Decision-making
Influence over priorities and organisational choices.
Participation & leadership
Nothing About Us Without Us
Survivors are not merely beneficiaries. They are leaders, advocates and experts whose lived experience provides invaluable knowledge.
Meaningful engagement
Participation must involve real influence
Programme design
Shaping objectives, methods and participant experience.
Implementation
Leading activities, mentoring and community engagement.
Advocacy
Setting messages and participating safely in public dialogue.
Research and consultation
Contributing expertise with informed consent and safeguards.
Monitoring and evaluation
Defining what meaningful progress looks like.
Participation with power
A higher standard than visibility
Meaningful participation includes
- Clear decision rights
- Safe and voluntary involvement
- Preparation and support
- Recognition of expertise
- Feedback on how input was used
- Fair compensation where appropriate
Tokenism looks like
- Inviting survivors after decisions are made
- Expecting traumatic disclosure
- Using images without informed consent
- Unpaid emotional labour
- No feedback or follow-through
- Participation only for publicity
Make lived experience part of the decision—not decoration.
Partner with FREMNET to design safer, more meaningful survivor participation.