The evolving role of Educators by Experience in Social Work Education: Values, challenges, and future directions

This chapter explores the evolving role of Educators by Experience (bE) in social work education, advocating for a shift from involvement towards genuine co-production. While Educator bE integration offers many benefits for students and educators alike, significant challenges persist, including tokenism, power imbalances, lack of diversity, and insufficient institutional support. Drawing on hook’s engaged pedagogy, and lived experiences, the chapter proposes a framework for co-production that emphasises authentic partnership and shared decision-making. We propose several strategies and considerations that should underpin such a framework and make the argument that, to be transformative, issues of power, tokenism, and lack of diversity must be confronted and addressed.