Lived Experience Advisor
Location: Nationwide (virtual meetings for at least the next six months – future face-to-face meetings subject to practical considerations)
Salary: £270.00 per day (1 day per month)
Overview of the New Lived Experience Advisory Group.
The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) provides expert independent advice to the Gambling Commission - based on lived experience of gambling harms.
The Gambling Commission considers a wide range of evidence to inform decisions to make gambling safer for consumers. An essential part of this evidence is input directly from people with lived experience of gambling harms.
The Gambling Commission is now recruiting for a new LEAG team. There are up to 12 Lived Experience Advisor roles available – this includes the role of chair.
LEAG members will contribute to the development of expert advice, through discussions at meetings and participation in working groups on key topics between meetings.
People with lived experience of gambling related harms will be an invaluable source of advice to the Gambling Commission. They will bring their personal perspective of living with or supporting someone who has experienced gambling related harm. Their perspective and experiences are real and honest. Involvement of people with lived experience is essential to the work of the commission.
Who should apply for these roles and what do we mean by lived experience?
You will have experience of gambling related harm either as a former gambler yourself or as someone who has been affected because of the gambling harm caused to someone you care about. You will be committed to preventing gambling harm and helping improve safer gambling policies - such as the requirements placed on operators and how the Gambling Commission contributes to the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.
If you suffered harm as a result of your own gambling, you should be at least 12 months into recovery.
Members will have the ability to work together with other members of the group and will treat their peers with mutual respect. People will have different experiences of harm – respecting these differences is important.
We recognise the strength in diversity and want to ensure that the group has a broad membership - we particularly encourage applications from women, young people (over 18) and applicants from BAME communities.
People with past spent criminal convictions linked to gambling harms have very relevant experience of gambling harms and are welcome to apply. If applicants are involved in live regulatory case work any conflicts arising will be managed on a case by case basis. Applicants should not however have current involvement in live on-going criminal investigations related to gambling at the time of making an application.
We will carry out criminal records checks to confirm your declarations regarding past convictions.
Members should not work in the gambling industry or hold senior management positions in organisations that are funded by, or seeking funding from, the industry. The terms of reference for the group sets out these rules on conflicts of interest in more detail.
Time commitment:
The time commitment for a LEAG member is expected to be up to one full day per month. This includes attending monthly meetings via Zoom or a similar remote meeting software application and engaging on thematic issues via working groups and research projects and reviewing and commenting on relevant advice papers and documents.
The group will be asked to nominate its chair. This role will include additional time – approximately 2 days per month.
Working remotely
We are currently working remotely – using online communications to hold meetings and keep in touch with each other.
Ideally participants will have access to a computer with an internet connection and communicate using email, Microsoft Word, landline, and/or mobile phone. If this is not the case, we are happy to work with you to provide support and assistance so you can take part.
If your application is successful you will be asked to:
- Prepare for and participate in meetings (approximately 6 – 8 hours per month, plus further project time if required). This work is in conjunction with Gambling Commission staff and partners, so meetings are in the working week, but reasonable adjustment can be considered
- Travel may be required (when it becomes safe to do so) to attend face to face meetings, but expenses to do so would be covered
- Work together as part of a team and in support of each other and develop effective relationships built on trust, credibility, and respect. Recognise strength in diversity
- Participate in training and development programmes, listen actively, and engage in on-going conversations to deliver LEAG’s workplan
- Draw upon your own experiences and expertise to help identify ideas and possible solutions to the challenges faced and help ensure that lived experience is at the forefront of everyone’s minds
- Provide feedback giving your views and reflection on how you think things are going and identify key actions, training issues or lessons learnt for future LEAG to be successful
- Understand that the Gambling Commission, in the interest of transparency, will need to publish the names of panel members. Applicants should consider whether they are comfortable with this
The topics the group will work on will be agreed in a workplan with the Gambling Commission. Once an opportunity for focused work has been identified and agreed upon you will be invited to meet with your peers and GC staff assigned to that programme or project to:
- Develop a shared understanding of the lived experience advisory role
- Agree how you will communicate during the project
- Identify practical support needs (admin, access and safeguarding etc)
- Identify learning and development requirements
During a project you will:
- Work with other LEAG members and with GC staff and associated partners as an equal advisor in the design, improvement and evaluation of a named review and or project
- Attend and actively participate in key strategic meetings so you will understand the overall plans, objectives and context of such discussions
- Contribute positively to conversations and provide regular feedback and reflections via reports/e-mails to the LEAG Chair highlighting any issues of concern as well as achievements
- Take part in ground-breaking, innovative, and evolving work to place lived experience at the heart of the Gambling Commission’s work in reducing gambling harms
How to apply
If you would like to apply, please ensure you have reviewed and considered the LEAG Terms of Reference.
Please complete the online application form to be considered.
The online portal will ask you to:
- Provide a brief statement on your reasons for applying and your relevant experience
- Upload a CV
- Provide diversity monitoring information
- Indicate if you would be interested in being considered as a possible chairperson
The Closing date is 9th November 2020. Interviews will be held w/c 23rd November 2020.
For more information on the interview process next steps and how we will support candidates, please refer to the full advert.