Skip to content

Northern Territory
Lived Experience Network

A collective and independent voice for people with lived experience of issues related to mental distress, trauma, suicide and addiction in the Northern Territory.  People with lived experience hold vital knowledge about what is needed from the system, both for individual care and at broader levels.

Subscribe to our updates

Our Programs

Recovery Together

Darwin | Katherine | Alice Springs

A free peer education and recovery program for people who experience mental health, alcohol, drug or related issues. Click below to find out more and to register for upcoming programs.

Circles of Support

Darwin | Katherine | Alice Springs

A free support program for family & friends of people who have an alcohol or drug problem. A safe and confidential space for family members or friends to access both support and information.

Empowering Youth

Greater Darwin & Katherine

For neurodivergent young people aged 12-17, including those who may be on the autism spectrum, have ADHD, sensory processing needs, or who have experienced challenges that affect their wellbeing.

Our Network

'Living' and 'Lived'

We recognise that for many people, their experience is ongoing. We recognise that for others, their experience is in the past. We include people with both 'living' and 'lived' experience.

Caring for Family

We include family and friends who provide care and support. We recognise that people who provide care and support may also experience issues related to mental distress, trauma, suicide and addiction.

Whole Person

We know co-occurring issues related to mental distress, trauma, suicide and addiction are common. We value the lived experience of the whole person.

Why it's important

What the evidence says

Meaningful engagement of people with lived experience of issues related to mental distress, trauma, suicide and addiction is essential to achieving better mental health, social and wellbeing outcomes for all Australians.  This is represented in the 32 detailed actions of the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan and by the National Mental Health Commission.  

Meeting a need in the NT

All other Australian states and territories have lived experience representative bodies to provide a collective voice for people with lived experience.   Our aim is to gather the knowledge, experience and perspectives of Territorians to inform the way the mental health, suicide prevention and alcohol and drug systems and services are planned, developed, delivered and evaluated in the Northern Territory.

Our committment

The NT Lived Experience Network began as a volunteer driven initiative instigated by local people seeking to make meaning and create purpose from their personal experience or experience caring for someone affected by issues related to mental distress, trauma, suicide and addiction.  We have received funding to develop and trial our peer programs, however all of our advocacy remains unfunded.  We rely on lived experience volunteers and the broader lived experience community to create independant submissions in order to ‘make the system better’.  

Our Activity

Health Matters Nov 2023

Health Matters is a group-based peer support program that helps you to identify what matters to you and learn strategies to live a meaningful life. it involves 7 short weekly sessions…

Perinatal Lived Experience Opportunity

The NT Health Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch is commencing a project to improve Perinatal Mental Health Screening services in the NT. They are seeking expressions of interest…

Lived Experience Focus Group

Royal Darwin Hospital Mental Health Unit Summary The NT Government is seeking people with lived experience to inform the design of new mental health facilities at Royal Darwin Hospital.  Interested…

June 2021 Newsletter

Our June 2021 Newsletter is out.  Click on the link below to see what we have been up to.   NTLEN Newsletter – June 2021 Click on the ‘subscribe’ button at…

The Northern Territory Lived Experience Network acknowledges the Traditional Owners across the NT and that sovereignty of Aboriginal lands was never ceded. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.

© 2024 All rights reserved​

Made with ❤