Paid participation is one of the ways we recognise the valuable, specialised and expert contribution made by people with a lived-living experience, their families, kin, unpaid carers and supporters.
The Commission values people with lived-living experience and recognises that genuine system reform is strongest when shaped by the insights, expertise and solutions of people with direct experience of services and systems.
We define lived-living experience broadly as personal experience of mental health challenges, alcohol and other drug use, and/or suicidal distress. This includes family, kin, unpaid carers and supporters, as well as people bereaved by suicide.
Our Commitment to partnering with people with lived-living experience in Queensland outlines how we embed lived-living experience governance, leadership and partnership into system reform.
How we support participation
Aligned with our Commitment, we remunerate people with lived-living experience who partner with us in system reform work. Paid participation:
- recognises lived-living experience as a valuable and expert contribution
- reduces financial barriers to involvement
- acknowledges people’s time, knowledge and insight
Paid participation may include:
- payment for engagement and participation activities
- reasonable travel and accommodation costs
- reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
Some projects may require specific lived-living experience to ensure those most impacted are meaningfully involved (for example, initiatives addressing homelessness engaging people with lived experience of homelessness).
View the Commission's interim paid participation rates here.
Please note that these are interim rates, as the Commission is currently reviewing its Paid Participation Policy and associated forms.
How does this support reform?
To achieve system reform and better outcomes for people with lived-living experience, the Shifting minds strategic plan requires that people with lived experience are engaged as equal partners in policy, planning and governance.
The Paid Participation Policy seeks to remove barriers and support lived-living experience engagement and participation in system reform.
