Part 2.
Approaches to Engagement
There are a number of ways that an organisation, service provider or government department might seek to partner with, engage and involve people with lived experience. It is important for any organisation embarking on a project with lived experience advocates to know exactly what model of participation and collaboration they are seeking, along with the related activities and methods to achieve this. Any ambiguity or miscommunication around this can cause problems for both an organisation and lived experience advocates involved.
Approaches to Charity, Needs and Human Rights
It is important to understand and consider what broad approaches are taken towards social issues and advocacy, and the reason to take a human rights approach before devising your specific lived experience co-design and/or engagement approach. Lived experience or ‘consumer’ (end user) advocacy is based on the principle that people have a right to be included in decisions that affect them, including about processes or services that affect essentials such as their housing situation. The idea of a right of people who use services or are affected by policies to participate in the development of those services and policies is a shift from earlier charity and a needs-based approaches.[1][2]
Charity or needs based approaches aim to ‘help disadvantaged people’. A rights-based approach is more empowering and inclusive for people with lived experience of homelessness and builds better services as shown below. A human right approach also addresses the causes of homelessness and other issues, instead of just focussing on how issues manifest.[3]
For example, a human right-based approach frames homelessness in a way that makes housing deprivation everyone’s business. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognises that every person has a right to an adequate standard of living which includes a right to housing.[4] In Ireland, the Human Rights Based Approach has been used successfully for improving access to housing. The framework allowed homelessness to be considered alongside measurable indicators of human rights violations. For example, the impact of poor housing on health of tenants was an integral element in instigating change.[5]
“All organisations should adopt a human rights approach to their work with people with lived experience.”
– HOME Lived Experience Advocate
In Australia, the right to having housing is recognised, and has been included in documents such as Australia’s National Action Plan on Human Rights. Without a right to housing many other basic rights are compromised. The Australian Human Rights Commission considers that any response to homelessness in Australia must adopt a human rights-based approach if it is to be effective.[6]
Different levels of engagement entail different kinds of activity. Knowing what different levels of engagement actually entail and what activities (and as a result policies and staffing) are required to achieve that level of engagement is imperative to avoid misleading a lived experience team and any other stakeholders. The participation continuum below outlines this.
Top Tip: Shared expectations and outcomes are crucial to a good experience for all parties
Top Tip: Be prepared to negotiate and ensure you are in a position to use the feedback provided: it is tokenistic to consult people with lived experience if you are unwilling or unable to use their recommendations
[1] Domestic Violence NSW, Homelessness NSW and Yfoundations. 2018. ‘Consumer Representation Resource Kit’
[2] Western Australian Council of Social Services (WACOSS). (2017). ‘WACOSS Co-Design Toolkit’ Perth, Western Australia – Linda Briskmann Homelessness and Co-Production
[3] Domestic Violence NSW, Homelessness NSW and Yfoundations. 2018. ‘Consumer Representation Resource Kit’
[4] Australian Human Rights Commission. 2009. ‘Housing, Homelessness and Human Rights’. Rights and Freedoms.
[5] Western Australian Alliance to Ending Homelessness. 2020. ‘#EndHomelessness Review of Literature & Practice: Co-Design’. Perth: Centre for Social Impact.
[6] Australian Human Rights Commission. 2009. ‘Housing, Homelessness and Human Rights’. Rights and Freedoms.
Participation Continuum
Before commencing any engagement, it is important to have an understanding as to what type of engagement is appropriate and needed. Are you intending to gather opinions or are you share decision-making power? If so, how? As outlined in the participation continuum below, there is nothing wrong with lower-level engagement types if they are fit for purpose the circumstances. Net of the engagement type the guiding principles of empathy and equity are important to follow.
Different levels of engagement entail different kinds of activity. A common mistake is for a project that may, for example, be purely consultative will be to describe itself as ‘co-design’. Knowing what different levels of engagement entails and what activities (and as a result policies, resources and staff) are required to achieve that level of engagement is imperative to avoid misunderstandings between all parties.
“All lived experience projects should aspire to higher levels of engagement on the participation continuum.”
– HOME Lived Experience Advocate
The participation continuum below distinguishes different levels of participation that are all important, each building on the previous. The higher the level, the closer it aligns with best practice – co-design upwards is typically considered best practice.[1][2]
NB: When ‘Citizen-led’ is cited throughout this toolkit – this term should be read to include all people including non-citizens
| Inform: Provide information to people and let them know what has been decided and what is going to happen. Word-of-mouth, or being informed in-person by a staff member, are the preferred ways of communication. Emails, newsletters, social media, presentations, media releases, and handouts are also widely used in this level of engagement.
COMMITMENT: “We will keep you informed.” DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government. |
Educate: Provide opportunities to learn more about plans, proposals and processes to assist people to understand problems, alternatives and solutions. This is typically in the form of training, seminars and workshops.
COMMITMENT: “We will enable and support you” DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government. |
Consult: Obtain feedback on plans, proposals and processes that may influence current and future decisions and assist with the development of alternative solutions. The preferred forms for consultation are interviews, focus groups, tenant meetings, surveys, and open houses. This method is typically used to seek feedback and comments on a topic of common interest.
COMMITMENT: “We will listen to your input; it will influence the final decision.” DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government. |
Involve: Work with people throughout a process to ensure their concerns and opinions are included in the decision making process and in the development of alternative solutions. This method assumes continuing contact with participants throughout the process, and includes workshops, World Cafés, advisors, and liaisons.
COMMITMENT: “You will be involved in the process; your input will be reflected in the final decision.” DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government. |
Co-Design: Identify and create a plan, initiative or service, that meets the needs, expectations and requirements of all those who participate in, and are affected by the plan. This level of engagement works with participants (stakeholders, public-at-large) during each part of the process, including the development of options, and identification of preferred outcomes. Collaboration can include task forces, advisory committees, or participatory decision making processes.
COMMITMENT: “We will look to you for advice, innovation, and solutions that will directly affect the final decision.” DECISION MAKER: Shared between the participants and the lead agency, organization, or local government. |
Co-Produce: Implement, deliver and evaluate supports, systems and services, where consumers, carers and professionals work in an equal and reciprocal relationship. For this level of engagement, final decisions are made by the participants (stakeholders, public-at- large) through such methods as stakeholder votes or public referendums.
COMMITMENT: “We will implement what you decide, and empower you to influence the system.” DECISION MAKER: The participants. |
Citizen-Led: Individuals, groups or communities lead their own decisions, solutions and activities, and may collaborate or seek support in doing so.
COMMITMENT: “We will implement what you decide, and empower you to lead the influence of the system.” DECISION MAKER: The participants |
[1] Mental Health Commission WA. (2020). ‘WORKING TOGETHER TOOLKIT’
[2] Western Australian Council of Social Services (WACOSS). (2020). ‘WACOSS Lived Experience Framework’ Perth, Western Australia.
Embeddedness Matrix
Another tool to support your approach is an ‘Embeddedness Matrix’ to analyse and understand where your level of involvement sits amongst best practice and active involvement of people with lived experience
(Please note LE = Lived experience advocates, SU = Service users).
Case Study: No Fixed Abode (Finland)
No Fixed Abode is a nationwide lived experience founded NGO in Finland, wherein twenty five percent of employees are people with lived experience and most members are also people with lived experience as well as service organisations. No Fixed Abode aims to reduce homelessness and improve the services of homeless people through peer support and the Housing First Approach – supporting community and Government action.
The purpose of the organisation is to make sure that everyone will find a decent place to live within a reasonable time. No Fixed Abode helps achieve this by co-designing with people with lived experience and other stakeholders to find appropriate housing solutions for everyone; design and support services; run housing first and lived experience mentorship/support programs; and influencing Finnish housing policies together with stakeholders.
Their team includes call staff to provide advice on homelessness on the phone for people all around Finland; a housing counsellor on site; a mobile outreach team that can be informed by citizens of where people may be rough sleeping to moves around the metropolitan area; a night centre to support people on the streets; and long-standing lived experience experts and mentors that have lived experience to act as a bridge between service users and professionals in the planning, development and practical implementation of homeless services.
More Information: https://vvary.fi/in-english/