Question

How can we support the process of growth in our team regarding the issue of expertise by experience?

Problem description

Starting up the Network GGZ De Kempen, the framework psy107 invited us to involve representatives of patients and families at the level of the several functions.  At the level of function 2B, this might be realised by including an expert by experience in the team.  This is not the case, yet.  We do reflect much about the issue, without taking concrete steps.  And this because of a view unclear issues, such as the role of the expert (full team member or advisor?), the costs, professional secrecy, etc. During our placement we’ve noticed that an expert by experience can offer an additional value to the team.  We want to share this information with our colleagues

Impact - effect

The lack of an expert by experience affects several areas.  A few examples:

- As a team we can question our own practice, but we never can use the client perspective as the expert by experience does

- The story of an expert by experience can give hope to other clients, the feeling of being better understood.  This might help when difficulties are met during the support

- An expert by experience can counter balance our (still sometimes too) clinical view

- We won’t meet the expectations of the authorities when integrating an expert by experience will be obligatory

To do

To do: during our placement in Breburg, we learned that it’s about a process of growth, and we wish to support this process in our team.   We have plans to pay attention on the issue of expertise by experience on a regular base.  It’s very important that this idea is supported by more persons, not only team member but people from the network as well.

We’ve also noticed that it’s a process of growth for the experts by experience themselves, and that the persons who are involved as an expert in a team already made a long way in their recovery process (thanks to the courses followed, their self-knowledge is high level).  So, we have to think about formation as well.  The HEE-courses, giving by experts by experience, might be interesting to introduce over here.  We will consider the possibilities in our team

Hyperlink

http://www.mobileteamsconnecting.eu/bijlagen/H35%20-%20link%20HEE%20(GGZ%20Breburg).pdf

Theme

Valorisation of expertise by experience

Topic

Formation, training, specific role as a member of a mobile team

Reference -  contact

Marowse Minnen, Annemie Martens

Mobile team

2B

Project

GGZ De Kempen

Intership abroad - place

GGZ Breburg

Date

June 2014