We believe in the power of collaboration and sharing knowledge to create a meaningful impact. Our knowledge exchange is a vehicle for disseminating the valuable learnings from our lived experience Spokesperson Network programme to other charities and organisations. This community-driven initiative aims to champion the involvement of people with lived experience as experts within their respective fields.
We bring together a diverse group of organisations, all working to amplify the voices of people with direct lived experience of social injustice. During our peer learning group sessions, we delve into a range of crucial themes that are integral to elevating lived experience voices and driving positive change within the charity sector. We explore various aspects, including media work strategies to effectively communicate narratives, approaches to handling potential negativity or backlash after speaking out, and ethical considerations in our practices.
Our events and #SDMTalks offer the opportunity for people with lived experience, the charity sector and media professionals to connect, learn from the experiences of others and get inspired by exciting projects. Our events include talks from storytelling innovators, film screenings, and director and author Q&As about their work. Watch them back here.
Through our collaborative learning, we aspire to nurture a collective strength that can influence the wider charity sector positively. By sharing our knowledge, experiences, and successful approaches, we aim to create a ripple effect, inspiring other organisations to adopt a similar approach in elevating the voices of those with lived experience.
Together, we can empower lived experience voices, drive social change, and build a more inclusive society where every voice is valued and amplified.
“This will be such a valuable resource for the sector as a whole. I found it really helpful to share learning with other organisations about the benefits and risks of supporting people to share their experiences publicly. It’s definitely important to have a space to do this so that we can reflect and learn how to do this in a safe way, that is meaningful in creating change, ethical, and where people feel supported. This is very complex and nuanced work and having a reflective space to learn from each other is great.”
Phoebe Green, Pause