Carer Lived Experience Workforce
(CLEW)
If you are currently working in a mental health family carer lived experience role in Victoria you can join CLEW.
Membership is free.
What is CLEW?
Carer Lived Experience Workforce (CLEW) is a safe space for members of the designated, employed, family carer lived experience workforce to come together over workforce matters, advocacy, support and growth. It supports opportunities for member networking, a community of practice, sharing best practice, group co-reflection/supervision, and professional and leadership development. We’re pleased to share that the Carer Lived Experience Workforce (CLEW) is now auspiced by SHARC and has become part of the Collective.
CLEW also acts as a centralised network for family carer workforce sector engagement participation and provides access to ongoing opportunities in co-design and co-production, maintaining a strong CLEW network that is peer-led, representing raising the voices of our workforce to the sector.
As a member, you will be part of a safe and connected community and benefit from workforce development, education and training and leadership opportunities.
About the Family Carer Lived Experience Workforce
The FCLE workforce in Victoria provides support, connection and a shared voice for community members who provide unpaid support to someone experiencing a mental health challenge. To be part of the FCLE workforce a person must be employed in FCLE designated role. This means that lived experience as an unpaid family member, carer or supporter is the key criterion of any advertised FCLE designated role. Our workforce is employed in casual, contracted, part-time and full-time positions. FCLE designated roles require us to work specifically from a FCLE discipline perspective, underpinned by the key areas outlined within this framework. You can read the Mental Health Family Carer Lived Experience Workforce Discipline Framework here.
CLEW values and principles
We model respect for ourselves and others including people from different disciplines and lived experience perspectives. We are open to different worldviews, and we encourage others to do the same.
We are clear about and promote family/carer lived experience roles. We develop and maintain the skills and knowledge we need to do our job and we drive the creation of structures and evidence necessary for our discipline.
We are informed about services and issues impacting family and support networks. We use our knowledge and expertise to understand, educate and advocate for families within the mental health sector and the community.
We promote collaborative practices that are inclusive of all perspectives.
We explore our lived experiences together for stronger relationships to cultivate and foster belonging and hope, and build connections between individuals, colleagues/teams, and communities.
Our work is founded on a meaningful, empathetic and mutual connection that is supportive, safe and accessible, and nurtured by wisdom gained by sharing experiences.
We acknowledge, value and respond to the unique needs of people from all backgrounds and perspectives.
We aim to include a consistent framework to guide our practice. We remain open to new ideas, experiences, and new ways of doing things.
We embrace a culture of curiosity and mutual learning for the wellbeing and opportunity for all.
What are the benefits of joining CLEW?
- Be part of a safe and connected community of practice with access through the Basecamp platform. When you become a CLEW member, you will automatically be added to the CLEW basecamp group.
- Enjoy networking & connection opportunities
- Opportunities for innovation and to share best practice
- State-wide advocacy on all matters relating to the CLEW
- Bi-monthly CLEW meetings
- Bi-monthly Family/Carer perspective co-reflection
- Engagement, participation and updates from our partners
Contact us
To get in touch, please email us at: clew@sharc.org.au or call us on 0426 774 098.