At the ODPRN, we believe that incorporating the voices of people with lived/living experience is essential to creating meaningful, actionable, and patient-centered research. Engaging people with lived/living experience ensures that our work remains grounded, relevant, and responsive to the realities faced by those most impacted by drug-related policies and practices.
Our Process
We use a structured and integrated knowledge translation approach to engage individuals with lived/living experience:
- Early and Ongoing engagement: We involve people with lived/living experience at the earliest stages of our projects and maintain their engagement throughout the research process. We are committed to actively engaging individuals with lived/living experience throughout the research process, from the initial stages of project design to data analysis and knowledge translation.
- Collaborative Partnerships: We work collaboratively with individuals, ensuring they are active participants in shaping research priorities, study design decisions, and interpretation of findings.
- Safe and Respectful Spaces: We prioritize creating environments where participants feel respected, valued, and supported in sharing their insights.
- Compensation and Recognition: We acknowledge the invaluable contributions of those with lived/living experience by offering fair compensation and recognizing their expertise and role in our deliverables and communications.
- Feedback and Reflection: We regularly seek input to evaluate and refine our engagement strategies.
Our Values
- Respect and Empowerment: We honor the unique perspectives and expertise that people with lived/living experience bring to our work. We strive to amplify voices that have traditionally been underrepresented in drug policy research.
- Inclusivity: Our approach prioritizes diverse perspectives, ensuring representation from various backgrounds, communities, and experiences.
- Equity: We aim to proactively identify and address barriers that may prevent people from participating fully and equitably.
- Transparency and Trust: We believe that open, honest communication is crucial to building trust with people who share their experiences with us. We are transparent about how their contributions will be used and our goals for how their work will impact policy and practice.
- Feedback and Reflection: We regularly seek input to evaluate and refine our engagement strategies.
Why Lived Experience Matters
Incorporating the voices of people with lived/living experience enriches our research by:
- Enhancing Relevance: It ensures that our work addresses the real-world challenges faced by those affected by drug policies.
- Informing Policy and Practice: Lived experience provides nuanced insights that data alone cannot capture, shaping recommendations for policies that are practical and reflect the needs and priorities of those most impacted.
- Building Trust and Accountability: Engaging communities in the research process fosters trust, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose.
- Promoting Equity: Centering research on priorities identified by people with lived/living experience helps us identify and address systemic inequities in drug policies and healthcare systems.
By embedding people with lived and living experience into our work, we aim to create research that not only informs policy but also leads to positive, tangible outcomes for individuals and communities. We are committed to fostering meaningful partnerships with those who can offer firsthand perspectives, recognizing that their voices are vital to driving change and improving lives.
Are you interested in getting involved in the LEAG?
Please contact Dana Shearer at [email protected]
Types of Engagement
The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG)
The LEAG was established to integrate the perspectives of individuals with lived experience of substance use into the operations of the Ontario Opioid Drug Observatory (OODO).
The Opioid Chapters
The Opioid Chapters features 11 stories of people whose lives have been profoundly affected by opioids. A joint project of the ODPRN and the website Healthy Debate, this multimedia online series features powerful first-person narratives from people who take opioids for chronic pain, those with an opioid use disorder, and providers who work with both.
Town Halls
ODPRN Town Halls provide a platform for meaningful conversations about current drug policy issues in Ontario. These recurring virtual events invite Ontario citizens to share their stories and raise questions on topics related to drug policy research.