Lived Experience Council Database

How do I navigate this database?

To find lived experience councils that are statewide, click here or the "Statewide" button below. This page will be sorted by issue area. To find lived experience issues in your county, click here or the "Geographic Regions" button below, and click on your respective county's button. 

What is the lived experience council database?

The lived experience council database is an online resource where all councils, advisory groups, committees, etc. throughout the state of Colorado are shared out in a visual format so that any individual in the community can search and connect with groups that are elevating the voices of those with lived experience to better inform programs and policies of state and community agencies. 

How is lived experience defined for this database?

Lived experience is the personal knowledge and expertise an individual gains from holding diverse identities and/or being a recipient of certain services. People who have lived experience are those that have the direct experience in receiving an agency's services and can provide a unique perspective on the effectiveness of those services received through their diverse identities and feedback. 

Why is this database important?

A landscape analysis was conducted and it was found that there is no central space existing within the Colorado community and state agencies where an individual could go and quickly find all available lived experience groups working throughout the state. In order to promote more equitable access and power for communities receiving services, it is critical that diverse community members with the desire to share their experiences have a seat at the table to better shape the resources and programs serving their community. This database seeks to be a continuously updated resource available for an individual to quickly find and connect with a lived experience group that aligns with their identity or service experiences. It also seeks to promote more opportunity for the community to engage and inform agencies towards better human services policy and programs.

How can I spread the word of this database or add a lived experience council?

To add a council to the database, please complete this form. And if you are aware of other lived experience groups working within the state, sharing this form with them to ensure their council’s representation in the database will support work to create a more comprehensive map of groups working throughout the state. We have also created this short communications blurb that can be used in any newsletters or communications platforms as another avenue to share.

What kinds of councils are being included in the database? 

This database seeks to include any state agency or community (non-profit) agency lived experience groups in Colorado that work to incorporate lived experience feedback and voice into shaping their services or policy. The groups can be composed of fully lived experience membership or mixed membership including staff. The database hopes to highlight specific eligibility criteria for an individual to participate in each council as well as any compensation models each council holds for transparency and ease of connection. The database seeks to be a comprehensive resource displaying all diverse opportunities available for advocates to engage in.

Who is maintaining this database?

Currently, this inventory is being maintained by the 211 Program Coordinator on the Community Partnerships team with the Colorado Department of Human Services. For any questions, suggestions or concerns around the database, please reach out to Sarah Hanselin at sarah.hanselin@state.co.us.