Whilst the value of experiential knowledge to enrich mental health research is officially recognised within the field, it can be challenging for people with experiential knowledge of mental distress to meaningfully impact on research. This is because experiential knowledge presents deep seated challenges to traditional understandings of knowledge production, and the way research is undertaken within traditionally hierarchical research organisations and academia.

In this interactive session, the value of experiential knowledge - which is seen as created when peers come together to critically examine their lived experiences and relate this to the wider social and political landscape - is celebrated, and the key attitudes, features and ways of organisational working that help realise it are identified, as are the obstacles that hinder its development.

This highly interactive session, which actively welcomes audience participation and discussion, is facilitated by members of the Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) of the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health. They will reflect on the salient points, including power, tokenism and professionalism, from the position paper they authored (publication forthcoming), entitled “Exploring the Value of Lived Experience in a Mental Health Research Centre”.

This event will be of particular relevance to anyone working in the lived experience space, including people with lived experience, facilitators, practitioners, researchers and funders. It will also be of interest to members of the general public interested in mental health, disability equality, how the public can be involved in collaborations with research or anyone with a keen interest in working towards a society where we promote genuine care for others with acceptance, compassion and a desire to achieve a common humanity where we all are valued equally.

 

About the speakers 

The ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health’s Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) is a group of people with indirect and/or direct experiences of disabling barriers, neurodivergence, mental distress, mental illness, trauma, caring/supporting people in mental distress, and/or ref(using) mental health services including experiences of iatrogenic harm. Using an intersectional social justice approach, we seek to ground the Centre’s direction and wider conversations about mental health in our lived experiences.

LEAB members James Lane, Rachel Hill, Raza Griffiths and Sonia Thompson will be leading this Provocation session.