Plans often begin with data, but lived experience adds another layer, shaping how data is viewed and used. Farmers know their soils, carers know the pressures on families, and young people know what helps them feel safe. This experiential knowledge is invaluable for resilience. When combined with technical expertise, it creates strategies that are practical, trusted, and more likely to succeed. Communities that make space for lived experience strengthen both their plans and their relationships. Resilience grows when people’s experience is treated as core knowledge, not anecdote.