Title image: Embedding co-production in organisations and systems


Advocating for
co-production

Home
Introduction to Section 1 What is co-production? Why co-production? Participation and co-production What does co-production look like?
Introduction to Section 2 How to start co-production Methods and techniques Spotlight on lived experience panels Spotlight on facilitation techniques Supporting people in co-production
Introduction to section 3 Advocating for co-production The policy context Frameworks and tools
Introduction to Section 4 Reflecting, evaluating and learning Tips and helpful resources for evaluation

No matter how committed individual workers are to co-production, getting it embedded into the way organisations work is always difficult.

Often, it’s a small number of people who are advocating for using co-productive approaches in an organisation’s work, and the challenge can often be to gain a shared understanding among colleagues about the value of working in this way.

While there isn’t one way of doing this, and each organisation will have its own structures and cultures, these are some things to consider when advocating for co-production.

Co-production as an ethical approach

Co-production is more than a method of engagement – it brings strong principles and values, supported by ways of working that we’ve explored in this guide already. That means that taking this approach has a strong ethical basis – the fundamental idea of ‘doing with, not to’.

Co-production can lead to better outcomes

Ultimately, co-production is effective because it can lead to improved outcomes. Instead of designing a service and then finding it doesn’t fit people’s needs, co-production can lead to better-suited support by having people involved at an early stage. While the process can be more time consuming, ultimately the support provided can lead to better outcomes.

Co-production as less of a risk

Co-production is often seen as riskier, because it opens up power and decision-making in ways that are unpredictable. However, co-production can be thought of as less risky because you’re going to gain more understanding, information and ideas from having people fully involved. Of course, it still requires time and skills to get it right – but that is often resource and time well spent.

Examples of embedding co-production

Having taken a co-produced approach to planning employability commissioning strategy and infrastructure in Fife, the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) has noticed that services they fund are becoming more flexible around the needs of the people seeking support, and therefore more appropriate in terms of the help that is offered. Read more about this work.

Vox Scotland shared great case study where they reflect on making co-production work and embedding these principles in their work. The case study not only reflects the importance of community engagement within co-production but the need for involving those experts through experience in the process. 

Facing the challenges of co-production

Of course, it’s also true that co-production can be challenging, especially when trying to embed it as a broader approach. We also know that there aren’t lots of examples of co-production being entirely embedded into how organisations work.

Usually, we see elements of co-production employed, or used on a project-by-project basis. This reflects the challenges of taking co-production to this level, and how much time it can take.

In a time of reduced resources, for many organisations there will be a natural focus on keeping the doors open and the lights on so they can deliver the best support possible to the people who need it. Co-production might not be a priority at times like these.

With these challenges, we think it’s really important to be open about the difficult situations we’re facing - and to recognise and talk to the impact they're having on co-productive practice.