Green Gauge Consultancy ‘investing in hope’

Acknowledged Lived Experience (ALE)

Following from the recovery and health promotion work Green Gauge Consultancy has been continuing to work closely with people who are ‘recovering’. The knowledge and expertise that these people have brought to the work has been the most crucial ingredient. In reflecting on this, the lack opportunities for the employment,  and exacerbated by a lack of self belief, we have been working in Powys towards a system that openly values the contribution that can be made by people who are prepared to acknowledge their lived experience.

With colleagues in Powys, we have produced a working definition of Acknowledged Lived Experience:

“Acknowledged Lived Experience looks beyond the democratic involvement and participation of people who have experienced stigma and/or discrimination and provides a framework for employment that reflects equality of opportunity.
It recognises the value of particular skills, derived from lived experience that can enhance the development, management and delivery of services, enterprises, and other initiatives, through team and partnership working, on an equal basis. These skills are acquired from an acknowledgement of personal and collective insights that have been gained directly from managing the disadvantages that led to stigma and/or discrimination, or from supporting someone in a caring capacity. These skills can provide pathways for people, out of discrimination and disadvantage, which can be a role model for other people that challenges both internal and external stigma.”

In Powys, funded through the European Community Initiative, and led by the Powys Equals Partnership, we have been developing a skill base that can be built into Job Descriptions and Person Specifications.

For the skills we have identified so far click here (unavailable at the moment)

For the Powerpoint Slideshow that expresses this skill base click here (unavailable at the moment)