Our Story
Experts through Experience is a grassroots Community Interest Company that was created by people with different lived experiences, skills and knowledge who share a common vision that listening and understanding people’s experiences of living in a community, using and delivering services can fuel constructive conversations, create understanding and meaningful positive change.
We believe that support services, organisations and projects should be born out of, driven by and evaluated through the experiences and needs of the people that use these services.
At Experts through Experience, we work with people facing social exclusion to articulate their life experiences in a way which is meaningful and beneficial to them, their peers, the organisations who provide them with services and the wider community they live in.
“Real change begins when lived experience is not just heard—but valued, empowered, and turned into action.”
By doing this we empower and enable people to become:
- Self-Advocates
- Advocate for their peers,
- Evaluators of Services
- Creators of social change
- Social entrepreneurs
As well as Artists, Musicians, Actors, Writers, Producers, dances, movers and, shakers, employees. employers, leaders, and game changers…. all through the power of their experiences
All the work we do is underpinned by the values we KEEP:
- Kindness – we understand that using and providing services to people is often very hard and can be very difficult, we give people the space they need to articulate their experiences, reflect on these experiences, take positive action as a result of them.
- Empathy – we want to really listen and understand the experiences of the people we work with. We understand that this is the only way that we can make meaningful changes in services and communities
- Empowerment – we believe that people have the power to change and influence the world they live in and can influence and make changes to the services they use. We support people and organisations to be able to articulate and receive this information in a positive.
- Positive appreciation refers to the act of recognising and valuing the positive aspects of someone’s actions, behaviour. or contributions. It involves acknowledging and for Experts through expressing gratitude or admiration for the good qualities or efforts of an individual or group. This can help boost morale, encourage continued positive behaviour, and foster a supportive and encouraging environment. In the context of Experts through Experience, positive appreciation is about empowering people to articulate and reflect on their experiences in a way that leads to positive action and change.
Wrapping Up with Key Insights
1. Lived Experience is a Catalyst for Change
Your organisation is built on the belief that real, lasting change comes from listening to and valuing the voices of those who have lived through the systems and services being discussed.
2. Empowerment Through Expression
By helping people articulate their experiences, you’re not just telling stories—you’re building self-advocates, peer leaders, and social changemakers.
3. Community-Driven Design
Support services should be designed, driven, and evaluated by the people who use them. This ensures relevance, dignity, and effectiveness.
4. Creative Identity and Inclusion
You celebrate people not just as service users, but as artists, entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators—recognising the full spectrum of human potential.
5. The KEEP Values Framework
Your work is grounded in:
Positive Appreciation – recognising strengths and contributions to inspire action.
Kindness – creating safe spaces for reflection and growth.
Empathy – deeply listening to understand.
Empowerment – enabling people to influence their world.
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