'Is Gold Dust to My Mind': Exploring Lived Experience in Social Work Education

The involvement of people with lived experience (service participants) is mandatory within UK social work education, although the form this takes varies significantly between organisations. This article outlines the final phase of a two-year research project focused on understanding the mechanisms which support and develop the meaningful and sustainable involvement of people with lived experience in social work education within a Higher Education Institution and a Local Authority Teaching Partnership in the East of England. The research team worked collaboratively using co-production principles and possessed lived experience backgrounds. This article presents findings from a qualitative study using interviews and questionnaires that aimed to deepen understanding of the concept and practice of embedding lived experience in social work education. Thematic analysis identified a dedicated role with the motivation and drive to achieve sustained inclusion in creative ways was the underpinning of meaningful and sustainable lived experience involvement. This was alongside opportunities to shape diverse and relational learning experiences, values reflecting compassionate and respectful relationships, and power sharing, accompanied by practical resources, can create a culture change. Together, these principles, practices and values have been instrumental in creating meaningful and sustainable lived experience involvement within social work education. This article outlines the final phase of a two-year exploratory research project focused on understanding what supports the meaningful and sustainable involvement of people with lived experience (service participants) in social work education across an East of England Higher Education Institution and a Local Authority. This part of the project was co-produced with lived experience co-researchers. The research found that a role dedicated to supporting service participants was key. Opportunities to shape diverse learning experiences, and power sharing were also important. This was alongside, collective, respectful, mutually supportive relationships and practical resources, such as shared financial investment, all of which have the potential to change culture. Together, these principles, practices and values can create meaningful and sustainable lived experience involvement within social work education.