Nothing about us, without us: Considerations for researchers when working with people with lived and living experience

Overview

Join us for a presentation and interactive panel discussion with Nigel Woudsma, Francine Campbell, and Kevin Street who will draw on their experience as lived and living experience (LLE) consumer representatives to answer your questions about how to engage people with LLE in research projects. This session will be hosted by Elle Coleman and is targeted at early career researchers and PhD students who are new to working with people with LLE.

Bios

Francine Campbell

Francine (Frannie) Campbell is a proud Aboriginal descendant with lived experience in Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), mental health, disability, homelessness, trauma, and as an adult survivor of violence. For over 15 years, she has contributed to lived experience projects, research, and policy. Frannie engages with the Ministry of Health (MoH), Justice Health, ACI, Health Consumers NSW, and NGOs. Through yarning, she enjoys sharing stories, perspectives, and solutions - building meaningful partnerships grounded in connection, cultural insight, and lived experience.

Kevin Street

Kevin Street is a passionate consumer representative and peer worker with extensive experience in AOD advocacy. He sits on multiple consumer advisory groups, including Network for Alcohol and other Drug Agencies, Kirketon Road Centre, the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, and NSW Health committees such as the Consumer Reference Committee and Take-Home Naloxone Programme. Kevin collaborates on research with UOW, delivers AOD training at UTS and WSU, and was awarded NADA’s 2023 Outstanding Contribution in Peer Work. Kevin uses his voice to challenge stigma, promote inclusion, and improve health outcomes for consumers and their communities.

Nigel Woudsma

Nigel Woudsma is a social worker in regional NSW, supporting vulnerable individuals to sustain housing and reduce homelessness. He provides trauma-informed case management across AOD, mental health, and family violence. With lived experience, he’s a founding member of the MoH AOD Consumer Action Committee, contributes to stigma-reduction panels, chairs the Maitland Community Drug Action Team, and leads The Bridge LEAG. Nigel is passionate about systemic change and breaking cycles of trauma and discrimination.

Elle Coleman

Elle Coleman is a doctoral candidate and an NHMRC-funded trial coordinator with a strong commitment to lived experience advocacy. In her work as a student representative and lived experience advocate for UOW’s Safe and Respectful Communities team, she pioneered the School of Psychology Behaviour Statement, and helped drive university-wide policy change in response to the 2021 National Student Safety Survey. Her leadership earned her the 2024 School of Psychology HDR Community Engagement Award. Elle chairs the consumer advisory group for The Building Belonging Project and is passionate about embedding lived experience throughout the research process to create meaningful change.

Find recordings of our past webinars by visiting the MO CRE YouTube channel.