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Leaders by Experience Programme

Could you help us reach and support everyone with MS, especially people sometimes under-represented in our work?

Our free Leaders by Experience Programme is open to people with MS and loved ones. Our aim is to make sure everyone has a voice and reaches their potential by co-creating services and support with and for our whole community.

What is a leader by experience?

We often use the term expert by experience to describe people with MS and their loved ones. That's because they have first-hand experience of living with MS and are experts in their own wants and needs.

A leader by experience is someone who uses their lived experience to lead change by bringing people in our community together to create change.

Could you be a leader by experience?

You might be someone who already leads a group like The Black MS Foundation (Instagram link) or MS Together. Or someone like Trishna who advocates for our whole community as part of Asian MS. Or Accessible Rach who reaches our community through blogs or podcasts about life with progressive MS. 

We want to support everyone with MS. We know in the past we've not done well at representing carers, people with advanced MS, people who have Black, Asian or minority ethnic heritage, are under 35, male, non-binary, queer or trans. Read what we're doing about that in our diversity strategy.

Meanwhile, if you are, or want to be, a community leader who can help us do better get in touch.

How do I apply?

What does the programme involve and how will I benefit from taking part?

  • Meet other people working to create change with our community and share skills and knowledge with each other.
  • Collaborate with like-minded people to support each other’s work as well as promoting your own work.
  • Gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to become a co-production facilitator and give your group or followers a greater voice in shaping our national and regional services so everyone gets they support they want and need.
  • Learning more about innovation and service design, how to apply for funding, and project management.
  • Are there other aspects of our work you’d like to learn about? Tell us in your application.

How to apply

Fill in our quick form to express your interest in taking part. If you're on social media or have any digital links to your work, include them too.

We’ll get back to you with some more information on the programme and arrange a time to talk.

Apply to join Leaders by Experience