Research

People with lived experience of mental health challenges must be at the centre of mental health research planning, conduct, and program evaluation.

As Victoria’s Peak for people with lived experience of mental health issues or challenges, we prioritise research that empowers consumers, improves our mental health services, and benefits our communities. We work to influence mental health policy, challenge current practice, and change people’s lives by centring people with lived experience in investigating the issues that affect us.

OUR VISION FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH IS A FUTURE WHERE

Lived experience leadership is embedded in all aspects of mental health research to improve mental health services and the lives of people with lived experience of mental health challenges.

Mental health research led by people with lived experience advances equity, human rights, and Reconciliation, and responds to the diversity of people, communities, and their experiences.

OUR VOICES

VMIAC’s Lived Experience-Led Research Strategy reflects VMIAC principles and ethics and our commitment to human rights, social change, and innovation. We advocate to ensure lived experience is embedded in all stages of research and evaluation. We are committed to increasing the access of diverse people with varied lived experience to relevant, high quality, lived experience-led research evidence.

RECOGNISING AND RESPONDING TO THE DIVERSITY OF LIVED EXPERIENCE

The people of Victoria are diverse, including First Nations Peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people with disabilities, neurodiverse people, and people of diverse genders and sexualities. VMIAC is committed to recognising and championing diversity in mental health research and evaluation.

Diversity and inclusion are vital in setting equitable, culturally safe, and consumer-led priorities in mental health research. VMIAC recognises that historically we haven’t adequately considered the diversity of consumers and are actively working to better represent and include Victoria’s diverse voices, including priority groups, in setting research priorities, co-designing research projects, and applying mental health research knowledge.

BUILDING CAPACITY IN LIVED EXPERIENCE RESEARCH

VMIAC’s Research Strategy for advancing lived experience-led mental health research in Victoria is directed by our consumer principles and describes the actions we will take to achieve our goals.

We are committed to building the research and evaluation capacity of people with lived experience, and to increasing awareness of lived experience among non-consumer researchers and program evaluators.

ADVANCING LIVED EXPERIENCE LEADERSHIP IN RESEARCH

We aim to shape research and evaluation agendas across the Victorian mental health sector. The strategy will guide our work to set lived experience priorities for mental health research policy and programs with funding bodies, government, mental health services, and research institutions. In this, we seek to develop lived experience knowledge and build leadership potential.

DELIVERING INFORMATION AND ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITIES, MEMBERS, AND DIVERSE CONSUMERS

We are committed to increasing the access of diverse people with varied lived experience to relevant, high quality, lived experience-led research evidence.

Through our Lived Experience Voices in Research Program, we will engage with members to determine lived experience mental health research priorities.

PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING LIVED EXPERIENCE-LED RESEARCH

The Strategy also guides our support and endorsement of lived experience researchers, student researchers, and lived experience-led research and partnerships (see sidebar).

We apply lived experience principles to evaluate requests for research support, promotion, or endorsement, including for advertising research participation opportunities to VMIAC members and other people with lived experience.

To read more about VMIAC’s approach to the involvement of people with lived experience in research:

If you are a consumer interested in participating in research, we list current opportunities, and our handy checklist may help you decide whether you want to participate in these projects.

PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING LIVED EXPERIENCE-LED RESEARCH POLICY, AGENDAS, & METHODS

VMIAC endorses the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (2021) for reform led by lived experience. The Final Report of the Royal Commission, particularly Chapter 36, identified 11 priorities for research centred on lived experience. Through our advocacy and partnerships, we will work with others to develop lived experience-led research policy, agendas, and priorities across the mental health sector.

DEVELOPING RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT, RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, AND THE MENTAL HEALTH SECTOR

VMIAC partners and collaborates on research with a range of research institutions and organisations in the mental health sector.

VMIAC will play a key role in working with the newly established Victorian Collaborative Centre to embed lived experience leadership in genuinely collaborative mental health research.

VMIAC works with other lived experience peaks in Victoria and around Australia to advance lived experience leadership in setting research agendas and transforming research methods and approaches.

Learn more about VMIAC’s research partnerships

MEASURING OUR IMPACT

We evaluate VMIAC’s lived experience-led programs following consumer principles. In 2023-24, we will seek expressions of interest from members and consumers with lived experience for contribution to the development and implementation of our Program Evaluation Framework, alongside VMIAC leadership, staff, and program users.

To contact the VMIAC Research team research@vmiac.org.au