BEING Mental Health Consumers and Mental Health Carers NSW have worked together to produce this document outlining the principles and procedures for the guidance of policy makers and service providers seeking to engage directly with mental health consumers and carers.

BEING and MHCN are committed to the underlying principles that:
• Consumers and carers should be paid when formally engaged by organisations to participate in codesign
• Ideally consumers and carers should not be expected to participate in formal activities alone but should always be accompanied by another consumer or carer (ideally both), or a member of BEING and/or MHCN
• The 2×2 model of engagement is recommended when appropriate

When inviting consumers and/or carers to participate in an event we recommend that organisations follow these guidelines below in relation to:
• Promotion and lead time
• Meeting the costs to consumers or carers for participation
• Providing a quiet place and suitable recognition for their lived experience.

These guidelines also provide advice on:
• Payment for participation
• When to recognise consumers and carers
• Providing support
• The involvement of peer workers
• Engaging aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in activities
• Engaging consumers and carers in committee meetings and research

There are separate guidelines when consumers and carers are invited to ‘tell their story’ and acknowledgement of their participation after the engagement.

Click here to download the guidelines