Video Spotlight: Sara, CAPITAL Lived Experience Lead, on CAPITAL as Community

At CAPITAL, lived experience shapes everything we do. It is not a box to tick, it is the foundation of our work. Sara, our Lived Experience Lead, brings this to life through her journey, leadership and deep commitment to peer support.

Sara has worked in mental health for over ten years and has been part of CAPITAL for three. During that time, she has held several roles, from supervising peer support workers on inpatient wards to leading the fantastic Drug & Alcohol Partnership with West Sussex County Council.

“CAPITAL is so unique because we all have to have lived experience. We all understand what it’s like to struggle with our mental health.”

That shared understanding creates a culture of empathy and trust. CAPITAL is often described as feeling like a family, where people can speak openly about their mental health and be met with compassion rather than judgement.

Peer support sits at the heart of CAPITAL’s work. It offers people the chance to connect with someone who has lived through similar experiences and truly understands.

“To be able to talk to someone who has walked in your shoes is so important,” Sara says. “People feel they can be much more open. They don’t feel as judged.”

Sara describes peer support as a two-way process, one that supports individuals while also building confidence, leadership and connection within communities. Across West Sussex, peer-led groups continue to provide vital support at a time when mental health needs are increasing.

Like many organisations, CAPITAL is operating in a challenging funding situation and is currently operating as a much smaller team. Despite this, community support continues, thanks to volunteers and our previous inpatient peer support workers who generously give their time to help keep groups running while we navigate uncertainty.

Now at CAPITAL, Sara currently leads co-production for West Sussex County Council’s Drug and Alcohol Partnership through CAPITAL and alongside Project Assistant Mark, this work has led to the development of multiple community projects shaped directly by people with lived experience; forming co-produced training for frontline staff across housing, health, and public services, it is really thriving and going from strength to strength.

“It’s been co-produced from beginning to end” highlighting a model of genuine collaboration.

Sara’s work reflects what CAPITAL stands for. Lived experience as expertise. Peer support as a powerful and effective approach. Communities built through empathy, respect and shared understanding.

As we look ahead, CAPITAL remains committed to amplifying lived experience, strengthening peer support, and working in partnership to improve mental health support across West Sussex and we hope the new year brings more funding opportunities for us to continue.

Thank you to Sara for her fantastic work and dedication.

Watch the full interview below: