What is Lived Experience and Why is it Important?

You may have come across the term "lived experience" while reading job advertisements or articles relating to different aspects of life such as disability, sexuality, gender, age or ethnicity. The best way I can describe lived experience is the lens through which we experience our lives. It is the sum of all the encounters, situations and events we experience as we live our lives, giving each of us a unique perspective of the world around us.

For people who live with disabilities, our lived experience is incredibly powerful and valuable. In fact it so valuable that some of the more enlightened organisations now actively seek to employ people with lived experience because they recognise diversity and inclusion are vital for a great workplace where people want to be. Diversity brings so many different perspectives to the table and that fuels the innovation and creativity needed for business success and happy, productive workplaces.

"The best way I can describe lived experience is the lens through which we experience our lives. It is the sum of all the encounters, situations and events we experience as we live our lives, giving each of us a unique perspective of the world around us. "

When I started working in government in the early 2000s, diversity and inclusion was just starting to gain traction. Over the decade that I worked there, I saw more signs of diversity and inclusion appearing in our policies and web content. LGBTQ inclusion was gaining momentum (this was prior to same sex marriage laws) and recruitment of women and first nations employees were key initiatives. Later in my tenure I was involved in work on Disablity Inclusion Action Plans (DIAPs) and got involved with our internal diversity and inclusion network. Disability inclusion was emerging as an issue that senior mangers and executives were grappling with. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was being trialled and the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) had been established. Here in Australia, representation of people with disabilities in the workforce is an ongoing issue. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, the employment rate for people aged 15-64 with a disability was 49.8%, compared to 80.3% for those without a disability. That is rather a large gap by any terms. While the Australian Government and the state and territory governments have implemented strategies such as DIAPs, targets and quotas, and the private sector can voluntarily set their own targets or implement initiatives, there are a number of issues that impact on employing people with disabilities. Some of these issues include:

• Lack of relevant qualifications or experience among people with disabilities due to existing inequities.

• Physical and systemic barriers in the workplace and recruitment processes.

• Impact of additional income on disability pensions.

• Limited opportunities for skill development and career advancement due to discrimination.

• Concerns about extra costs and reduced productivity.

• Rigid ideas about job descriptions, tasks and capabilities.
  

While this paints a bleak picture, I have been fortunate to experience firsthand how organisations have successfully employed and retained people with disabilities who have become incredibly valued team members. Some good examples include organisations such as Vision Australia and Deaf Connect. A significant proportion of their workforces have disabilities, and some cases they have been recruited specifically for their lived experience. For example, a good friend of mine Gary Kerridge is a well known disability advocate who is deaf. He has worked for a number of organisations over the years because he has so much experience as an advocate, and his lived experience of deafness brings with it unique insights and experiences that are valued by his employers. Some people have even created their own jobs to leverage their particular skills and lived experience. My partner Sigrid Macdonald is a good example. While raising our girls, Sigrid has built up her own consulting business Second Nature Strategies. Sigrid has a background in community work and a love of art. As a Deaf woman, among many things her work involves providing clients with accessibility advice and delivering Deaf-led arts events.

Sigrid Macdonald delivering a local gallery tour in Auslan

I too, have learnt to forge my own career by leveraging my skills and lived experience. I am currently developing an advocacy training program for a disability sector organisation. I was engaged not just for my experience in developing training material but also for my lived experience of disability. That I have first hand experience of deafness is a massive asset because I have had to advocate for myself all my life with employers, colleagues, university staff, at school and in the community. While standing up for our needs can be frustrating at times, having a disability and connecting with others who have similar shared experiences is incredibly rich and fulfilling, and makes me feel very lucky indeed. I might not hear well, but honestly I wouldn't change it for quids! Being deaf has given me so much in terms of family, friends, employment, business opportunities and community. If your organisation needs some insights into integrating people with lived experience within your workforce, or if you are an individual who would like to learn how to market your skillset and lived experience to prospective employers, please do not hesitate to contact me.