Breaking down barriers using our lived experience
Author: Phil Parkes, Network Coordinator, Expert Citizens CIC
Hi everyone, most of you have probably read something I have written before but for those who haven’t my name is Phil Parkes. I am a member of Expert Citizens CIC and have been for going on 8 years now. For those who don’t know, Expert Citizens are a community interest company built by and for people with lived experience. We exist because we care about people and the world we live in. Our belief is that we can make a difference and that everyone has potential.
I started my journey with Expert Citizens because I wanted to use my lived experience to make a difference. I have had a wide variety of lived experiences going from childhood trauma’s to being homeless, in addiction and having poor mental health in adulthood and I wanted to share this and hopefully be a part of making a change for people like myself. Without blowing my own trumpet I feel I have been somewhat successful in this. I have spoken in the house of lords, I have campaigned on many issues including the digital divide and I have presented research findings to a number of universities across the country.
All along this journey I have embarked upon I have experienced the us and them attitude (professionals and people with lived experience) and I have tried to break down that barrier. I don’t mind admitting that in the process of doing this I have come close to losing myself and becoming a part of the system that I was so passionate to change. Whilst I see the benefits of the ways of working that would come from learned experience. I am really happy that I have managed to maintain my authenticity and that I have managed to be successful in bridging that gap and sometimes even break it down completely. This is perfectly evidenced in the work done by Expert Citizens alongside the RIIS (Research, Innovation and Impact Services) team at Staffordshire University. Working together for the last 5 years we have produced multiple reports and developed a great working relationship.
I have definitely seen the importance of the work we do and how it is beneficial that lived and learned experience go hand in hand. While it might have seemed like I needed to change to get my message across I now firmly believe that we need to continue to be our true selves and only then will we see meaningful change. I was recently reminded of a training video about blobs and squares which inspired me to write this. It is an old video but I think the message still stands, you can watch it below. I have renewed my intention to always remain a blob and to encourage others to do the same.
Documents
More than findings and funding
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_video src=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJDO1rcJbBw” _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_video][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]Video produced by by James Mackie https://vimeo.com/user11759208
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