About the study
This study, aimed to address these barriers by introducing and defining the role of Lived Experience Guides. LEGs are individuals who have both served in emergency services and experienced their own mental health challenges. Drawing on this lived experience, they act as trusted, independent navigators—helping colleagues find the right care, reducing stigma, and fostering confidence in seeking help.
The approach
The study was conducted using an experience-based co-design (EBCD) approach and involved nine current and former emergency services workers from diverse agencies across Victoria. Over three collaborative workshop days, participants worked with researchers and clinicians to co-design the LEG role and identify considerations for implementation.
Key findings
The research generated six key themes that define the structure, purpose, and sustainability of the LEG model:
Role and Purpose: LEGs serve as experienced, empathetic navigators who streamline access to mental health services, reduce stigma, and empower emergency services workers to seek help. They are not therapists but facilitators of care pathways.
Privacy and Independence: LEGs should operate independently from emergency service agencies to maintain confidentiality and trust.
Recruitment and Selection: Ideal candidates are former emergency workers with stable mental health and strong interpersonal skills, assessed through psychometric testing and clinical interviews.
Training: LEGs require comprehensive trauma-informed training blending theory and practice, supported by ongoing professional development and supervision.
Resources and Support: Effective coordination, supervision, and secure systems for documentation and data protection are essential in supporting the LEGs.
Evaluation: Success should be measured by treatment engagement, help-seeking behaviour, and participant satisfaction, while recognising individual readiness and needs.
Why it matters
This study highlights the value of lived experience-informed care in improving mental health outcomes for emergency services workers.
By introducing LEGs, Responder Assist aims to bridge the gap between lived experience and clinical expertise, creating a supportive, stigma-free pathway that makes it easier for workers to engage with care.
The findings provide practical guidance for agencies, policymakers, insurers and clinicians seeking to strengthen referral pathways and embed peer-informed approaches within emergency services systems.
Next steps
The next phase of Responder Assist’s work will explore pilot testing and implementation of the Lived Experience Guide model, evaluating its impact on help-seeking, treatment engagement, and wellbeing outcomes across the emergency services community.
This research reinforces Responder Assist’s commitment to evidence-based, lived experience-informed care—ensuring emergency workers can access the right care at the right time.
Read the full research paper here
