‘I have always wanted to learn computers and improve myself and to help my daughter as she grows up – but never really pushed myself to do this – until one day my door bell rang and this lady asked if I would be interested in learning about computers. I told her I would love to but I don’t have one. She told me I could do it in my own home as she would loan me one. It was one of the best opportunities I have ever taken up. Thanks to Sarah my literacy has improved and I have learned more that I ever thought I would. Now I am more confident with helping with my daughter.’

Listen and deliver: To encourage people to tell us their views, to listen carefully to them and to respond openly, positively and flexibly.

Inspire: To value people, encourage them to be creative and enable them to realise their potential.

Coproduction: seen it, done it? Think again I am (a little) overweight and you can tell me, measure me, get a grant or even better a contract and try to persuade me, create lovely posters, run fabulous sessions but until I want to do something about it there isn't actually a demand for your wares irrespective of whether you have identified the need or not. Coproduction is a way of building demand from, by, and with. We are attempting to establish a much firmer footing for providing services that are alive and thrive and not a range of products aimed at meeting unclaimed needs that need to be sold to a disconnected 'end-user'. It will be challenging, it will mean conducting ourselves in ways which reinforce the value in all and, we will have to invite everyone to play their part in ways that we have never done before. Sam Hopley is chief executive of the Holy Cross Centre Trust which has been delivering coproduced services for the past four yearsHoly Cross Centre Trust

What we’ve learned  Responding to demand may address needs  Listening carefully to people  Giving front-line employees freedom to develop services

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