If you’re relatively new to consumer representative work and you are thinking about applying for any of the roles on this page, don’t be put off by an application form which asks for six months’ experience on a health committee.
There are a number of ways you can demonstrate your understanding of the topic and bring your lived experience into play without committee experience. For example, we recently helped recruit a consumer to a statewide committee who had no previous committee experience but had given presentations to the health service for nine years on the area he was interested in. Another successful consumer had sat on committees – just not within the health system.
What we really want to see in an application is your lived experience and your interest in the topic and examples of how you have shared these in a way that can effect change. Your ability to tap into networks to hear the broader experience is also important.
If you are unsure about completing an application form, remember you can get in touch with us via consumer@hcq.org.au to talk it through because we want to help as many consumers succeed in partnerships as possible.