Lived Experience Leadership Project

Empowering Survivors to Lead Change Through Their Stories

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 and coercive control 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

After experiencing post coercive and post separation abuse for over 10 years. Tilika contacted mums in need via G.P referral in 2017 and received tailored support for her needs.

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.

"It's been a pleasure to be able to empower other women through my own experiences"

We are registered with the CPD Training Providers. To find our more, follow this link.

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