The Lived Experience Panel

Find out about our Lived Experience Panel and the impact their involvement has on our work

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What is the Lived Experience Panel?

The Lived Experience Panel are people who work with Breaking Barriers as consultants and are integral to the work we do. We define the term ‘lived experience’ as those who are seeking asylum with the right to work, refugees and those who have experienced Breaking Barriers support.

We want to ensure that lived experience is at the heart of our work. We believe that this is essential to develop effective policies, programmes, and services that are responsive to the needs of our community and the issues that they face.

The Lived Experience Panel is one of the greatest achievements for Breaking Barriers in 2023. Having a group of consultants from a lived experience background to help us truly place a client and data led approach at the heart and centre of our work is extremely vital to our mission, and we have already seen their significant impact on our services.

Abdulrahman, Lived Experienced Officer

What do the Lived Experience Panel do?

Our Lived Experience Panel work in partnership with staff throughout the organisation, contributing to new and ongoing projects, events, and workshops along with shaping decision-making processes at every level. Their role can vary from strategic management and planning to front line service delivery.

In the first 3 months, the Panel has worked cross organisationally making many contributions, including:

  • Assisting in the recruitment process for Breaking Barriers’ new CEO and the Director of People.
  • Assisting in the recruitment process which led to hiring individuals with a lived experience.
  • Sharing feedback and perspectives about our relationship with funders.
  • Shaping and participating in events with our business partners.
  • Managing and participating in group discussions that focus on the challenges that refugees face when trying to enter employment or education in the UK.
  • Sharing their perspective on the accessibility of our storytelling process.

We worked with Abdulrahman and a member of the panel whilst recruiting for Employment Advisors in Greater Manchester and Birmingham. Both Abdulrahman and the consultant, Marsha, were extremely helpful, accommodating, patient, and brought some great insight to the recruitment process. They also supported us in a mini review of recruitment practices for Employment Advisors in Greater Manchester and Birmingham, through which we have recently recruited two new advisers from refugee backgrounds.

Amee, Programme Manager (Manchester)

The impact of the Lived Experience Panel

Having the Lived Experience Panel has significantly enriched our staff’s knowledge of the unique struggles and perspectives of the individuals we serve.

The valuable input from our consultants has had a profound impact on our team’s confidence when communicating with our partners and different stakeholders about the barriers our clients face.

We recognise that our panel members are not just people with lived experience as refugees or asylum seekers, but more importantly, they are professional individuals with rich backgrounds.

As well as enabling tangible input from individuals outside the organisation, one of the main areas of focus for Breaking Barriers is to create meaningful and supportive employment and learning opportunities for panel members.

We are therefore committed to supporting all panel members through training and well being support so that they can contribute their best.

Meet the Panel

Find out more about each panel member by selecting their profile:

Meet the Panel

Fatima

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Fatima

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Fatima Abbas is a Syrian clinician and researcher from Damascus with a diverse medical, education, and public health background. She earned her medical degree from Damascus University and completed postgraduate training in internal medicine and emergency care in France. She furthered her studies at the University of Paris and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, focusing on immunology and public health. 

Passionate about education, research, and healthcare in conflict zones, Fatima founded an initiative to support Syrian medical students and healthcare professionals in evidence-based medicine, research methodology, and medical education. She has coordinated numerous educational programs aimed at helping healthcare professionals in exile and is currently working as a Mentoring Coordinator for Refugee Education UK. 

Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, Fatima has a deep passion for food, travel, and outdoor activities, making her a dynamic individual with a global perspective on health and education.

Meet the Panel

Mika

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Mika

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Mika is a dedicated advocate for refugee rights and social inclusion, with extensive experience supporting refugees and migrants in education, employment, and integration. She has worked with organisations like Refugee Education UK, ACH, and Stories of Hope and Home in advisory and governance roles. She is also an ambassador for Hope for the Young, advocating for young refugees’ access to education and opportunities. Mika’s commitment to policy, social justice, and lived experience leadership drives her to challenge the barriers faced by refugees with confidence and determination.

Meet the Panel

Nanou

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Nanou

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Nanou is an organiser and volunteer at Migrants Organise, where she empowers refugees and migrants to advocate for power, dignity, and justice, fostering meaningful inclusion and integration. Nanou collaborates with individuals who have lived experience, engaging in community organising, advocacy, and campaigns to dismantle the hostile environment.

With over nine years of lived experience in the UK asylum system, Nanou’s career has focused on working directly with asylum seekers and refugees, as well as organising and campaigning on their behalf. This September, Nanou will begin a master's in Public Policy and Management at Birkbeck University, with a focus on the UK immigration system and public policy-making.

Meet the Panel

Elahe

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Elahe

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Elahe works for IMIX as Media and Storytelling Manager. On a daily basis she works with local journalists and supports numerous charities and individuals with lived experience of forced/chosen migration to engage with their local media outlets in a safe, positive and successful manner.

Prior to joining IMIX, she worked at the Scottish Refugee Council for six years as a caseworker. She completed a BA in Education and Social Services and volunteered with multiple charities in Glasgow. She is also a board member of the Scottish Detainee Visitors.

Meet the Panel

Ahmad

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Ahmad

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Ahmad is a strategic data and innovation specialist with extensive international experience and a strong academic background. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Analytics from Manchester Metropolitan University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Bradford. With a proven track record in data analysis and project management, Ahmad is passionate about leveraging technology to empower communities and drive social change. In his spare time, he actively volunteers for local charitable organisations.

Meet the Panel

Mohammad

Lived Experience Panel consultant
Meet the Panel

Mohammad

Lived Experience Panel consultant

Mohammad Taib Yosufzai is a highly experienced and committed humanitarian leader who dedicated over three decades to the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS). Beginning his career in 1993, he progressed into senior leadership roles, including Director of Organisational Development, Director of Finance, and, most recently, Deputy Secretary General (Support).

Throughout his tenure, he played a central role in driving organisational change, strengthening systems, and enhancing internal governance, while also leading on capacity building, policy development, and strategic planning. Recognised internationally for his achievements in fundraising and marketing, Yosufzai received several awards and held leadership positions within the Asia Pacific Fundraisers Network (APFN), including serving as Chair. Holding a degree in Political Science from Kabul University, he brings a deep understanding of humanitarian work, strong leadership, and a longstanding commitment to collaboration and impact across the sector.

Get involved

If you are someone who has experienced our services as a client or worked with us as a volunteer or partner, we would love to hear your experience with us

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Find out more about the work our Lived Experience Panel have been involved in