From the very first steps in early research and concept design, through to the functioning digital triage service of the pilot, lived experience has fueled and inspired the work of TCP’s One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub - as it has for so many of our projects.

From the very first steps in early research and concept design, through to the functioning digital triage service of the pilot, lived experience has fueled and inspired the work of TCP’s One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub - as it has for so many of our projects. Lived experience expertise in all research, design, strategy and policy helps to ensure the needs of the human remain authentically at the core of everything we do, and that we always design with people, not for people.

We are continuing to hear, now more than ever, the voices of lived experience elevated through so many engaging and inspiring conversations. And with the OSOS Hub approaching the end of the first phase of the pilot, it felt like an important time to reflect on the key lessons and takeaways that have resonated with me and the work we do at TCP.

Lived experience as an asset

People with lived experience are experts through their experience - they provide extraordinary insight, context, detail, data and evidence. Their story is an asset; something that we need to engage with meaningfully and learn from to inform our actions.

Incorporating lived experience in our projects and research means taking a step back from the traditional forms of data and truly listening without bias to understand the needs, emotions and experiences that are at stake in the work we do.

Incorporating lived experience in our projects and research means taking a step back from the traditional forms of data and truly listening without bias to understand the needs, emotions and experiences that are at stake in the work we do. It can help to align working groups; remind them who they are aiming to support, serve and connect with. Placing the human at the centre of everything we do is imperative to meaningful and lasting change, and championing lived experience allows us to move towards this vision in an informed and connected way.

Lived experience advocates also help us dispel myths and assumptions. They help us challenge and dispel the notion of the “perfect victim” and get a true understanding of the individual and nuanced experiences we are aiming to support.

Lived experience advocates also help us dispel myths and assumptions. They help us challenge and dispel the notion of the “perfect victim” and get a true understanding of the individual and nuanced experiences we are aiming to support. They enable us to hear the true stories, even if they don't fit our ‘narrative’ and even if they make us uncomfortable. They provide invaluable insight into real world experiences that connect our work to people, place and time in a way that cannot be replaced purely by facts and figures.

As this expertise provides a valuable asset, TCP has always stated that it is vital to pay lived experience advocates for their time. Acknowledging the bravery and courage it takes to share their stories and recognising their value through appropriate compensation helps to build respect and equity for the service they offer.

Lived experience as better practice

Incorporating lived experience in our research and design defines a better practice approach. Utilising the knowledge and insight of advocates at all stages - from exploration through to design, implementation and evaluation - is essential to an informed approach. Building literacy around lived experience, especially those relating to trauma and violence, takes time, but doing so provides incomparable value to organisations wishing to take an authentic human-centred approach to their work.

Consistent and ongoing engagement with the voices of lived experience can build upon a range of organisational and human benefits. It can help build trust between the community and organisations, establishing a relationship that is less transactional.

Consistent and ongoing engagement with the voices of lived experience can build upon a range of organisational and human benefits. It can help build trust between the community and organisations, establishing a relationship that is less transactional. It can also build empathy in staff and help to challenge unconscious biases and assumptions, reminding them of the human experience and story behind every interaction. Again, it brings it all back to the human.

Supporting those who are offering their personal insights is also essential to a better practice approach involving lived experience. Ensuring relevant services and supports, such as avenues to debrief with a trained professional, are available to lived experience advocates also continues to build upon this culture of trust, mutual respect and knowledge sharing.

Lived experience in the OSOS Hub

The concept behind the One Stop One Story (OSOS) Hub pilot was to create a cross-sector digital platform that connects people experiencing vulnerability in our community to the support programs and assistance they need. It aimed to provide a simple and easy single-entry point in a safe and secure way that also reduced the trauma of humans retelling their stories multiple times. Phase 1 of the pilot focuses on people impacted by family violence.

Lived experience was a crucial factor in holding us to account on the “Why” of this project. When designing the system and running into roadblocks and challenges, we could ask our working group - “Is this what’s best for the human, or is this what’s best for the organisation?”

Navigating complex regulatory and legal landscapes across sectors is no easy feat, and in the case of the OSOS Hub with over 30 organisations being involved, we certainly had to get comfortable sitting in complexity. Lived experience was a crucial factor in holding us to account on the “Why” of this project. When designing the system and running into roadblocks and challenges, we could ask our working group - “Is this what’s best for the human, or is this what’s best for the organisation?” It has proved to be a constant source of empathy building, reminding everyone who they are working to support and bringing everything back to the human at the centre.

With the support of Uniting Vic.Tas, we facilitated 3 focus groups and 5 interviews with people with lived  experience in early research and concept design, and ran an additional 2 workshops during co-design. This insight in the early stages helped to guide the vision of the OSOS Hub, and their input during co-design ensured that the unique needs of these humans were met in design, usability, functionality and privacy.

This value does not end in co-design, it continues throughout - we always need to be listening, learning and iterating accordingly. Lived experience advocates helped design the portal, and as we continue to listen and understand the stories that come through the OSOS Hub, they are now helping to improve it.

Their input has informed the way users of the OSOS Hub respond to the humans they’re supporting and the lessons we are continuing to learn feeds into updates, changes and an ongoing effort to ensure better practice. This value does not end in co-design, it continues throughout - we always need to be listening, learning and iterating accordingly. Lived experience advocates helped design the portal, and as we continue to listen and understand the stories that come through the OSOS Hub, they are now helping to improve it.

As the OSOS Hub explores the opportunity of broadening its scope to include all people experiencing vulnerability and financial hardship, the lived experience advocates involved in the OSOS Hub have also paved the way for the representation of countless others. Their guidance and insight shaped the pilot project and has laid the groundwork for the future of the OSOS Hub. Their value will never be underestimated and we will always be grateful for their bravery and ongoing support in making the OSOS Hub what it is today and what it could be in the future.