Perspectives 2025: Michael Elwan on Embedding Lived Experience Leadership for CaLD Mental Health Transformation

I’m honoured to share that I’ll be speaking at Perspectives 2025, a national Lived Experience e-Symposium hosted by the Finding North Network in partnership with the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA). My presentation will explore CaLD mental health transformation through lived experience leadership and culturally grounded systems change.

This event is a powerful annual gathering of lived experience leaders, truth-tellers, advocates, and allies from across the country - each bringing their voice, wisdom, and courage to the future of mental health transformation.

Presentation Title:

Beyond Cultural Barriers: Embedding Lived Experience Leadership for CaLD Mental Health Transformation

Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025

Time: 1:30pm AEST | 11:30am AWST

Location: Online via Zoom

Cost: Free

Register here

In this talk, I’ll explore how cultural stigma, systemic exclusion, and a lack of representation continue to silence voices from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities - and how lived experience leadership can disrupt that silence with courage, care, and truth. These are the everyday realities that shape the need for meaningful CaLD mental health transformation across systems and leadership

Drawing from my personal story as a CaLD man, carer, and suicide bereaved advocate, I’ll reflect on what becomes possible when systems not only hear us, but trust us to lead. This includes practical strategies for embedding CaLD peer leadership, co-designing with community, and moving from tokenism to transformation.

Why This Matters

Mental health systems in Australia are changing - but too often, culture is still treated as an afterthought. For those of us who grew up navigating shame, silence, and misunderstanding, leadership is not just an opportunity. It’s a responsibility. If we are to move forward, we must centre culture in every aspect of reform - this is the essence of CaLD mental health transformation.

I speak in honour of those who came before me - the carers, survivors, elders, and community trailblazers who dared to speak before it was safe. I carry their legacy with humility. And I believe the future of mental health must be co-created: across cultures, across disciplines, and across lived experience.

Perspectives 2025 isn’t just an event - it’s where ideas are shared, truths are honoured, and new possibilities are born. Whether you’re a peer worker, policymaker, practitioner, or passionate community member, I’d love to have you join this conversation. Together, we can help shape a shared vision for CaLD mental health transformation, where every voice and every culture truly matters. Grateful for Finding North Network, and the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA) for this opportunity.

Let’s build a future where every voice - and every culture - truly matters.

Based in Perth, WA, LEXs provides telehealth counselling across Australia for individuals, couples, and NDIS participants. Services extend to Social Work supervision, Peer Work supervision, training, and keynote speaking on men’s mental health, CaLD community wellbeing, and culturally responsive suicide prevention; helping people and organisations make mental-health care more compassionate, inclusive, and effective. LEXs provides services across Australia, supporting clients in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and beyond. To learn more about our work across Australia, visit LEXs' services page.