Ask anyone who has attended the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training what stayed with them, and the answer is often the same: hearing from the Expert with Lived Experience.
More than a speaker
An Expert with Lived Experience is a co-trainer, not a guest. They are a person with a learning disability or an autistic person who helps plan, deliver and shape each session alongside an approved facilitator. Their perspective turns policy and guidance into something real, relatable and impossible to forget.
What learners take away
- A clearer understanding of the daily realities, strengths and challenges of autistic people and people with a learning disability.
- Practical ideas for communication, reasonable adjustments and person-centred care.
- Greater confidence to ask questions and challenge assumptions in their own workplace.
Becoming a co-trainer
Our Expert with Lived Experience Co-Trainer Training is a three-day programme for people with autism or a learning disability who want to co-deliver the training. It builds the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to work alongside facilitators, with support tailored to each person.
Our own delivery team includes experts with lived experience, and this is a big part of why organisations from hospices to care providers have chosen to work with us.