Considering Lived Experience in the Recruitment Process
By Dr Katherine Cox
There has been a significant amount of discussion in recent years within the refugee and asylum sector about the importance of encouraging and supporting lived experience. Despite a strong desire to make that commitment a reality, we are seeing low levels of recruitment and poor retention. So, what is going wrong and what can we do?
The Importance of Lived Experience
The University of West England has completed a very thorough piece of research, soon to be published, looking at lived experience leadership within the refugee and asylum seeker sector. On the one hand, the findings were sobering – the evidence is that, despite good intentions, we are getting it wrong in so many ways and letting our colleagues with lived experience down. On the other hand, there are simple, practical ways in which we could improve this picture.
In March 2025 we recruited a new Director of Operations at Trauma Foundation South West and we used the findings of this research to inform that recruitment process.
What did we do?
We were mindful about how we worded the advert, person specification, and job description, and where we advertised
We acknowledged receipt of every application
We offered email feedback to non-shortlisted candidates
We included someone with lived experience in the shortlisting and interview process and in setting the questions
We sent the interview questions to the candidates in advance
We offered telephone feedback to shortlisted candidates who were not successful
What lessons do we need to learn for next time?
We retained the requirement for a written personal statement as being able to write cogently and clearly in English is a requirement of this post. However, when we next recruit therapists and interpreters, we will offer the possibility of submitting a personal statement through videocall or voice note
We are aware that people with lived experience may not have had the opportunity to develop the skills and experience required of this role, and our organisation is too small to allow for learning ‘on the job’. We are actively involved in Bristol Refugee and Asylum Seeker Partnership (BRASP)-wide conversations which include the possibility of internship and shadowing opportunities between organisations.
Moving Forward
We still have a long way to go, but this research has helped us become more conscious about where we can be more truly inclusive and equitable in our employment practices. It has also helped us consider where we can support wider efforts by providing therapeutic supervision for professionals with lived experience as well as access to therapy to support development and wellbeing.
If you would like more information about our work including professional therapeutic supervision and training, please visit our homepage to learn more of us, explore current opportunities, or sign up to our newsletter here.