Lived and Living Experience at Heart

What is LLEAH?

Lived and Living Experience at Heart, or LLEAH, is an organisational support program for Victoria’s mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) sectors.

Launched in November 2024, this groundbreaking program is designed to revolutionise the integration of Lived and Living Experience Workforces (LLEW) within AOD and mental health organisations.

Leveraging SHARC’s expertise in LLEW, the program is led by SHARC in partnership with the Department of Health, Yale University, US, Mental Health Victoria, and LLEW development expert Dr Louise Byrne.

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The LLEAH Program

The LLEAH program encompasses the consumer and family, carer and supporter LLE workforces.

It aims to enhance organisational capacity, ensuring the invaluable contributions of LLE workers are recognised, valued, and supported, and increase employee engagement and retention while creating career pathways and development opportunities. 

The program also seeks to improve outcomes for consumers and their families/supporters.

LLEAH is one of a number of initiatives supported by the Department to elevate and embed LLEW following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

The Department provides development opportunities for LLEWs in the AOD treatment, harm reduction and mental health sectors, with more than $51 million invested since 2020.

The LLEAH program is being delivered through two workforce development initiatives – The Learning Collaborative (TLC) and Supporting Organisational Lived Experience (SOLE).

SOLE uses evidence-based course materials based on the National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines. TLC is based on a successful model developed by Yale University and adapted for the Victorian context.

There are no fees or direct costs for agencies participating in either project. Indirect costs include making key staff available to take part and reimbursement of consumers/family members invited to contribute by individual agencies.

What is the TLC Project?

TLC Project

The Learning Collaborative (TLC) is believed to be Australia’s first Lived and Living Experience Workforce (LLEW) learning collaborative. It enables AOD and mental health organisations to integrate LLEW by assisting with policies, processes and cultural change. Adapting a successful Yale University model to the Victorian context, TLC builds networks between organisations employing LLEW to facilitate mentoring, co-learning and mutual support. Participating organisations receive individual assistance with the policies, processes and cultural change needed for effective LLEW development. TLC provides a space for meaningful collaboration between department-funded AOD and mental health organisations actively engaged in developing a LLEW with specific areas to progress.

What is the SOLE Project?

SOLE Project

The Supporting Organisational Lived Experience (SOLE) project provides guided assessments, tailored support and one-off grants to determine current levels of LLEW development and support organisational changes. SOLE is for department-funded mental health agencies, including LLE-led and system steward organisations, at any stage of LLEW development. It provides assessments and support to determine current levels of LLEW development and ways to evolve it. This project also offers grants to support organisational changes identified by the assessments.