There are Living Experience Engagement Groups in locations across Scotland. Local groups meet regularly and provide a safe environment which encourages people to share their experiences, insights and opinions of the issues affecting them. SDF staff support the groups to collate and share their feedback to local commissioners, service managers and decision makers to ensure their voices are heard.   

Group members lead the agenda for meetings,and decide the issues they discuss and prioritise.  Groups are fully independent of existing structures but help inform local Lived Experience Panels or Alcohol and Drug Partnership subgroups through providing living experience representation.

Local groups are networked with each other and come together as a national group to discuss common themes. The national group is regularly involved in consultations with policy makers and academics to inform national policy, practice and research.  

Living experience engagement groups are facilitated by SDF staff with lived experience and local partner agencies. Group members are offered training and development to become peer facilitators with the aim of empowering people to lead the facilitation of the groups and where possible become independently constituted.