Lived Experience Leadership Project
What is the Lived Experience Leadership Project?
Mums In Need (MIN) recognises that lived experience can, and must, be used to create and tell ‘success stories’.
Stories that demonstrate the capacity of mums that have experienced domestic abuse to transform their lives. As our Founder puts it: “Now I run a charity to help mothers who have been where I once was.”
Lived experience thus shapes the culture of the charity, its policy and its practice. In particular, the experience of the Founder, her charisma and her capacity to inspire and motivate people, are at the heart of MIN.
MIN were awarded Funds from the National Lottery to carry out a 21 month program to create an information training pack. Using lived experiences of Post Separation Abuse, and Coercive Control, to create a training program to provide the information guidance and knowledge to equip them when not only dealing with the day to day challenges but also practical tools and steps to help them navigate their way through the family courts.
We have bigger plans to train agencies, such as Cafcass, so that they have a better insight to support their families when they are faced with these types of situations.
Here is a preview of the work that MIN has been doing.
Success Stories
Below are two of our amazing Lived Experience Ambassadors. See their stories below:
Demelza
Participating in the lived-experience leadership project is an empowering opportunity to raise awareness and bring about systemic and societal change while also helping others through trauma.
It is important to challenge stereotypes and correct the view that society has about women and children who are separated from each other because of domestic violence and post-separation abuse. Perpetrators undermine mothers and use children as weapons in order to maintain power and control. They exploit societal expectations to suit their own agenda and isolate their victims.
Surrounding yourself with people who understand and can offer practical, non-judgemental support is vital to reclaim your life following coercive control.
"I am grateful to be able to give back to an organisation that helped me when I was at my lowest. It has been invaluable to gather our lived experiences so that other families don’t have to suffer. In joining ranks we use our collective voice to create better outcomes. We nurture progress and foster social justice.
In unity there is strength".
Tilika
Tilika was referred to Mums In Need following an IAPT assessment, after suffering from coercive control and post separation abuse for over 10 years.
She contacted Mums In Need in 2017 hoping to receive tailored support for her needs. At the time of contacting MIN, Tilika had already endured years of family courts, fleeing her home and residing in women's refuges.
Mums In Need helped her to navigate various services. They provided a case worker, ongoing unlimited support, a child friendly environment and multiple wellbeing sessions.
Fast forward to 2023, Tilika has grown in confidence and has become strong enough to help other women and their children through their own journey of post separation abuse.
This is the reason why she joined the LELP programme and is now an Ambassador for Mums In Need.