Aligning the Personal With the Professional: Lived Experience and Survivor Advocacy in the DFV Space
Tracks
Ballroom 4: In-Person Only
| Wednesday, November 25, 2026 |
| 11:10 AM - 11:40 AM |
Overview
Ilsa Evans, Chisholm Institute
& Nida Anees, Chisholm Higher Education College
& Nida Anees, Chisholm Higher Education College
Three Key Learnings
1. A broader understanding of the potential impact and influence of the lived experience voice across FV prevention and practice
2. Recognising the expertise of survivor-advocates, plus the necessity for lived experience to be contextualised within the global evidence base
3. An introduction to a skillset that empowers survivor advocacy while minimising risk and maximising reward.
Speaker
Associate Professor Ilsa Evans
Course Coordinator - Graduate Certificate In Family Violence
Chisholm Institute
Aligning the personal with the professional: lived experience and survivor advocacy in the DFV space
Presentation Overview
Lived experience (LE) has been foundational in the evolution of family violence (FV) work, however it is only relatively recently that the importance of the LE voice has been overtly acknowledged and engaged across the sector. To explore this further, in 2023 we undertook a study examining the sector-related experiences of those with LE. This led to several projects, most notably where we partnered with peak bodies to develop a micro-credential for those who would like to move into the survivor-advocacy space, using their own LE as a framework for their advocacy.
The expertise of survivor-advocates has impact across FV prevention and practice. This can be via influence on policy development and service planning or even broader system reform. Survivor-advocates often also undertake independent activities such as public speaking, media and coalition/network building. However these activities also come with some risk, not least in the alignment of their messaging with the global evidence base. It is also common for survivor-advocates to receive disclosures from others. Often they lack access to requisite training, support and education, thus risking burnout while also undermining rights and safety.
This micro-credential encourages survivor-advocates to contextualise their LE within the broader FV landscape, grounded in the global evidence base. This will provide greater protection and professionalism for the survivor-advocates themselves, along with their ability to respond to FV risk during their work. It is envisaged that the micro-credential will include ten modules, including values/philosophies, identifying/responding, intersectionality, ethical story-telling, self-reflection & self-care, and also pathways into the sector.
The primary objective is to offer a practical and empowering skill-set to survivor-advocates who are drawing on their own LE in their work. It is expected that the micro-credential will be readily available, thus enabling optimal dissemination of this much-needed addition to the FV skills and knowledge base.
The expertise of survivor-advocates has impact across FV prevention and practice. This can be via influence on policy development and service planning or even broader system reform. Survivor-advocates often also undertake independent activities such as public speaking, media and coalition/network building. However these activities also come with some risk, not least in the alignment of their messaging with the global evidence base. It is also common for survivor-advocates to receive disclosures from others. Often they lack access to requisite training, support and education, thus risking burnout while also undermining rights and safety.
This micro-credential encourages survivor-advocates to contextualise their LE within the broader FV landscape, grounded in the global evidence base. This will provide greater protection and professionalism for the survivor-advocates themselves, along with their ability to respond to FV risk during their work. It is envisaged that the micro-credential will include ten modules, including values/philosophies, identifying/responding, intersectionality, ethical story-telling, self-reflection & self-care, and also pathways into the sector.
The primary objective is to offer a practical and empowering skill-set to survivor-advocates who are drawing on their own LE in their work. It is expected that the micro-credential will be readily available, thus enabling optimal dissemination of this much-needed addition to the FV skills and knowledge base.
Biography
Associate Professor Ilsa Evans coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Family Violence in the Higher Education College at Chisholm Institute, in Melbourne’s south-east. Her research interests include media representations of FV, long-term effects of FV, and lived experience within the FV sector. Her industry connections include ongoing project collaborations with peak organisations and board membership for Kara Family Violence Services. In her spare time she writes fiction, with her sixteenth book published by Harper Collins in 2024.
