Expert by Experience

What do we do?

• Research on experiential expertise
• Research and innovation projects led by experts by experience
• Research and innovation projects carried out with experts by experience
• Dissemination of knowledge about experiential expertise

What do we mean by experiential expertise?

Experiential expertise is the ability to use knowledge and experience from one’s own recovery process, combined with the experiences of others, in a way that supports people with vulnerabilities or disabilities. Experts by experience have taken sufficient distance from their own challenges to use both their own experiences and those of others in a meaningful and functional way.

What is an expert by experience?

An expert by experience:

• Integrates their own experiences with those of others
• Reflects on and develops knowledge
• Applies experiential knowledge in practice

The use of experts by experience

In health care and social care, there is a growing need for the involvement of experiential expertise. It is applied in themes such as poverty, domestic violence and child abuse, homelessness, and the personal and social recovery of people with mental health problems, addiction, or acquired brain injury.

There are still many research and innovation questions in this field. These often come from:

• Mental health services (GGZ)
• Addiction care
• Social support services
• Municipalities (social teams, work and income)
• Education
• The field of acquired brain injury
• The field of intellectual disabilities

How can experts by experience, professionals and organisations in the Northern Netherlands work together to develop and implement new knowledge, tools, approaches and services in the field of experiential expertise?

Partners

Within our projects, we collaborate with a wide range of regional partners. Together, we form a learning network on experiential expertise. These partners include:

Leger des Heils, Municipality of Groningen, Wender, LFB, Stjoer, Sterk uit Armoede, Cosis, Noorderpoort, VNN, Hersenletselsupport, Visio, Lentis, Ixta Noa, VluchtelingenWerk, GGZ Friesland, Zorgplein Noord, Accare, InBegrepen, ’s Heeren Loo Noorderbrug, UWV, Forsie, PI Leeuwarden and Hersenletselnetwerk Noord.