These training modules are for people with a lived experience of mental ill-health, their families and carers and for lived experience/peer workers in mental health. 

Available courses

Advocacy Communities of Practice - September 2023

This program aims to develop and build knowledge, skills, confidence and capacity to support you as a systemic advocate and undertake representational roles in national, state, local and organisation specific forums, committees and groups to provide input and advocate on behalf of those with a lived experience. Learning is undertaken in a supported communities of practice environment with consumer and carer peers. The program consists of 6 x 2 hour Zoom sessions (2-4pm AEST) held over 4 months with learning, reflection and activities undertaken between sessions. You have the opportunity to practice skills learned as you progress through the program with the final session being a real-life advocacy representation opportunity. The program is for consumers, families, carers and kin who under…
  • Teacher: Liz Asser
  • Teacher: De Backman-Hoyle
  • Teacher: Heather Nowak

Consumer and Carer: Navigating Dual Lived Experience

When it comes to mental health, there are two types of people who have lived experiences: consumers and carers. Consumers are those who have experienced mental health challenges themselves, while carers are those who have supported someone else with mental health challenges. But what happens when someone identifies as both a consumer and a carer?In this webinar, you will learn:1. The challenges and rewards of living with these dual perspectives.2. The emotional toll of balancing the dual perspectives of consumer and carer.3. Practical tips on how to navigate these dual perspectives and find a balance that works for you.This webinar is for anyone who has experienced mental health issues as both a consumer and carer or is interested in learning more about this complex topic. It will leave y…

The Diagnosis Debate
















Have you ever felt like a label defines you? When it comes to mental health, a diagnosis can often come with stigmatising labels that can impact one's sense of self. However, a diagnosis can also bring validation and access to treatment. The diagnosis debate is complex and it’s important to be aware of both the positives and negatives!

This webinar is for anyone who has been diagnosed with a mental health condition or is interested in learning more about the diagnosis debate. It will leave you feeling empowered and informed, with a deeper understanding of the positives and negatives of being diagnosed.

This webinar is presented by Emily Unity




Advocacy Communities of Practice August 2023

This program aims to develop and build knowledge, skills, confidence and capacity to support you as a systemic advocate and undertake representational roles in national, state, local and organisation specific forums, committees and groups to provide input and advocate on behalf of those with a lived experience. Learning is undertaken in a supported communities of practice environment with consumer and carer peers. The program consists of 6 x 2 hour Zoom sessions (2-4pm AEST) held over 4 months with learning, reflection and activities undertaken between sessions. You have the opportunity to practice skills learned as you progress through the program with the final session being a real-life advocacy representation opportunity. The program is for consumers, families, carers and kin who under…
  • Teacher: De Backman-Hoyle
  • Teacher: Heather Nowak
  • Teacher: Emily Unity

Getting started as a lived experience professional







Join Is Hay and Emily Unity as we explore:• Navigating your own lived experience in non-lived experience employment• How to understand your own story and how to tell it• Finding your niche/purpose – being intentional• The difficulties of working in a field defined by your identities/oppression• Burnout and keeping yourself safeIs Hay is a lived experience worker within the disability, mental health and youth sectors, who has experience writing and delivering workshops, creating accessible workshops, documents and programs as well as actively coordinating programs aimed at young people. Is has specific interests in disability, mental health and education and is also a freelance writer.

Advocacy Communities of Practice May 2023

This program aims to develop and build knowledge, skills, confidence and capacity to support you as a systemic advocate and undertake representational roles in national, state, local and organisation specific forums, committees and groups to provide input and advocate on behalf of those with a lived experience. Learning is undertaken in a supported communities of practice environment with consumer and carer peers. The program consists of 6 x 2 hour Zoom sessions (2-4pm AEST) held over 4 months with learning, reflection and activities undertaken between sessions. You have the opportunity to practice skills learned as you progress through the program with the final session being a real-life advocacy representation opportunity. The program is for consumers, families, carers and kin who under…
  • Teacher: De Backman-Hoyle
  • Teacher: Heather Nowak

How to become a Peer Worker

There are many pathways to becoming a Peer Worker, all of them start with lived experience and the desire to see the wisdom gained used to support another.With an increased demand for Peer Workers to fulfil roles in Public and Community settings, how can a person truly prepare for providing service in a Peer Role? What are the requirements or favoured prerequisites to secure employment? What are employers looking for and how might a potential employee best prepare themselves for success?Each of us has a unique pathway which secured our first Peer role, there are lessons we can share and learn from one another.Presented by: Liz Asser, Lived Experience Practitioner, Peer Mentor and Trainer of Mental Health Support Workers Liz is a Lived and Living Experience Practitioner, which means t…

Writing for Wellbeing

“We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing claims our world. It makes it directly and specifically our own. We should write because humans are spiritual beings and writing is a powerful form of prayer and meditation, connecting us both to our own insights and to a higher and deeper level of inner guidance as well… We should write because writing is good for the soul… We should write, above all, because we are writers whether we call ourselves writers or not.” Julia Cameron The Right to Write. An interactive writing workshop with a difference. An opportunity to connect to self and others through a series of playful, guided writing activities. This is collaborative story-weaving at its’ most innovative. Presented by Rowena Jones, Author and Lived Experience Prac…

Protecting yourself from emotional vulnerability and burnout

Feeling vulnerable and emotionally exposed or taken advantage of in your roles as mental health advocates sadly is a very common experience, and potentially emotionally triggering for many.Add to the emotional triggers a feeling of fatigue and exhaustion and you could have a very dangerous combination of excess mental load topped off with emotional flooding.Terms such as burnout, moral injury, and moral distress are often used to describe distress in clinicians and more broadly health care settings, but what about those that are working alongside clinicians in health and community settings to improve the same systems that clinicians and others work within?Our guest speaker should know, she has experienced first hand the outcome of letting her passion for mental health advocacy become an a…

Spotlight on Young Carers

This webinar discusses young carers (ages from 8- 25) and their unique positioning in our communities as they care for a family member.The webinar is for service providers, schools, carers or anyone interested in learning more about young carers in our communityBringing together a very knowledgeable panel, we explore how we identify and talk about young carers, the impact of being a young carer, the supports and resources available to them, and highlight the need for systemic advocacy for this under-represented yet admirable group of individuals.A “young carer” is a person between 8 – 25yrs who helps support a member of their household who is experiencing a mental health challenge, disability, long term health condition (including a chronic condition or terminal illness), a substanc…

Understanding the roles and types of psychologists






Did you know there are several different types of psychologists in Australia?

Following on from the launch of our national report on consumers’ and carers’ experiences of Psychological Services (https://www.livedexperienceaustralia.com.au/psychology-report), LEA is pleased to bring you this webinar that aims to build understanding of the Roles of Psychologists. 

We are joined by Ms Tamara Cavenett, President of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Professor Caroline Hunt, President of the Australian Clinical Psychology Association (ACPA) and Professor Sharon Lawn, Executive Director Lived Experience Australia.


Advocacy Skills for Peer Workers Webinar






This webinar provides an overview of key advocacy skills that support peer workers or lived experience workers in their role.

Presented by Darren Jiggins, Lived Experience Australia and Lizzie Graham, LEWP Mental Health Coalition of SA

In this webinar, Darren and Lizzie talk about the application of advocacy skills to the peer work role in the contexts of self-advocacy for the role, advocacy for those we journey alongside and advocating within our organisations for change.


Current and Emerging Peer Worker Webinar





The Peer Workforce is a unique discipline providing a valuable contribution to the mental health sector for consumers and carers.For current and emerging peer workers, we are very pleased to bring you insights from Heather Nowak, one of Australia’s leading advocates in peer workforce design, planning, and training in Certificate IV Mental Health Peer Work.Heather Nowak and Darren Jiggins explore aspects of the Peer Workforce to support you in your crucial role of working with consumers, families and carers with lived experience.

The Power of Mentoring Webinar





In this webinar you are given insights into how to find a mentor, be a great mentor and learn from a mentor as a mentee. This webinar aims to inspire you in your daily lives and give you some new inspiration as we move into a new year. Mentorship builds a strong sense of belonging, non-judgemental guidance, understanding and peer to peer lived experience support. Hosted by Simone Allan NSW Director LEA and Founder of The Mentor Evolution.

Advocacy Skills Videos & Tip Sheets


These five advocacy skills videos and tip sheets provide consumers, families and carers with the skills to advocate for individual and organisational changes in mental health.

Topics covered include:




Looking after yourself

Briefing and debriefing

Keeping the enthusiasm going

Reflection and evaluation

Advocacy and the organisation



Advocacy Skill Builder Webinars




This free webinar series has been created specifically for Consumers and Carers who want to take the next step into advocacy.

Each webinar has a subject matter expert as a guest speaker, as well as our own lived experience facilitator, to help you further develop the skills that are beneficial as an advocate.  



If you are looking to contribute to improvements to mental health services, these webinars will cover these 6 key topics:



Advocacy Top Tips



Looking after yourself



How to be heard



Briefing & debriefing



Keeping the enthusiasm going



Self reflection/self evaluation




Our Connection Webinar Series




This series of recorded webinars aims to support connection during COVID-19 and beyond and is presented by consumers and carers with a lived experience. Lived Experience Australia wants to promote and facilitate connectedness for the mental
health lived experience community especially during these uncertain times. We understand how important and essential a sense of connection with others is to our wellbeing.