How does a Lived Experience Advocate benefit my organisation/service?
Professionals who work in the ATOD sector, such as counsellors or case managers, are experts in their field, and people who use ATOD services are experts in their experience. If the two groups work together, there are more opportunities for growth and change.
What are the benefits of having a Lived Experience Advocate?
A Lived Experience Advocate can benefit your service by:
- giving advice based on lived experience that will improve overall service quality
- increasing service users’ satisfaction, resulting in better service outcomes
- meaningfully including people who might not feel fully connected to their treatment or support experience
- helping to develop information tailored to service users
- helping to choose good staff who will work well with service users
- helping plan specific improvements to service delivery with service users in mind
- taking part in discussions between service organisations and service users to find a common voice
- building trust between service users and staff
- reducing some pressures faced by the service
- reducing the number of service user complaints
- helping the service meet accreditation and legal requirements, including the National Safety and Quality in Health Service Standards, Standard 2: partnering with Consumers
How does my service work with a Lived Experience Advocate?
The ATDC expects service providers to provide real and meaningful opportunities for Advocates and to listen to what they have to say.
An Advocate should be treated like any other community expert. This includes providing the Advocate with proper workplace induction, listening to what they have to say and answering any questions they may have.
If your service decides to take on an Advocate, the ATDC’s Lived Experience Advocate Service Coordinator will be on hand to provide support to both parties and make sure that everything is working out.
Download LEAS information pack for services (PDF) (coming soon)
Who can I talk to?
For all enquiries, please contact the Lived Experience Advocate Service Coordinator.
Kyle Perry
Lived Experience Advocate Service Coord.
A generous, positive and friendly human, the more serious elements of Kyle’s social justice warrior persona aren’t easy to pick on first greeting. But his passion for social justice quickly becomes evident through his deeply thoughtful and captivating conversation.Read more✖Kyle Perry
His teammates describe him as a creative and inspiring visionary, but also value his playful and fun attitude. His mastery of words and delight in using them well also makes Kyle a loved member of the team. Kyle’s experiences in both volunteer and paid work have brought a kaleidoscope of perspectives to his current role, and the addition of his academic success makes a recipe for success when working with his team and clients. When Kyle isn’t supporting the Lived Experience Advocate Service, you might find him promoting his bestselling novel The Bluffs (2020, Penguin Random House Australia.) Kyle holds a Bachelor of Counselling (Coaching) and he hopes to see a world where some of the major causes of crime – i.e., lack of education, safety, and housing – are acknowledged as a responsibility of the whole community to work to improve, and so see crime rates truly drop. Career highlights:
- Being recipient of the 2021 Tasmanian Minister’s ATOD Sector Emerging Leader Award
- Three months of mission work in Mozambique
- Breakout bestselling novel The Bluffs, 2020, Penguin Random House Australia
Contact the Lived Experience Advocate Service
You can get in touch with the Lived Experience Advocate Service using the form on this page, phone 03 6231 5002 or email leas@atdc.org.au.
Information sent through the contact form on this page will be forwarded to the LEAS Coordinator, and any personal information received will be managed as described in our privacy policy.
