Lived Experience Advisory Group

The Wellington-Guelph Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) includes people who are currently accessing or have accessed health, housing, and social service supports and have experienced homelessness or housing instability. The LEAG was created to ensure people with lived and living experience have a meaningful voice in shaping health, housing, and social services in Wellington-Guelph. Members were recruited through an open process and reflect diverse backgrounds, including urban and rural experiences.

People with lived experience have expert knowledge of their communities, the problems they face, service gaps, and potential solutions. 

What the LEAG does:

• Share lived experience and personal experience to highlight service needs, gaps, and system barriers
• Offer recommendations and ideas to improve health and housing systems to the Planning Table
• Support and participate in engagement activities to understand community needs
• Provide feedback on new and existing plans, policies, and service delivery
• Help identify and prioritize solutions that reflect the community’s diverse needs

Collaboration with the Planning Table

The LEAG meets regularly and works closely with the Wellington-Guelph Health and Housing Community Planning Table. Members participate in joint meetings, share input, and help guide the Planning Table’s work to ensure that plans and activities remain grounded in the real experiences of people facing housing and health challenges.

The LEAG and the Planning Table created a Collaborative Framework for Working Together to strengthen coordination and ensure a unified approach. LEAG members now regularly attend Planning Table meetings to share their work, with staff support for preparation. Planning Table members also join LEAG meetings as needed, fostering ongoing collaboration and information-sharing.