Title image: What is co-production and why is it important?

Participation and 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

Increased participation is a fundamental part of co-production.

There are many models of participation but one which is used internationally is the IAP2 Participation Framework (PDF). This can help you to map out where you are in relation to public participation. 

There are seven core values developed by IAP: 

  1. Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process. 

  2. Public participation includes the promise that the public's contribution will influence the decision. 

  3. Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers. 

  4. Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision. 

  5. Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate. 

  6. Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way. 

  7. Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision. 

In co-production practice, we are always striving to achieve the highest possible levels of participation (the ‘Collaborate’ and ‘Empower’ levels within the IAP2 framework) but do recognise that it’s not always possible to get there right from the start. Any framework or model should be used to inform how you make progress and what you aim to achieve at all the different stages of your co-production journey.  

This video on participation from Our Museum introduces other models of participation – such as Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation - and highlights why participation is important. When you’re watching the video,  try replacing the word “participation” with “co-production” throughout - it really works!