Experts by Experience
If you have experience of struggling to manage on a low income, either directly or indirectly, and would like to have an input and discuss ways to help the community, we would like to hear from you.
As part of West Lothian Council's Tackling Poverty Strategy, the 'Experts by Experience' Panel has been established to gather the views of those who have experience, or know of someone, who has experienced poverty at some point in their lives. The success of the panel will create a better picture of poverty in West Lothian and inform our planning to tackle the major issues surrounding poverty.
As a member of the panel you could choose to take part by:
- Attending regular meetings
- Acting as a consultation panel for various West Lothian Council departments' and external partners
- Attending, and contributing, where appropriate, to additional working groups
- Undertaking activities as a 'mystery shopper' to inform future action planning
In 2024/25, consultations included:
- Access2Employment - How best to promote their service
- Adult Learning - Funding for family cooking classes
- The Larder - How to improve their service
- West Lothian Anti-Poverty Service - Children & Families toolkit review
- West Lothian Planning Department - Reviewing locality plans and feeding back what it is like to live in West Lothian
If you would like to get involved or would like further information please call 01506 283000 (option 4) or e-mail: volunteering@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window)
