Apply to be part of our Lived Experience Reference Group

The Social Services Regulator (SSR) is looking for people to join its new Lived Experience Reference Group.

Expressions of interest are open until 31 October 2025.

About this expression of interest

We value the expertise and understanding of social services that comes from lived experience. We invite applications from people with:

• personal experience of using social services covered by the Regulator, and/or
• experience as family members or advocates supporting someone to access and use social services.

You can find information about who is covered by the Regulator on our Services in scope of the new scheme webpage.

In determining the final membership, we will balance a range of factors to support representation from different ages, genders, demographics, and communities across Victoria. We will do this to reflect the diversity of the Victorian community. We expect the reference group to have 10 to 15 members.

About the Lived Experience Reference Group

The reference group will help provide lived experience advice and perspectives to the Regulator.

The reference group’s role is to:

• represent and reflect the perspectives of lived experience
• provide feedback and input about the implementation, operation, impacts and effectiveness of the Social Services Regulation scheme
• consider and provide advice on our engagement and communication activities
• share information and communicate with other stakeholders.

The reference group will provide advice only and will not make decisions for the Regulator.

The reference group will not discuss specific regulatory operational matters or to address concerns members have that are specific to their use of social services.

To ensure the reference group is lived experience-led, it will be co-chaired by both a lived experience representative and a representative from the SSR.

The reference group will be co-chaired by:

• our Director, Child Safeguarding Regulation and Cultural Safety
• Tricia Malowney OAM CF, appointed by the Regulator as the lived experience co-chair.

What would be required of me?

The reference group will meet three times a year for no longer than three hours, until December 2026.

You can attend these meeting in-person at our office in Melbourne or online. We ask you to let us know in advance if you cannot attend any meetings.

We will send you meeting papers one week before each meeting. We ask you to try to review and consider all meeting papers before the meeting.

The co-chairs may establish short-term working groups for particular topics or issues. We encourage reference group members to take part in these groups, particularly where members have lived experience about the specific subject.

Please see the reference group’s draft terms of reference for more details. The final terms of reference will be shaped by the group once it’s established.

Is this a paid role?

The external co-chair and members attending in a personal capacity will be paid for their time to attend and prepare for meetings and working groups. Payment rates are in line with the Victorian Government’s Appointment Remuneration Guidelines and other lived-experience representative groups. We will reimburse reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, such as a Myki or taxi voucher to attend the meeting in person.

Member rates are $50 +GST/hour, $200 +GST half day, $400 +GST full day

Victorian Government, Victorian Public Service, peak body representatives and any members attending in a professional capacity will not be paid for their membership on the reference group.

How do I express my interest in participating?

Expressions of interest should be no more than one page and include:

• Name
• Title
• Email and phone number
• Type of services received: for example, family violence, supported residential, children and family, homelessness.
• No more than one paragraph outlining your lived experience.
• If you are representing an organisation, its name and street address.

Please email your expressions of interest to us at engage@ssr.vic.gov.au and by COB 31 October 2025.

Find out more about the Social Services Regulator on our website.