Seat at the Table program

BCNA has run the internationally recognised Seat at the Table (SATT) program since 2001.

The program trains people with a lived experience of breast cancer to work as consumer representatives with clinicians, researchers, health service providers and policymakers across Australia, ensuring the consumer voice is at the heart of wherever decisions are being made.

Our Consumer Representatives come from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences reflecting their ability to represent the wider breast cancer community, not only their own experience.

For more information read the 2021 article published in Health Voices: Journal of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia: BCNA Consumer Leadership – An innovative approach to cancer consumer representative training.

Training and support

Our Consumer Representatives have completed BCNA's Consumer Representative Training program, a blended learning program of three online courses, Who is BCNA, The Science of Breast Cancer and The Role of the Cancer Consumer Representative, followed by a workshop with the BCNA Executive and Policy and Advocacy teams.

BCNA Consumer Representatives have strong communication skills, knowledge of breast cancer issues and the ability to reflect the diverse needs, viewpoints and concerns of Australians affected by breast cancer.

BCNA Consumer Representatives are supported by the BCNA Policy & Advocacy Team and report back to BCNA regularly on their progress to allow us to identify further learning and development needs.

What consumer representatives do

BCNA Consumer Representatives work on a variety of projects, including: 

• providing consumer input on research projects
• co-designing services and supports for people affected by breast cancer
• representing the views of those affected by breast cancer on government advisory committees
• contributing to BCNA’s research reports, submissions, campaigns and other projects
• supporting research grant applications
• assisting with clinical trials, including ethics and consent documents
• assisting with the development of information resources and publications
• presenting findings at key conferences and other speaking opportunities.

About the role

A BCNA Consumer Representative is someone diagnosed with breast cancer who is trained to represent the broad views, needs and experiences of people affected by breast cancer and can speak on their behalf. BCNA’s Consumer Representatives do not simply express personal opinions. Instead, they speak on behalf of our network as well as our policy and advocacy priorities.

The role is voluntary, and people diagnosed with breast cancer in all states and territories are welcome to apply. Consumer Representatives are expected to attend a set number of virtual ‘get togethers’ and training opportunities organised by BCNA every year, as well as completing quarterly reporting requirements.

For more information on the role of Consumer Representatives we invite you to contact us.

Working with Consumer Representatives

BCNA’s trained Consumer Representatives are available for appointment to projects, studies, committees, and other work concerned with improving outcomes for those affected by cancer.

Consumer Representatives are not just storytellers, they are equipped with the skills and knowledge to represent the broader experience of a breast cancer diagnosis as well as BCNA’s policy and advocacy priorities. They also bring with them their diverse professional and personal backgrounds.

Our Consumer Representatives work with researchers, government, service providers, academic institutes, and other cancer organisations.  

If you would like more information about how a BCNA Consumer Representative could work with you, we invite you to contact us.