Development of a Lived Experience Practice Framework for Wesley Mission Queensland
Status: Completed June 2025
Client: Wesley Mission Queensland (https://www.wmq.org.au)
Background
Wesley Mission Queensland (WMQ) has a long history of valuing lived experience in the design and delivery of its mental health and community programs. To strengthen and sustain this work, WMQ engaged Beacon Strategies to support the development of a Lived Experience Practice Framework. The goal was to define and guide how lived experience is understood, applied and supported in practice across the organisation.
Approach
We worked closely with WMQ’s lived experience workforce and leadership team to co-develop the framework. The project included a review of existing documentation and practice models, targeted interviews with key staff, and iterative development through feedback and working sessions. The process was collaborative and values-driven, ensuring the final framework reflected both operational realities and aspirational intent.
Outcome
We delivered a Lived Experience Practice Framework that sets out key definitions, practice principles and organisational commitments. It provides practical guidance for teams and leaders (each principle is supported by practice approaches, and the capabilities and conditions that can help support the good practice identified), and a reference point for future planning, workforce development and reflection and learning.
The finalised Lived Experience Practice Framework was further scaffolded by our delivery of an Implementation Guidance document which included ongoing governance to oversee the roll-out, guidance around launching and communicating the work internally, as well as an approach to ongoing monitoring, evaluation and learning. The framework is already informing action planning and is designed to evolve alongside practice.
How this project links to our vision of a more impactful social purpose sector
This project supported our vision of a more impactful social purpose sector by equipping an organisation with a shared and intentional approach to embedding lived experience across the work that they do. The framework supports consistent, high-quality practice and reinforces the value of lived experience as an integral part of service design and delivery.
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We support not-for-profits to co-design practice frameworks that reflect lived experience and organisational values. Explore more of our organisational strategy work here.
