This case study looks at collaborative consultation sessions held at the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers.
This case study looks at collaborative consultation sessions held at the Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers. The objective was to include lived experience into our organisation’s ethos and practices. The approach was inclusive, involving co- researchers who were asylum seekers themselves, steering the initiative’s core while conducting focus groups with clients who either attended or volunteered at the centre.
Our research centred on identifying areas of empowerment and disempowerment within our current practices. We probed how the professional skills that our clients bring could be better harnessed, recognised, and transformed into a valuable resource. Initiatives included developing ongoing client advisory groups, enabling clients to establish formal support structures within the organisation, and empowering them to take the lead in activities.
Crucially, we sought to bridge the gap between lived experience and organisational roles, even involving those with lived experience in personnel selection. As a result, we’ve prepared a comprehensive research report emerged, soon to be published at South Bank University and presented by our co-researchers. The report’s recommendations will guide us toward actionable change, aligning with our broader vision of empowerment through the EAR program’s principles of co-production and collaboration.
Resource constraints emerged as a primary challenge, underscoring the need to develop a feasible timeline for implementing changes. Our previous endeavour on shifting power - a Theory of Change process involving staff - had set the stage, but actualising those intentions required the impetus of the research project. We’re committed to sharing our findings with fellow organisations, fostering a community of practice in which lived experience models shape the future of service provision.
This case study showcases the pivotal role that lived experience plays in redefining organisational dynamics and acknowledging individual strengths. The journey has just begun, and as our findings are shared, we anticipate a ripple effect achieved by working together with local partners, catalysing a regional shift toward further embedding lived experience across our organisation.
