Social Futures is looking for new members to join our Lived Experience Advisory Panel. Have you received support for yourself, or as a carer, from community services such as:
Mental health and wellbeing;
Disability support;
Children, youth and family support;
Disability employment;
Community housing;
Homelessness; or
Domestic and family violence?
If so, we want to hear from you! Panel members meet online and receive sitting fees for their time and contributions.
Want to get involved? Expressions of interest close Monday, 15 June 2026. Please complete this Expression of Interest form.
What the Lived Experience Advisory Panel does
Helps to enhance the wellbeing of our staff, customers, and communities
Improves accessibility, inclusion, and communication at Social Futures
Helps to create and design strategies such as our Customer Service Charter
Builds respectful relationships through open conversations in a supportive environment
Your experience, whether with Social Futures or other services, matters.
Learn more about the Lived Experience Advisory Panel
We are seeking passionate individuals 18+ with their own lived experience of accessing services, or as carers and family members of a person, relating to our key focus areas/support services:
Disability
Community aged care
Domestic family violence
Mental health
Homelessness
Children and family support
Other service
This experience can relate to accessing Social Futures programs and services or other community and government programs and services.
We’re also seeking people with diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who identify as part of the LGBTIQSB+ community, young people 18+ and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Feel free to create your video on your phone. Save it to your preferred cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, iCloud or similar). Send us the link as your Expression of Interest.
You can participate either as a Sitting Member or a General Member:
LEAP Sitting Members meet in person or virtually four times per year and also contribute to working groups. Sitting Members must have the capacity to commit to the panel for at least two years.
LEAP General Members get invited to complete surveys, contribute feedback and be part of focus groups at different times throughout the year. If you are interested in sharing your insights, but cannot commit to regular meetings at this time, this is a great alternative. (Unlimited number of members)
LEAP members can opt-in and out of the LEAP and associated communications or withdraw from the LEAP at any time (in writing).
If you are selected to join either as a General Member or Sitting Member, you will also need to obtain a free volunteer Working with Children Check and complete a police check. Social Futures can support you in these applications.
LEAP insights, guidance and diverse perspectives will guide and shape our approach to customer experience. LEAP will be integral to the design of our Customer Service Charter and Framework and guide our customer experience projects such as:
Our Customer First Contact Approach
Customer Service Guarantee
Customer Experience Framework and Policy
If you know someone who you think would be great as a LEAP member, please send them a link to this page.
All members of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel will be recognised for their time and expertise. Details will be shared once your application is received.
All Expressions of Interest will be reviewed by a selection panel inclusive of people with lived experience.
We’re a leading community service organisation with 50 years’ experience working to achieve positive social change in our communities. We work to build inclusive communities where everyone is valued and supported. You can learn more about us by visiting Social Futures home page.
LEAP has been established to meaningfully engage and uplift the voices of people with lived experience to ensure you are represented, heard and respected in our Social Futures work. Your insights, guidance and diverse perspectives will guide and shape our approach to customer experience.
In return, we hope to provide you with greater connection, a safe place to share your experiences and a platform to create change for future customers of our programs and services.
Visit our FAQs and links section to learn more.
LEAP Sitting Members meet in person or online four times a year and contribute to working groups.
Members should commit to the panel for at least two years. You can withdraw at any time if needed.
To be a General Member or Sitting Member, you need to get a free Working with Children Check and a police check. Social Futures will help with you these applications.
