David’s experience of being a lived experience expert on a job interview panel

I took up the opportunity to be a panel member interviewing job applicants. The interview was for an Assistant Psychologist working with dementia in care homes. 

I put together two questions about what someone who had received a dementia diagnosis would want to know. These types of questions have come up in the DASH group. The questions were combined into one, and added to the question list. I asked my question and another one to each interviewee. The panel asked me for my impressions about each candidate. 

I found it extremely positive, if there was ever another opportunity, I would be first in the queue. I even asked afterwards when the next one would be.

It really helped me, it coincided with other support I was also receiving at the time, as well as other projects that I was part of.