Experts (Educators) by Experience

Experts by Experience/Educators (EbE): refers to the group of people who have experience of professional/service involvement in their lives and now use that experience to educate future generations of professionals. They do this by sharing their stories, by talking to students about what works for them and what doesn’t, by developing case studies, by interviewing prospective students, by helping SWECW to develop programmes and by many more activities.  

SWECW has a strong commitment to maintain and develop a strategy that values and involves EbE’s at all levels of its teaching, learning, engagement with partners and research activities. The SWECW is already recognised for EbE innovations providing a range of dynamic, clinically based, educational programmes to the highest standard. Underlying this driver is the belief that involving those with experience brings a vital perspective to understanding the issues related to a specific topic and to complex decision making in policy development, service planning and delivery. The aim of our EbE work is to:  

1. Promote meaningful EbE involvement for student learning within SWECW.  
2. Maintain a robust, EbE-driven innovative and dynamic curriculum and further develop innovative ways of involving EbE’s – including student recruitment, learning, assessment, research and business engagement. 
3. Ensure the value and impact of EbE engagement is recognised across SWECW and wider educational and practice communities.  
4. Arrange for the appropriate support to be in place for all levels of involvement. 
5. Proved examples of good practice to be used throughout SWECW. 
6. Evaluate the effectiveness of EbE involvement so that such standards can be monitored and continuously improved.