GM VCSE Assembly: Co-Production Network Wednesday 27th March 2019 #VCSEEngage

What do we mean by Co-Production?

What do we mean by coproduction? The Coproduction Network Co-production is an approach where people, family members, carers, organisations and commissioners work together in an equal way, sharing influence, skills and experience to design, deliver and monitor services and projects. New Economics Foundation The relationship where professionals and citizens share power to design, plan, assess and deliver support together. It recognises that everyone has a vital contribution to make in order to improve quality of life for people and communities The Think Local Act Personal National Co-production Advisory Group Co-production is not just a word, it is not just a concept, it is a meeting of minds coming together to find shared solutions. In practice, co-production involves people who use services being consulted, included and working together from the start to the end of any project that affects them. When co-production works best, people who use services and carers are valued by organisations as equal partners, can share power and have influence over decisions made'.

Barriers to sharing power and viewing each-other as equals Time and payment Accountability and responsibility Venues used Language used Who has credibility? Who sets the agenda? Organisation’s rigid views of what ‘working together’ means.

What do we mean by coproduction? Elephants Citizens and professionals working together to find a way to overcome challenges. Working together well is sometimes called “coproduction”

What coproduction meant for me Services that do “to” and “for” can’t change much about what environment you return to and your relationships within that community Each time I was done to I was returning to a peer group facing huge structural disadvantages: Low income Unemployment Level of education, skills and training Health Deprivation and Disability Crime “I don’t want to surround myself with a person who doesn’t want anything . . . that kind of rubs off on me.” (Participant from Social Relationships Among Persons Who Have Experienced Serious Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and Homelessness: Implications for Recovery’ Padgett et al, 2008)

What do we mean by coproduction? Principles which create spaces in which we can work together well Strengths Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Everyone has skills, knowledge, experience and other qualities to offer. Everyone is needed to produce solutions that work Power It is difficult for either citizens or professionals to challenge how things are alone. All types of power must be shared. Leadership, support and resources must come from everyone involved. Unequal power needs to be recognised and addressed Relationships Good relationships are crucial for working together. Positive relationships require time, respect and trust. Everyone needs to feel safe, valued and wanted. The process must feel fair, open and honest to everyone

What do we mean by coproduction? Principles which create spaces in which we can work together well Diversity Diversity of people is important for high quality thinking. The process of working together and the language must make sense to everyone involved. Inequalities must be identified and talked about. These might link to age, class, disability, education, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation Knowledge There are different ways of “knowing things” and all of them are valuable. First-hand experience is as valuable as professional or academic knowledge. Knowledge of what does or does not work in the real world must be recognised and valued. Testing Good relationships are crucial for working together. Positive relationships require time, respect and trust. Everyone needs to feel safe, valued and wanted. The process must feel fair, open and honest to everyone

What does coproduction mean to you? How do the principles discussed relate to your own experiences of coproduction/working together well? What barriers are there to coproducing in a way which is true to your own personal values? What are the values and principles which are most important to your work?

Co-production benefits and barriers

Co Production in Practice – Age Friendly Training Exploration – What does an age-friendly community mean to you? Findings – Shops which understand our needs and value our custom. Solution Focussed Exploration – Involving partners, set realistic boundaries and generate further discussion on the topic with a wider audience. Product Design – focussed design group with different ways to input. Product Production - Involvement of beneficiaries in delivery Outcomes with mutual praise and recognition ‘I have a neurological illness : the music is too loud and can make shopping in this store a challenging experience’ ‘I have arthritis and use a mobility scooter and in the middle of the soft drink isle there is a post, which limits my accessibility, and I cannot pass it.’ ‘I have limited mobility in my hands, and when tins are double stacks on small shelves, it is hard to take the tin from on top, as there is not enough space for me to tip the top tin over to take off shelf’ ‘I need to sit down frequently and the isles are too long, and there is not enough seating space in the store’

‘Before Ambition for Ageing I felt that it was always younger people who were given the opportunity to share their views and shape what was going on in the community. I felt that older people had things to say but didn’t have anybody to listen to them. This programme has provided an opportunity for us to speak up and know that somebody is listening and will take our views on board.’ Steve Sherry – Ambition for Ageing Ambassador ‘Since being involved with Ambition for Ageing we now have lots of in-store information about local community groups and services for the elderly – I’d love to see this rolled out to other stores’ Christine Baldwin, Community Life Champion ASDA.

Co Production in Practice – Age Friendly Bus Guide Exploration – What does an age-friendly community mean to you? Consolidate Findings – Bus journeys that are comfortable and safe Solution Focussed Exploration – Involving partners, set realistic boundaries and generate further discussion on the topic with a wider audience. Product Design – focussed design group with different ways to input Product Production Outcomes with mutual praise and recognition

Co Production in Practice – Key Considerations Target Audience – Who are they? How will you engage with them? Where will you find them? Trust – Respect contributors equally and trust in their ideas. Take a Step Back - Be the enabler and facilitator of discussion, not the solution finders. Time – Don’t rush the process End Result – Strong and original outcomes which use ‘hidden assets’ to find solutions.

Ambition for Ageing ambition@gmcvo.org.uk

Dates for your diaries Planning meetings for next Co-Production Assembly event in June at Central Library Café, Manchester Town Centre; Tuesday 9th April 2019, 12.00 – 13.30pm Thursday 9th May 2019, 12.00 – 13.30pm Date of next Co-Production Assembly event; Thursday 20th June 2019, St Thomas Centre. Time TBC