3rd part:
Learning how to work together with service users / experts by experience (EBE) as co-lecturers

Share your reflection on the first steps you made:
1. Which questions do you have?
2. Write it down on a post-it.
3. Share your post-tits on the board and make a connection with persons who have questions on the same topic.
4. Arrange small groups around these topics and discuss the questions.

We leave the post-tits with questions on the board and come back to them at the end of the training

To share examples of practices from participants on how service users/ experts by experience (EBE) are involved in training students in their universities?

Theoretical input on the difference between service user and expert by experience (the `what`)

To discuss Why and How to prepare students and service users / experts by experience (EBE) for a joint session (class run by lecturer and service user as co-lecturers)

1. Presentation of the `why` we do it (invite service users / expert by experience (EBE) to be co-lectures).

2. Split in small (3-4 members) groups and divide aspects of the `how’ between groups; steps inside the small groups: a) brain storm, write associations for each aspect (word web); b) discuss why and what do they (associations) mean to you? c) make a shared meaning of the aspect.

3. Bring and share the meaning in the whole group.

1. We ask them to come back to the same small groups and to think of:

If we want to work on these aspects, how can we do it? What are necessary conditions that have to be created and / or guaranteed for the work?

2. Groups are sharing their ideas; one group starts sharing and following groups add what they have new or different from what has already been mentioned.

3. Inspiration by sharing some examples of working with these aspects. (Examples of participant of the training and examples developed by the project)

What are necessary conditions for having service users / experts by experience (EBE) as co-lectures?

Ethical issues, why do we do it and how to do it in the best way:

Why?

We (teachers, students and clients) all are human and we all suffer from difficult life experiences in different stages (moments) of our lives;

Provide hope for the future, hope that we can cope with issues of life;

Value of the person, knowledge and his/her experience as such (being equally valued);

How?

Confidentiality (to create a safe environment);

Mutual respect;

Being open to the differences and willing to learn from them;

Being open to your own and others’ difficult experiences, and willing to learn from both;

Take care of your own borders of what you share, and members of the group should respect each other’s borders

Think and write individually. Walk out of the room and find a place. Questions:

What do you have in your country?

What are you experiences?

What are the current conditions?

Sharing situation/ conditions in your country in a pair

Theoretical input from trainers: things to think about

Individual planning and writing. Questions:

Where can you start?

Plan: what can you do in your course?

What would your steps be?

Sharing ideas in the whole group.

Input from trainers:

While preparing the session with service users / experts by experience (EBE) things to be done or thought about:

Prepare service users / experts by experience (EBE) to meet students;

Build the relationship with service users / experts by experience (EBE) as co-lecturer.

Make a plan of the session and share it with the service users / experts by experience (EBE);

Support service users / experts by experience (EBE) in the process; including a debriefing with the service user after the session with students.

We look at the questions on the board again. Did you find any answers? Which questions do you take with you to think about?

To choose one action out of your ideas: what are you going to do first when you are back to your country?

Share your idea

Explain the steps you can take in continuing working with your idea (Dagmar). How to do this in a sustainable way in a personal and a professional perspective?

Choose a buddy from the group with whom you share your idea and would keep in touch after the training. Exchange emails and keep contact

Homework:

Develop strategy for implementation:

1. Your dream/ wish and target related to integrating principles of experiential knowledge and involving service users/ EBEs in the study process

2. Your assets

*people whom you know and who i) can contribute, ii) can support you, iii) have knowledge you need, iv) how power / position / ability to influence the immediate context of integrating principles of experiential knowledge and involving EBEs in the study process (in a novel way)

*networks whom you could collaborate to develop your expertise in integrating principles of experiential knowledge and involving EBEs in the study process (your reference group)

3. Relational aspects

*steps to build relationships i) with service users / experts by experience (EBE), ii) colleagues / university staff

*steps to maintain relationships

4. Preliminary work

*course, where to integrate experiential learning

*methods to use; activities to do in the joint session

*how to prepare i) students and ii) service users / experts by experience (EBE) for the joint session (class run by lecturer and service user as co-lecturers)