Drew Vagg: Embedding the Lived Experience

What do jackaroos, bohemians and horticulturists have in common?
Drew Vagg.

Andrew, known at HOPE offices as Drew, lived many lives before joining HOPE as a Peer Support Specialist in 2023.

He’s now about to embark on his next adventure with HOPE, joining the team at Hope Springs Therapeutic Community as Therapeutic Communities and Lived Experience Specialist.

As Peer Support Specialist, Drew has worked to embed peer work and the voice of Lived Experience into HOPE’s DNA. His expertise has informed HOPE policies and led to the development of our Lived Experience (Peer) Workforces Framework.

But before joining HOPE, Drew wore many hats.

Finding his calling

From working in horticulture and landscape design, to working as a jackaroo, to spending time living the (self-labelled) “bohemian lifestyle”, Drew eventually found himself as a resident in an alcohol and other drug (AOD) rehabilitation centre.

At one of the facility’s open days, he was offered the chance to be a speaker for the day.

His public speaking abilities made an impression and not long after he was approached to work as a Lived Experience Consumer Consultant, kicking off his journey in the peer work sector.

In his first peer work role he was able to take a role in the development of what is now the Certificate IV in Peer Work in Western Australia.

He also established a SMART Recovery Group, empowering others to manage their own recovery journeys and learn more about harm minimisation.

After building his peer work experience, Drew came to HOPE to help establish its first peer work framework and program.

“A friend of mine was HOPE’s consumer consultant, and there was a discussion about setting up a peer program,” says Drew.

“I interviewed for the job, and then once at HOPE I started the process of trying to embed the Lived Experience, not only in the peer work that HOPE does but beyond that, so it’s felt in our policies and procedures.”

The importance of peer work

“It’s important to me that this work gets done,” he says.

“I’ve lived in the world of AOD use for a long time, so I know what it is that drives addiction.

“Being able to do this work, for me, is just to see the boys get up… being able to see that reflect in what we do and the way we act as people of HOPE, being able to have those conversations internally and shift how people think of and talk about addiction and what supports recovery.

“Recovery from addiction is about having something that is more important and more meaningful than the addiction.”

Outside of working, you can find Drew perusing his local coffee wholesale buyers’ group, trying the latest restaurant or offering up some of his latest culinary venture.

He’ll be doing all of this and more in Geraldton as he steps into his new role at Hope Springs.

“Drew’s engagement with the team at Hope Springs has been really impactful,” says Kiera Read, Manager, Service Operations.

“The ways he respectfully challenges practice, guides conversations and mentors staff has lifted the team’s confidence and the quality of our work enormously. He’s super authentic, very wise and brings such integrity to everything he does.”

“Drew is super funny, incredibly insightful and someone who engages in reflective practice every day. I learn something new from him every day about peer work and lived experience.”

Drew is excited about the post at Hope Springs.

“Geraldton is by the ocean; it’s got the bush. There’s something about being out there. The Midwest has some magic to it… I’m looking forward to immersing myself in it all.”