Blog: So, where to begin with ‘embedding’ co-production?
In this blog, David Allan from the Scottish Co-production Network explores the challenges, and possible solutions, of taking co-production from something individuals do to a broader, organisational process.
As we head (rapidly) towards this year’s Co-production Week Scotland (18th – 22nd November) it set me to thinking about the theme for this year: Embedding Co-production. Throughout the week, we’ll be focusing on examining the structures, systems and, crucially, resources needed to cement co-production as a way to advocate for the value of lived experience and shift the balance of power in decision-making.
Four puzzle pieces with one of the them not connected.
But where do we begin with embedding co-production?
It is gratifying and reassuring that so many people are now talking about co-production as a ‘normal’ part of what they do. The key issue for many people, and one of the main stumbling blocks we hear from network members, is that most of these people are talking from an individual point of view, rather than an organisational perspective.
If you sometimes feel like a lone voice championing co-pro – you’re not alone! The well-worn example of turning the supertanker around is useful to consider here. We know it is much easier to change ways of working with a small group of people than it would be with a larger organisation such as a local authority or health board.
But if this change doesn’t happen, we also see the risk that project-based co-production can often rely on short term funding, and passionate individuals who can become burnt out, or move on to other roles.
Making these broader, more strategic changes is how we’re going to see co-production firmly at the core of how decisions are made across government and the third sector in Scotland. That requires everyone involved to understand the principles, values and practice of co-production.
Where to start: The Co-production Guide
This is where, we hope, the new Co-production Guide can come in. We’ve devoted Section 3 of Guide to embedding co-pro, and we’ve made this the focus of Co-pro Week as well.
In the Guide, to be launched during Co-production Week, we explore how to introduce the idea/advocate for co production in your organisation and get buy-in at a range of levels.
We also explore how to develop a strategic approach to co-production - supporting and embedding co-pro in governance, decision-making, systems and processes. To do that we’ve brought together some of the key policies, frameworks and tools which can help to develop co-production in a structured way.
From there, the significant questions about how we resource co-production, how we deliver it in reality, and what might need to change about our current practice, can get that little bit easier to broach.
While the Guide is just one resource (that we’ll be building on and developing), we hope it will act as a useful starting point to support your work in answering the question we started with: ‘Where do we begin with embedding co-production?’
The Co-production Guide logo