MIND

Our approach

Designed with and led by people with Lived Experience

Lived Experience is at the heart of who we are

At Mind, we value and champion lived and living experience in everything we do.

We recognise the insight, resilience, and new ideas that individuals and communities with lived experience bring. And we advocate for equity, justice and people’s rights.

This approach shapes how we design, deliver and improve services. 

For individuals, family, carers, kin or supporters, this means services that start with connection, choice and heart. 

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What we do

Lived Experience leadership and governance

Embedding Lived Experience at Executive, Board and service governance levels. 

Co-design, co-production and participation 

Practical ways for people accessing services, families, carers and communities to shape policy, service design and improvement. 

Workforce development and peer practice support 

Strengthening role clarity, supervision, career pathways, professional development and wellbeing for our Lived Experience workforces at Mind and across the sector.  

Lived Experience led and centred services 

Designing and delivering services shaped by peer practice, relational approaches, human rights and community connection.

Evidence, innovation and sector influence 

Building research, evaluation, frameworks and partnerships that demonstrate impact and help shift the broader mental health system 

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Lived Experience

We wholeheartedly value and champion lived and living experience in all aspects of what we do. It is essential to ensure human rights and justice-informed approaches are central to how we work.  

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  • A winding dirt path through a tall eucalyptus forest, with sunlight filtering through the trees.

Get involved

Services work best when they are shaped by people who understand mental health challenges from the inside — personally and as family, carers, kin or supporters. We look for and create opportunities for people to be involved in our workplace and across our services and communities.

Explore career opportunities

Use your lived experience in a role with skill and intention to support others and make a difference.  

We are embedding Lived Experience across the organisation, with more than 270 designated roles nationwide. As a sector leader, Mind’s Peer Work Framework supports this workforce to thrive and provides an alternative model of support for people experiencing mental distress.

Join a LEAT

Our Lived Experience Advisory Teams (LEATs) give people with lived experience a direct say in how Mind operates, from strategy to service delivery. Find out how to get involved.

Latest news

Stay up to date with the news and updates from Mind.

  • Article
    Denise, Katie and Gill holding the Lived Experience strategy

    Mind Australia launches new Lived Experience Strategy

    Mind has launched our Lived Experience Strategy (2026–2030), reaffirming our commitment to positioning lived experience as core to who we are and central to our ambition to deliver unified, community-based and visible mental health services.

  • Article
    A black bicycle leaning against a brightly coloured graffiti mural in an urban laneway.

    A human picture of Mind – how we’re using photography in our brand

    Photography has always been an important part of how we tell our story. We’re building on that strength to create a more local, more human picture of who we are.

  • Article
    Mind logo in purple on a pale background.

    Mental health made human - introducing our refreshed brand

    We’re proud to introduce our refreshed brand that reflects who we are today, how we’ve evolved as an organisation, and the future we’re building together with the communities we serve.[