Lived and Living Experience Strategy implementation progress

More than a year after the launch of the RANZCP’s Lived and Living Experience Strategy, important foundations are now in place to strengthen the way lived and living experience informs the College’s work. While there is still significant work to do, implementation is progressing across six goal areas: people and culture, governance, advocacy, policy and practice, education and training, communication and events

Building lived experience expertise within the College

A key early priority was building lived experience capability within the College. Two Lived and Living Experience Senior Advisor positions – one consumer and one carer – were appointed last year. These roles are helping strengthen lived experience input across the College and supporting implementation of the Strategy.

Work is progressing to embed lived and living experience more consistently within College recruitment and staff development. College job advertisements encourage people with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply, and staff position descriptions are being updated to recognise the value of lived and living experience and the importance of a culturally safe, person centred, and inclusive workplace.

Lived experience representation has also been strengthened through the expansion of the Community Collaboration Committee Co-Chair roles to include consumer and carer positions, and the introduction of additional lived experience positions on the Education Committee.

Strengthening lived experience in education and research

The College is working to identify opportunities to integrate lived experience evidence into curriculum design, including the New Fellowship Program and Formal Education Courses. Work is also underway to consider how lived experience expertise can contribute to the Supervisors’ Program.

The use of inclusive lived experience terminology is being strengthened across education and training content, including work on a glossary for relevant stakeholders.

Lived and living experience questions are now included across grant and scholarship processes, and lived experience community members are participating on scholarship and award review panels. This creates opportunities for lived experience expertise to contribute directly to decisions about research and recognition within psychiatry.

Bringing lived experience into psychiatry events and advocacy

Lived and living experience perspectives are increasingly being incorporated into College events and advocacy work.

The Psychiatry Interest Forum has continued to incorporate consumer and carer perspectives across major activities, including the 2025 PIF Retreat, Introduction to Psychiatry short courses and the New Zealand Insights into Psychiatry workshop.

Both the RANZCP Congress and New Zealand Conference committees now include lived experience representation, with lived experience also reflected in sessions within their programs.

Work has also begun to incorporate lived experience expertise into the development of our advocacy strategy, alongside efforts to strengthen partnerships with lived experience representative bodies and identify joint advocacy opportunities.

The College is also working towards ensuring that lived experience expertise and evidence are incorporated in key advocacy messaging and media campaigns where relevant.

Continuing the work

Priorities yet to commence include lived experience education for Committee Chairs and mechanisms to bring together the insights of community members across College committees, strengthening lived experience considerations within policy development, and developing consistent guidelines for community consultation.

For College staff, further work is needed to introduce lived experience training as part of induction processes, improve psychological safety and identify opportunities for all staff to learn more about lived experience.

Implementing the Lived and Living Experience Strategy is a long-term process. The progress to date provides an important foundation, but the College recognises that meaningful change requires sustained action across its structures, policies and culture.

The College will continue to work alongside people with lived and living experience to identify priorities, strengthen participation and ensure that their expertise helps shape the future of psychiatry and the College.