AADPA is committed to ensuring that individuals with ADHD—and those who care for them—shape our organisation’s direction, policies, and activities. The Lived Experience (LE) Project represents our commitment to meaningful representation guided by those directly impacted by ADHD.
Effective advocacy requires authentic voices at the table—not just consultation, but genuine partnership. People with lived experience bring irreplaceable insights into the daily realities, systemic barriers, and practical solutions that academic or clinical knowledge alone cannot provide. Their perspectives ensure our policies, programs, and advocacy efforts remain grounded in real-world impact.
In 2025, AADPA updated its Constitution to embed this principle into our governance structure:
- At least one Board Director must have lived experience of ADHD
- Lived experience perspectives guide all advisory and working group processes
This constitutional change ensures lived experience voices have decision-making power, not just advisory input. It’s a structural commitment to co-design—where people with ADHD are partners in creating the solutions that affect their lives, from the earliest stages of policy development through to implementation and evaluation.
What We’re Building
The Lived Experience Project is creating structures to ensure genuine participation:
Governance & Leadership
- Recruiting a Lived Experience Director to the AADPA Board
- Establishing transparent processes for meaningful involvement in decision-making
Defining & Supporting Lived Experience
- Creating a clear definition of lived experience within AADPA’s context
- Developing neuroinclusive policies and tools that reflect best practice
Ongoing Input & Co-Design
- Forming a skills-based advisory group to guide strategy and provide feedback
- Embedding lived experience perspectives across programs, recommendations, and advocacy
Leading This Work
The Lived Experience Project is an independent project, led by external consultant Sam Fewings. This ensures authentic, arm’s-length guidance as we establish lived experience structures within AADPA.
Meet The Project Team
Sam Fewings
Sam has extensive experience in lived experience advocacy and consultancy, primarily in the suicide prevention space. Sam was diagnosed with ADHD late in life and is passionate about giving those with a lived experience of ADHD a voice.
Lauren Cosgrove
Lauren is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and PhD candidate. Lauren is a woman with ADHD.
Lived Experience Working Group
A diverse group with varied lived experience is guiding the establishment of the LE Project:
Meagan Cooke
Clinical psychologist in private practice, empowering others through her lived experience.
Dr Will Errington
An RACGP medical educator and GP working closely with ADHD and neurodivergent patients.
Susan Nguyen
Pharmacist bridging medication management and real-world understanding through lived experience.
Rebecca Gannon
Educational and Developmental Psychologist, passionate about supporting intersectional identities within the ADHD community.
A/Prof. Byron Rangiwai
Research at Unitec Institute of Technology, leading groundbreaking work reframing ADHD through a Maori lens.
Nikki Searby
Current AADPA Secretary with a legal background, providing workplace consultancy to support people with ADHD.
Our Roadmap & Latest Updates
Working Group Meeting #1 (11 December 2025)
- Working group established
- Terms of Reference finalised
- Initial discussions on objectives, conduct, expectations, and logistics
Next meeting: Mid-late January 2026
- Outline governance procedures and produce recruitment documents
Recruit and appoint Lived Experience Director
LE Director establishes ongoing advisory group; working group concludes.
What’s Next
We’ll keep members informed when recruitment for the Lived Experience Director opens.
Once appointed, the LE Director will:
- Assume operational leadership of the project
- Establish an ongoing advisory group for continued lived experience input
- Guide AADPA’s commitment to authentic representation
This work continues beyond the initial recruitment—it’s about creating lasting structures for lived experience voices in AADPA’s future. If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Cosgrove at lauren.cosgrove@aadpa.com.au.
