Lived Experience Workforce Strategy

Eating Disorders Lived Experience Workforce Strategy 

Background

The National Eating Disorder Strategy identifies six Priority Actions to build a skilled, supported and sustainable Lived Experience workforce. These actions span leadership and governance, training, standards, recognition, and the structures required to embed lived experience roles safely and effectively. 

The Lived Experience Workforce comprises individuals employed in designated roles where lived or living experience of an eating disorder, or as a family member, carer or kin, is an essential criterion. It is a distinct and recognised discipline in which personal experience is developed into professional knowledge and applied within a shared framework of values, principles, and practice. 

In national and state contexts, the term “Peer” is used in different ways. In some settings it refers to the broader Lived Experience Workforce, while in others it is used more specifically to describe direct support roles. For the purposes of this Strategy, Lived Experience Workforce is used as the overarching term, encompassing a range of roles including, but not limited to, peer support. 

Lived experience workers contribute across service delivery, system design, policy, research, and advocacy. Their role extends beyond personal insight to the intentional use of lived experience to support engagement, uphold person-centred and rights-based care, and inform more responsive and effective systems. When appropriately supported and integrated, they work in partnership with clinical and multidisciplinary teams, offering complementary expertise that strengthens quality of care and system accountability. 

NEDC has commenced development of a national Eating Disorder Lived Experience Workforce Strategy to support the implementation of the six Priority Actions. This work is being undertaken in close collaboration with people with lived experience and those who support and advocate for the Lived Experience workforce. 

There is already a rich body of knowledge, expertise, and commitment across both the eating disorder and broader mental health sectors. NEDC’s role is to synthesise this work, elevate shared insights, and bring people together to support a nationally consistent and future-focused approach. 
 
Building on existing foundations, including the Butterfly Peer Workforce Guidelines, EDQ Peer Workforce Framework, EDV Lived Experience Position Paper, NEDC’s Peer Work Guide, and the National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines, NEDC is championing the value and impact of lived experience across all levels of service delivery, leadership, and system design. 

National Strategy Actions

Development Approach 

Purpose 
To co-develop a user-friendly Strategy, with practical implementation tools and resources, that supports, grows, and sustains the Lived Experience workforce across eating disorder and broader mental health services in Australia, informed by lived experience, sector expertise and existing frameworks 
 
Objectives 
Ensuring the strategy reflects diverse perspectives and real-world needs through engagement with people with lived experience, including families, carers and kin, as well as service providers and sector leaders. 
Support an approach that is collaborative, transparent and grounded in reflective practice, throughout the development process  
Enable decision‑making processes that are accessible, and informed by the knowledge, priorities, and values of people with lived experience. 
Ensure the final Strategy strengthens workforce capability, wellbeing, and sustainability by drawing on both lived experience expertise and existing sector knowledge. 
 
Process
Advisory Group meetings: An advisory group meets on a monthly basis for 1.5 hours. These sessions involve reflection on previous discussions, iterative refinement based on feedback, and focused discussion or mapping activities related to key components of the Strategy and National Strategy actions. The group also identifies priority areas and key informants for further consultation.  

Key informant interviews: Targeted consultations are undertaken with Key informants including lived experience leaders and services embedding the Lived Experience workforce across the eating disorder, mental health and suicide prevention sectors. These engagements aim to deepen understanding, gather diverse perspectives, and strengthen alignment across systems. Insights from these consultations are brought back into the advisory process to inform ongoing discussion and decision making.  

Strategy development: Led by Primary Health Lead, Amy Woods and Lived Experience Lead, Shannon Calvert, who synthesise insights from advisory discussion, stakeholder engagement, and existing frameworks into draft content. Draft sections are then reviewed and refined collaboratively with advisory group members to ensure the Lived Experience workforce Strategy is grounded in lived experience expertise and reflects sector needs.  

Advisory Group Members 

• Sarah Walker
• Lumen Gorrie
• Bliss Jackman
• Shannon Calvert
• Amy Woods
• Emma Spiel
• Sarah Trobe  
• Hilary Smith
• Jackie Wilson