categories: Blog|Tags: , |

Bev Hardman, Lead Engagement Worker for the Inreach/ Outreach workstream with Birmingham Changing Futures Together reflects on her own recovery journey and the transition into full time employment.

I never thought that I would be able to gain and sustain full time employment. After many failed attempts including disastrous, traumatic and unsuccessful job interviews, my mind was firmly made up that this was the beginning of the end. Managing my anxiety was the barrier to me getting off benefits and into work. During this time, my anxiety was crippling and debilitating, virtually rendering me speechless.  I knew I had to put a positive spin on things and thought “what advice I would give to someone else in my position?”.

I began volunteering with Birmingham Changing Futures […]

20 03, 2017

Individuals with lived experience to present at national conference in May

By |2019-05-14T10:29:11+00:00March 20th, 2017|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

The National Expert Citizen’s Group is a group of individuals with lived experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill health and offending behaviour. The group is comprised of individuals from the 12 funded project areas for the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Fulfilling Lives: Supporting people with multiple needs’. CFE Research facilitates the group. Members from the group have been accepted to run a workshop at the 2017 Multiple Needs summit in Milton Keynes. Sarah Robinson, the group’s facilitator (and research manager on the programme’s National Evaluation), will be supporting two group members to lead and present at their first national conference.

http://www.homeless.org.uk/events/tackling-multiple-disadvantage

22 07, 2014

Why Joined Up Services Work

By |2019-05-14T10:04:35+00:00July 22nd, 2014|Categories: Blog|Tags: |

This guest blog is from Service User Engagement Co-ordinator Justin Nield. Justin has been working on the Fulfilling Lives: supporting people with Multiple Needs Blackpool Programme funded by the Big Lottery.

I haven’t always been a Programme Co-ordinator and I lived with Multiple and Complex needs for most of my adult life. I spent over 20 years in active addiction, suffered with enduring mental health issues and ended up living on the streets, frightened, confused and vulnerable. […]

This website uses cookies and third party services. Ok