This evaluation report presents findings from a co-reflection on the Lived Experience Community of Practice (CoP) established through the Promoting Respect and Equity Together (PRET) partnership. The CoP was created to support organisations and practitioners working to embed lived experience approaches in the primary prevention of gender-based violence, building on PRET’s pioneering Lived Experience Framework.
Drawing on an extended Community of Practice strategy meeting involving representatives from local government, women’s health services, lived experience collectives and community organisations, the report explores participants’ experiences of the CoP, including its strengths, challenges and areas for improvement. Through qualitative thematic analysis of meeting discussions, reflections and action items, the report identifies the learning, connections and practical value participants gained through participation.
The findings highlight how the CoP has fostered collaboration, knowledge sharing and critical reflection, while also providing recommendations for strengthening future Communities of Practice and informing the next phase of PRET’s lived experience work. While based on a single but in-depth CoP session, the report offers valuable insights into how lived experience can be meaningfully embedded in primary prevention practice and systems change efforts.