Rebecca’s Story (PEG member)
My name is Rebecca, and I have lived experience of physical disability and mental health difficulties. I have been a member of the People's Experience Group for 5 years and have enjoyed the role. I have been involved in the Curriculum Committee which is an opportunity to hear updates from all the different areas of the curriculum. I get sent the agenda in advance and the minutes from the last meeting. There are opportunities to contribute during the meeting such as giving feedback from lived experience involvement in teaching and suggestions for future involvement. I have also been involved in some teaching sessions. These teaching opportunities have helped me build my confidence and given me opportunities to share my experience with trainees.
It’s up to me how much of my lived experience I share, and I have been supported by the tutors involved. I feel that my voice is valued and brings real life experiences to the trainees learning.
TKS’s Story (PEG Member)
Since I joined the PEG group, I have felt valued and respected. Although being an expert-by-experience can make you feel vulnerable, I have felt very well supported and listened to. This gives me strength, confidence and motivation, not only in the work I do but also in my personal life.
There have been many opportunities to share experiences and to learn from each other, including the trainees, lecturers and the PEG team alike. Hence dissolving the idea of “them and us” and working towards collaborative thinking around mental health diagnoses.
We all have a shared hope of recovery as the alternative is suffering greatly.
I look forward to future work and opportunities to further the perception that each diagnosis is unique to the individual and that there is always HOPE.
Mary Mancini’s story (PEG Member)
I am originally from Italy and moved to the UK in year 2000. I am a mother of two. I have mental health experience and I am a carer for my neurodiverse son. In 2013, I decided to use my experience as a patient and carer to improve health and social services by getting involved in research studies and training healthcare professionals.
I joined the OXICPTR PEG in 2021 and in the three years as a PEG member I have contributed to meetings, events, workshops, PAS sessions and teaching sessions during which I talked about my mental health experience to healthcare professionals. During these sessions I feel I contribute actively to making students aware of some of the challenges I have had as a mental health service user. During my time as an expert by experience, I’ve also collaborated in projects in mental health, parenting of children with learning difficulties, data in research, methodology, AI, trial improvements, cancer and multimorbidity.
