Once again, we received a large number of applications for the lived experience expert training starting next year. We will organize a selection event in the form of a group interview, to which all applicants will be invited, provided that ethical criteria are met. Such criteria include, for example, at least one year of sobriety and sufficient distance from personal life challenges, with no ongoing acute crisis. These conditions help ensure the applicants’ well-being during the training process.
It is overall a positive development that lived experience expertise is attracting interest from both people in recovery and service providers. A common question is: what qualities should a lived experience expert have? Is it better if they are naturally social? There is no such thing as a “model lived experience expert” — each one is an individual. For example, someone more introverted may be a better listener and observer than an extrovert. All kinds of lived experience experts are needed.
The training process requires commitment, just like the work of a lived experience expert itself. The role is educational, as the training is merely a license to begin — the real learning happens on the job. It’s important to trust in one’s ability to learn new things, and having an open mind is a great asset. Personal experience lights the way, and more knowledge is gained along the journey. As the old saying goes, “Work teaches the worker,” and that still holds true today.
It is desirable that new lived experience experts are given diverse tasks through which they can gain new perspectives and skills. This benefits not only the individuals themselves but also the surrounding community. It creates a win-win situation where everyone gains. Becoming a lived experience expert is a process during which a person may change. It is comforting to know that the tasks can be learned.
