The Power of Lived Experience
Our Experts by Experience Leaders are people who use their lived experience of mental health services and recovery journeys to influence decision-making within Open Mental Health, which is why they’re called ‘leaders’ – they’re leading the transformation using their own life experience of services and more. It’s not a hierarchical term, it’s a term to show that they’re acknowledged to be leading decision-making in this way. To find out more about becoming an EbEL, please visit this page.
Co-production – a journey worth going on.
At Open Mental Health, our aspiration has always been for Experts by Experience to work as equal partners and lead the way in transforming how the mental health system works in Somerset. Coproduction brings so many benefits; the voice of hard-won lived experience can help ensure that services truly meet people’s needs and improve the quality of treatment and support for service users, carers, and families. However, the way is not always easy, as this animation explores.
About our Expert by Experience Leaders
Lucy, Expert by Experience
“For the past four years, I’ve been part of the Open Mental Health alliance, witnessing its growth, evolution, and the challenges and successes along the way. At its core, co-production ensures that every voice is heard, valued, and actively shaping the support available in Somerset. Open Mental Health marks a fundamental shift in how mental health care is designed and delivered- one that prioritises collaboration, inclusion, and lived experience at every level. Being part of this transformation fills me with an immense sense of pride as we work together to break down barriers and build a system that truly serves those who need it most.”
More about Lucy
“Starting as a volunteer and moving into paid employment within the alliance, I’ve seen firsthand how embedding lived experience creates more accessible, compassionate, and effective services. The support and collaboration across the alliance are a testament to the strength of what we’ve built- cohesive, compassionate, and rooted in mutual care, but the most meaningful impact is felt by those accessing support.. people who are finally being seen, heard, and valued in ways that weren’t always possible before.”
“I’m deeply passionate about dismantling barriers to mental health support, ensuring that services are shaped by the voices of those who rely on them. One of the projects closest to my heart is SMI Engagement Training, which was written, co-produced, and co-facilitated by a fellow Expert by Experience leader. This training has sparked vital conversations about how professionals can better support those living with severe mental illness, driving real, tangible change.”
“Watching people actively challenge their biases, rethink outdated practices, and commit to doing better has been incredibly powerful, but what matters most is the impact.. people accessing services are feeling more heard, supported, and understood. It’s a reminder of why this work is so important: when lived experience is truly embedded, we don’t just create systems that exist; we create systems that genuinely work for the people they’re meant to serve.”
Wishes for the Future
“It’s been an honour to walk alongside fellow Experts by Experience and Experts by Training on this journey so far, and I’m excited for what the future holds as we continue embedding co-production at every level. The alliance has faced challenges, but we’ve built something powerful- rooted in collaboration, authenticity, and a shared belief that things can and will be better.”
“I’m eager to continue building on the hard work already achieved, ensuring that anyone in need of support can access it easily, without barriers, and at the right time. More than anything, I want to see an alliance where everyone.. whether accessing support, delivering it, or shaping services, feels like they truly belong, that they are heard, valued, and part of something meaningful.”
One Line to Describe You as an EbE Leader
“For much of my life, I didn’t believe my voice mattered, but Open Mental Health has shown me- and so many others- otherwise. When lived experience is truly valued, it doesn’t just give people a platform; it gives them their lives back.”
Debbie, Expert by Experience
“I’ve been an EbE leader for 4 months now. I heard about it through the 100 Women First group that I am part of and thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for me to be part of something where I can use my lived experience to help and support other people. It is so rewarding to be able to give back, as I am recovering and getting stronger now.”
More about Debbie
Projects & Passions
“I have just started working with the Sedgemoor Locality team and it’s very interesting finding out all the support that is out there. I was totally unaware that there were so many different groups and projects available. I am looking forward to joining more workstreams as I become more confident.
I volunteer at a forest school, that is a funded parent & toddler group for lower income families. I have been supporting the group for 18 months now and it is very rewarding to see the children and parents relax and enjoy the space and the beauty and peacefulness of the woods. ”
Wishes for the future
“It is so empowering and confidence building to be able to use my lived experiences to make a difference to the way the NHS and other services evolve and develop and move forward. ”
One line to describe you as an EbE Leader
“It is such a wonderful feeling to be part of a supportive and understanding team where it is a safe space for me to speak and share my experiences and ideas.”
Alex, Former Expert by Experience
“I’ve been an EbE leader for two years. I joined when I met Open Mental Health at a conference where their passion and commitment to changing services amazed me, I didn’t realize it was possible to be so empowered.”
More about Alex
Projects & Passions
“If I had to pick one thing I’ve done I’m most proud of, it’s Crisis Safe Space. Working in partnership we’ve created a safe space for people who are in crisis to go that’s supportive and gets them the help they need, rather than A&E.”
Wishes for the future
“I hope we continue to grow as a team, continue to support each other and continue to change services. I would love to have a proper partnership and for our reach to extend far further than it does now.”
One line to describe you as an EbE Leader
“I’ve gone from strength to strength since I started, and I’m really proud of my own journey and the difference I’ve made to services in Somerset”
Phoebe, Expert by Experience
“I became an EbEL in the Summer of 2022; I was working for the NHS as an Administrator at the time when a request to send out an email advertising the opportunity to become an EbEL popped into my inbox. The job description sparked my interest. I had been looking for something where I could combine my personal experience with Mental Health, my academic knowledge of Psychology, and my professional experience with the NHS. I like that I can draw on all my knowledge and experience at once.”
More about Phoebe
Projects & Passions
“I like the work I am doing with the Neurodiverse workstream/project; I have shared my knowledge and experience of various apps, charities, websites, and services that offer support to those struggling with mental health and wellbeing. It is important that there is support for everyone that is both accessible, affordable, inclusive, and informative. I believe it is also important for resources and information to be accessible to friends, family members, carers, and teachers to ensure they are not only educated on how best to support someone who is struggling or has a disability, but also to be able to access support for themselves if they need to. ”
Wishes for the future
“It can take time for things to improve or change, but sometimes even just the smallest achievement makes a difference. I look forward to being a part of OMH as it grows. I am proud to be able to use my knowledge and lived experience to better shape and improve services both within and outside of the NHS. I am now using this knowledge to develop a page on the Open Mental Health website for Neurodivergent people.”
One line to describe you as an EbE Leader
“I have always been open and honest about who I am, the struggles I have overcome, and the difficulties I face each day. I have used my lived experience to help and support friends and family members and I am excited to be able to do this on a larger scale as an EbEL working with OMH. ”
Clare, Expert by Experience
“I have been an EbE Leader since 2023 and before that I volunteered as a Recovery Partner for two and a half years, where I worked on a number of NHS projects. I made the move to OMH as I was so inspired by the EbE Leaders I met on some of these projects and saw the positive impact of lived experience on the Open Mental Health Alliance across Somerset.”
More about Clare
“I am incredibly passionate about Trauma Informed Care and ensuring that it is embedded into practice, so that every interaction that someone has within Open Mental Health is safe and collaborative, building trusting relationships and offering choice so that people feel empowered during their care. I also have a passion for compassion! Being compassionate can make such a difference to the outcome of the care we receive and our ongoing recovery. The project I am most proud of is the Support Benches which are being installed across the county, as a way of the community “reaching in” to offer various ways of accessing mental health support.”
Wishes for the Future
“There is so much amazing work going on within Open Mental Health, I am so inspired by the amazing staff, volunteers and EbEL’s and I am hopeful that this will ensure that people in Somerset can get the help they need when they need it.”
One line to describe you as an EbEL
“I feel privileged to be able to do this work and I am proud to be able to use my lived experience in a positive way. It gives me a voice and a sense of self-worth that I never had before.”
Get Involved
If you’d like join or hear more about the Recovery Partners, there are locality groups that meet as well as fortnightly Countywide MS Teams meeting. Very often becoming a Recovery Partner can lead to informal peer support as people become acquainted with one another. To find out more please contact Paul Milverton on 07979 701247
If yourself, somebody you know or somebody you work with wants to go that extra step and make the most of their lived experience to help shape the future of services in Somerset, contact coproduction@openmentalhealth.org.uk to find out more and start that conversation.