“We need to follow the lead of the person at the heart of it all.”
Image: Two women are sitting close to each other and speaking. They are in an office setting with books in the background.
At Life Without Barriers, our values guide our interactions with people and communities every day. Courage, respect, imagination, responsiveness and building strong relationships are more than just words; they are qualities that shine through in the work of our people.
For Ashleigh, a peer worker, these values are part of daily life. Drawing on their own lived experience of mental health challenges, Ashleigh supports others on their recovery journey.
“I don’t go through life thinking too hard about whether I am embodying values; I just am. I just do what I think is right,” Ashleigh explains.
That authenticity is central to peer work. By sharing their own story, Ashleigh offers hope and practical support for others. A day on the job might mean going for a walk with someone, joining them at the shops, or sitting quietly and listening.
“Sometimes being responsive isn’t about doing,” Ashleigh says.
“It’s about being still, being present, and holding the space without judgement.”
Peer workers often play a unique role in someone’s support network. While families, clinicians, and other professionals each bring their expertise, Ashleigh focuses on ensuring the person’s own voice remains at the centre.
This can mean navigating difficult conversations, particularly when parents or professionals believe they know best.
“I remind families that if they are stressed, imagine how their loved one is feeling,” Ashleigh shared.
“We need to follow the lead of the person at the heart of it all.”
This respectful approach helps restore agency and builds trust. For people who have spent time in hospital or care, regaining a sense of independence can be daunting. Ashleigh uses imagination to help people see possibilities for their future.
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“Sometimes I need to step into their world for a while and offer ideas that they can shape for themselves,” Ashleigh said.
“But I always make it clear, it’s not about me, it’s about them and what they want.”
Ashleigh’s path to this work was not a straight line. Originally working in finance while completing a psychology degree, their career was interrupted by an acute episode of mental illness. During recovery, Ashleigh discovered an advertisement for a role that required lived experience.
“It blew my mind! Normally, people are told to hide experiences like mine. Here was a role that valued it.”
Since then, Ashleigh has grown more confident in sharing their story with people they support and with colleagues. Their openness has helped build stronger relationships within the team.
“The more open we are, the more we respect and respond to each other,” Ashleigh said.
Practical strategies, like using different headphones to signal whether they need quiet or connection, demonstrate Ashleigh’s responsiveness not only to others but also to their own wellbeing.
“If I’m wearing my big headphones, my colleagues know to give me space,” Ashleigh laughed.
Liz Newton, Director of Lived Experience at Life Without Barriers, reflected on her work with Ashleigh.
“It was so evident that values are threads that weave consistently through the tapestry of Ashleigh’s work. And that is the point of embodying something, we no longer need to think about doing it or being it, we simply have become it.”
Ashleigh’s story is one of many across Life Without Barriers that shows how lived experience, when valued and supported, can transform lives. It is a reminder that our values are not just what we aspire to, they are alive in the everyday actions of our people, helping others live with dignity, choice, and hope.
Image: Ten icons with the words 'we are respectful' 'we are imaginative' 'we are responsive' 'we build relationships' and 'we are courageous' underneath.
