For Living Experts
Living Expert (or Lived Expert) is the term that Never Too Late (NTL) uses to refer to people of any age who have lived experience within the child welfare system and/or permanency journeys.
Community of Connection
We support Living Experts of the child welfare system, ages 16+, through a community-building approach.
Generally, in the child welfare and permanency sector, many opportunities for connection and engagement for Living Experts are offered through services with age-based cut-offs. This can replicate the trauma of child welfare service termination and leave many who still need support without it.
At Never Too Late (NTL) we are pleased to be a place for peer-based community connections with no upper-age limits where Living Experts can connect with each other for support and belonging. We focus on offering low-barrier social gatherings, education, and skill development sessions that are open to any Living Experts connected with us.
Lived Expert Community Offering Examples:
Virtual Games Night
Virtual Storytelling and Advocacy Workshops
1:1 Connection with Lived Expert Community Coordinator
Information on services and support
Shared creative projects such as galleries or podcasts (see “Created by Living Experts” below)
If you are interested in joining our community, please contact our Lived Expert Coordinator
Peer-Based Collaboration Model
We use a peer-based collaboration model at Never Too Late (NTL). This means our Lived Expert Community Coordinator also has living experience, and that we encourage Living Experts in our community to connect and share with each other at events and shared spaces. Having those who “get it” come alongside our journeys is important!
Core Principles of Peer-Based Approaches include*:
Mutuality and respect – a relationship based on shared experience, empathy, authenticity, and respect.
Reciprocal – where all contribute to and gain from the relationship in a shared process of problem-solving.
Non-directive - one person doesn’t ‘prescribe’ what is good for someone else. It enables a person to grow within and beyond what has happened.
Strengths-based – recognizes that people will have strengths and skills and these can be used in pursuit of objectives and ambition.
Inclusive – peer support can help engage with and contribute to communities.
Progressive – a shared learning journey of growth and development.
Safe – being able to express ourselves freely in a supportive relationship where all parties feel safe.
Centering Living Experts in our Work
Lived Experts are at the center of all we do. We make it an organizational practice to continuously:
listen to the stories, experiences and professional opinions of Living Experts
integrate Lived Expert-created resources and educational content into our offerings for Humans and Service Providers
Some professionals in the child welfare and permanency sector are also Living Experts of child welfare and permanency. For Lived Experts in our community who are also professionals in the sector, there are opportunities to get involved in our educational offerings as consultants, speakers, co-facilitators or content producers. For those in our community who have not achieved traditionally recognized professional status, we provide professional opportunities to share your experiences and insights and will support you in achieving professional recognition.
Examples of Lived Experts at Work at Never Too Late (NTL)
Co-design and co-facilitation of Training for Humans, a foundational part of our offerings
Design and deliver educational workshops for Humans and Service Providers on topics such as Harm Reduction, 7 Core Issues, and permanency in general.
Moderate or speak on panels during workshops or trainings that feature multiple voices
If these types of opportunities interest you or someone you know, please contact our Lived Expert Coordinator.
Seeking a Human?
Human is the term Never Too Late (NTL) uses for the role of caregiver/parent. It comes from a Lived Expert of child welfare expressing that along with financial supports and services, they wanted a human being who is not paid to be in their lives. We use the term to respect that for many people the words family or parents are ones they are not comfortable using for these connections because of past relationships or trauma. Regardless of the words used, Humans are the unpaid, lifelong, safe, unconditional supportive connections.
If you are a young person age 16+ who would like to connect with us to learn more about Humans, please contact us to begin a discussion.
You don’t have to be ready right away. It can be a very brave and vulnerable thing to reach out to talk about permanency. We just want to get to know you, so please feel free to reach out about anything to get started! Get in touch with our Lived Expert Coordinator by email or text/call. Click the button below to get started.
If you are a Service Provider who would like to receive support from Never Too Late (NLT) on exploring permanency connections for a Living Expert, visit this page.
Wondering how Never Too Late (NTL) connects Living Experts and Humans? Read more here.
Over the course of our history, Never Too Late (NTL) has collaborated with Living Experts in creative ventures. These are a few of the creative projects we can share with you!
