Victim engagement

The Victim Engagement Team coordinates the Victims of Crime Commissioner’s Lived Experience program. 

The program seeks to include the lived experience of victim survivors in the work of the Commissioner. It has been designed so victims of crime in Victoria can use their experiences to provide feedback about key issues affecting them. 

There are two participation options in the Lived Experience Program: 

• The Lived Experience Experts Network (LEEN) 

• The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) 

The LEEN is a group of community members, with lived experience as victim survivors, who provide feedback, advice and input on issues and topics which relate to the justice or victim service systems.  

To be eligible for the LEEN, you need to: 

• Be 18 years or over 

• Have lived experience as a victim of crime 

• Want to share your views about what could be improved for victims of crime. 

For more information, please see the LEEN Terms Of Reference July 2026

You can join the network by completing an Expression of Interest form . As part of this process, it can be helpful to complete the Self-reflection tool.

Once we receive your Expression of Interest, we will get in touch to arrange a time to speak with you. In our call we will tell you more about what we do as well as asking a few questions about your interest in joining the LEEN, your hopes for participating, and any areas of interest you might have. We won’t ask you any questions about your experiences as a victim of crime. 

To find out more about how we use your information please see the VOCC Lived Experience Program Privacy Information Sheet

If you join the LEEN, we will send you a bi-monthly newsletter to: 

• update you on the work of the Commissioner 

• tell you about opportunities to provide feedback based on your lived experience. These are all voluntary. You can choose whether or not to be involved. 

We may also email you separately about specific consultations or activities. We will tell you if these are paid opportunities

The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) is a small group of victim survivors who meet every two months to discuss priority issues for victims of crime and provide feedback, based on their experiences of the justice and victim service systems. 

There are currently six lived experience members of the LEAG, who: 

• have an interest in systemic advocacy 

• give advice on the development and design of services, policy and systems 

• participate in relevant training 

• present their views about issues affecting victims of crime in LEAG meetings 

• work as part of a diverse team in a culturally safe and inclusive way 

LEAG members are paid an hourly rate for attending meetings and any additional consultation opportunities. The VOCC will also cover reasonable out of pocket expenses if these have been pre-approved. More information is available in the VOCC Lived Experience Program Remuneration And Reimbursement Information Sheet.

Intake for this group is currently closed.  

Recruitment for the LEAG takes place approximately every two years on a rolling basis, and will be advertised on the website and LinkedIn, with the next round to take place in late 2026 or the first half of 2027.

To learn more about the role see the Position description 

To see some of the work of the LEAG see Learning from Lived Experience here: Tools and guides for agencies | Victims of Crime Commissioner 

If you have any questions about the LEEN or LEAG, or need help to submit an expression of interest, please contact the Victim Engagement Team at engagement@vocc.vic.gov.au.  

If you would like help understanding this information or would like to receive it in another format call 1800 010 017 using the National Relay Service 133 677 (if needed).

In 2025 the Victorian Victims of Crime Commissioner commissioned an independent evaluation of the Commissioner’s (VOCC) lived experience functions. The evaluation was undertaken by Jo Farmer of Jo Farmer Consulting. 

This evaluation, which was completed 26 March 2026,  incorporated a document review, interviews with 13 participants (including staff and LEAG members) and a survey of LEEN participants (with a response rate of 25%).  

Overall, the evaluation found that the lived experience function at the VOCC is valuable to the work of the Commissioner and the Office. The approach to implementing the LEAG has been largely effective, and is resulting in change in how the VOCC incorporates victims’ perspectives into its work. In particular, interview participants commended the thoughtful recruitment approach which has resulted in a diversity of perspectives (with some minor opportunities for improvement). The wellbeing support approach for the LEAG is effective, and several interview participants commended it as ‘best in sector’. Generally, the LEAG is being implemented in alignment with best-practice principles for ethical engagement. Where opportunities for improvement are identified, they are acted on.  

The evaluation found that there are opportunities to continue developing the LEEN component of the Lived Experience program. While the majority of survey participants responded positively to most questions regarding implementation, a number of respondents identified opportunities to strengthen communications, support and engagement opportunities. Work by the Victim Engagement team in 2026 has focused on increasing communications and engagement opportunities for LEEN members. 

Response to the evaluation by the Commissioner: 

“The Lived Experience Program at my office has provided an invaluable contribution to my work as Victims of Crime Commissioner. The insights of members of the LEAG and the LEEN into the systemic barriers experienced by victim survivors help me perform my role on a daily basis. The evaluation findings and recommendation will assist me and my office to continue learning from and strengthening the program within available resources”.