Great resources! Thanks for sharing

Very helpful videos. You're a clear and effective speaker. Thanks for posting these!

Hi Betty-Lou, thanks very much for posting the information about the webinar. It was a great event! It is amazing that we can share the recording and resources more broadly to help others share their personal experiences. Kudos to you and Sean for a job well done!

Hello

Thanks to all..

1) I have had some questions as to how, when and if people can actually find a training specific to this (something we need to explore??)

2) Questions on the process for engagement and starting the journey into sharing (that came up from both potential speakers and agency perspective)...(something we need to explore??)

3) I also had a person connect and comment that the videos and presentation, checklists etc helped them to 'gauge' their wellness and readiness, so it was helpful to them for self reflection.(that is such an important process)

4) Several moms who lost their sons to opioid overdose re-connected with me and found that maybe they could 'make sense' of the chaos of the loss if they stood up and spoke about it and the CAMH STRENGTHENING YOUR VOICE resource was going to be an effective tool for them. (that made me happy and of course so sad because the list of grieving parents by way of similiar journeys of losing their loved ones to prescription pain medication is starting to feel catastrophic to me)

5) Here is a small excerpt of a comment regarding the webinar, videos and CAMH guide from a mom whose son survived his overdose...

"Earlier this week, I attended the webinar "Strengthening Your Voice". It was so helpful to me! I am grateful for the downloads that are now available to keep as reference and a tool to strengthen my voice. It has been 2 years since my now 23 year old son has been struggling with opioid use disorder and almost died in our home of an overdose. We had to administer Narcan and the EMT came quickly and transported him to the ER. It was an absolute nightmare. Slowly, but steadily I am trying to get my footing back and trying to get more involved. It is very hard for me as I am a shy person and reserved person but the webinar and your presentation, help me to build confidence.The picture of your handsome son Peter, made a great impact on me." 

          ..........................

Well done. I actually have an interest and developed a speakers guidelines for schools as well as for speakers. I think we should connect betty-lou!

Hello Alicia

I just posted you a reply on the wall post you did when you sent me that wonderful video of yours...

Hi Everyone,

I am currently working on developing a policies and procedure manual for a youth speaking group. The group has been together for an 8 month pilot and have been speaking about their experience with substance abuse. I am trying to reach out to any resources that may be of help when developing this manual. 

Some issues that we are trying to address:

1. What to do if a youth member re engages with substances, and have developed an identity around being drug free and a speaker

2. How to graduate youth through the program. 

3. A curriculum to follow that teaches youth how to develop their story and provides them with public speaking skills

Would anyone have any resources that could help us with this task? Alicia, it sounds like you have quite a bit of experience in this realm, I would love to speak to you!

Hello MLaplante

As far as I know, the CAMH Strengthening Your Voice is the first manual of it's kind for 'lived experience speakers' in general.....

You pose some really good questions and I am happy that a youth specific policies and procedure for this is being attempted.

1) As far as #1, that is an 'icky' situation full of dynamics. A drug user's advocacy would probably not want this youth 'faulted' by 'losing his identity' as a speaker, and of course the harm reduction approach would have to be to 'meet that person where they are at' ...BUT...being a lived experience (adult) speaker myself, who is in substance free recovery (17yrs), one would not want someone who is 'using' to  continue speaking as if they were substance free.

Too many mixed messages and that puts that youth at risk for being targeted by some audiences as 'not credible'...

I would suggest supporting the youth if this is a relapse and encouraging them to speak about this 'slip' when they are back to being drug free.

The most important question to me would be: Did the pressure of speaking and the expectations contribute to the 'relapse'??

2) I am wondering if a youth to youth harm reduction outreach group in Halton called POSSE could help with you formulating the graduation part. POSSE youth are not 'speakers' per sa, so how they train and graduate their youth would not be applicable in the strictest sense but there may be something in their 'framework' of 20 weeks extensive training for youth to youth out reach-harm reduction-human rights' etc and then the youth thru processes and experience are 'graduated' to mentoring and training the newer youth coming in etc. Plus we have an adult collaborative BUT the youth have equal voice and equal vote on input into trainings etc....

3) As above, I don't know of any speaker curriculum for lived experience other than the new CAMH-Strengthening Your Voice ....

Once again I am wondering if other resources like peer support training framework could be adapted to be 'speaker' specific...

Here is the POSSE info if you want: (Just go to the training section)  http://www.posseproject.ca/

For more information, download the new POSSE Manual “A Guide to Growing POSSE“ (PDF) (I will attache the POSSE YOUTH manual as well...it is 126 pages but lots on training , evaluation that possibly you could adapt)

Hope maybe some of this helps.

I know it doesn't give you exact answers but it at least identifies that 'lived experience speakers' is an area that is growing and we need to start developing manuals, guides, policies, procedures around that to keep all involved 'safe'.

Hi Betty Lou,

Your post definitely helps! Question 1 is a tough one that we have really been debating, what you said makes sense though, and our biggest fear is that the speaking does more harm than good to the youth. This the main motivator for developing policies and procedures.

I will definitely be checking out the resources you mentioned! The CAMH manual is extremely valuable as well. 

Thank you so much!

Hello again MLaplante-

I seriously need your first name....so I don't have to address you as M.Laplante.....

I am glad that my post helped even though I feel I could not directly source you some solutions....

I totally agree with you that the issue of number 1 is very perplexing and significant enough that we have to address...

Lived experience speakers are essential. Just like peer support is essential.

Words have power and with that comes a great deal of responsibility. Both for the speaker and those supporting and/ or engaging speakers. Mixed messages is confusing and potentially dangerous for all involved.

Communication in general seems to be such a delicate balance.

In general what is said, is often heard differently given that listening skills vary and often messages are "received' thru our human filters.

That becomes even more complex when you factor in the amount of people 'hearing' and interpreting the speaker's words and then sharing that message forward...... because often the second to third party communication deviates somewhat from the original version.

Additionally, mental health and addictions etc....often comes with hard core rooted stigma that has already 'distorted' the 'hearing' processes because there are so many STRONG biases and discriminations we as speakers have to negotiate.

That is why clear policy, procedure, training and all levels of support to wrap around your speakers are essential.

Talk soon.....

Betty-Lou,

My first name is Meagan! I should really change my username as this is confusing. 

Yes I agree, especially with the stigma part you touched on. The speakers will be speaking in a small community as well so it is particularly important that we find a way to protect them from being disadvantaged as a result of their speaking. 

Thanks again,

Meagan

Hello Meagan:

I am from Georgetown so you are absolutely right about speaking in a smaller community. It can potentially heighten the risk for lived experience speakers. 

We had a similar concern addressed in some publication dealing with presentations in Rural areas as opposed to Urban ones, as urban life can offer a bit more of 'anonymity',.....

I have discovered after doing this for about ten years now that each audience can be so different and the 'messaging' definitely needs to be tailored appropriately.

Betty-Lou Kristy

PROVIDING EVIDENCE from community to systems level policy, planning & governance

I just posted this in the private forum for our new Strengthening Your Voice trainees but thought I would add these pictures from the training into this bigger community discussion....

Strengthening YOUR Voice

Training for People with Lived Experience with Problematic Opioid Use

PICTURES Ottawa Training Feb 24 2014

I could not figure out the easiest way to show all the pictures and did not want to make 38 separate attachments….so I created a power point slideshow (attached) and also converted that into a PDF (attached)…hopefully that is an easier way to download at look at pictures from the training.

Faculty:

• Betty-Lou Kristy, family member with lived experience, trainer, educator, and advocate

• Sean LeBlanc, founder of DUAL (Drug Users Advocacy League)

• Shauna MacEachern, Trainer, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Ottawa

Hopefully the Strengthening Your Voice team will be planning several more face to face trainings in the coming year. I think trying to target youth specific would be a great idea. I am not sure what the next areas will be.

Sean and I facilitated training in Toronto in 2012 and did one in Ottawa in Feb 2014. I would like to see another one in Toronto that includes all GTA areas (inclusive of Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Halton, Hamilton etc)

Betty-Lou Kristy

PROVIDING EVIDENCE from community to systems level policy, planning & governance

I will make sure to bring your input to the next meeting. Would your youth be opioid specific...or general addiction specific or mental health specific and/or concurrent? (or mix there of)

Betty-Lou Kristy

PROVIDING EVIDENCE from community to systems level policy, planning & governance