Blog: Our Inclusive Community Project: using co-production to create better homes
In this blog, Jen Dalrymple from Capability Scotland shares learning from an innovative project using co-production to develop a housing community for individuals with additional and complex needs in Perth.
We are embarking on a journey of creating 60 bed homes including residential, respite and transitional for adults with complex disabilities. From the outset, we recognised our customers, staff, and families lived experiences could shape and influence the service design and delivery, therefore it has been a priority of the project to involve them from the outset. Working alongside our architects and other partners, we are creating, providing, and sharing opportunities for discussion.
The feedback learning curve
A significant learning curve which I have recognised is how to engage and receive feedback. The traditional method of sitting in a room and talking, it not always the best option for our customers. During our first session of feedback when the mock-up was created, it very much involved customers visiting the accommodation and commenting on space, often in group settings. It was quickly identified this was not the best format for many of our customers. Working alongside our Inclusive Communications Officer, I undertook training on Talking Mats which has provided me with the skills to work with customers on a one-to-one basis to gather genuine feedback. This is a tool which I will be adopting in our next stage of the mock-up feedback to help engage further with our customers.
No detail is too small
Another significant learning is realising that no detail is too small. An example of this comes from reviewing the sketches our architects provided of a customer’s bathroom in their home. On initial review, there were noticeable changes required such as the positioning of equipment to allow for customers to be safely supported however, the real attention to detail came from our Support Workers who did not only identify issues but provided solutions to these. It really demonstrated how valuable co-production is and how individuals who are the experts in their sector can provide a wealth of knowledge that creates better homes and working environments.
Challenges and wins
When the announcement of the move from our existing site at Upper Springland to Bertha Park site was made in July 2021, we were still very much in a world which was surrounded by Covid which made it challenging to engage in the process due to restrictions. Into the post Covid world, we, along with other social care providers, have noticed a significant impact of recruiting of staff. Both have caused challenges to engage with customers and staff however, we have managed well with this to date with the support of the management team to be provide additional resources to allow staff members the time out of their day to engage in the process and to provide support to customers.
We have been very fortunate to have the available space at our existing premises to build a life-size mock-up of the proposed accommodation at our new site. Being able to display a replica of the size of the accommodation generated over 600 recommendations, questions and comments which expanded further than our original purpose of determining “space” of the accommodation. This feedback has been passed on to our architects and changes to the mock-up based on these are impending.
Practical and prioritised
We recently held workshops involving customers, staff and families which was facilitated by Architecture & Design Scotland (A&DS) who focused on what everyone’s priorities were for the building and how they envision their experience of living, working, or visiting the building to be. The workshops were a significant tool to gather individuals’ aspirations and opportunities of what the environment could provide. In these workshops, we collated over 500 comments which will feed into our design planning process.
The response to date has been positive, there are some customers who are so eager for the eventual move to take place sooner than the expected date. We are still very much at the planning and designing stage. As we progress through the project, this is where the opportunity is to develop our co-production approach into various elements of the project, allowing us to gain valuable insight in from our customer, staff and families.
Looking to the future
We are in the process, alongside our architects, of finalising a schedule of activities of co-production. We will be working with various individuals to focus on specific topics which are areas that co-production can have a genuine impact: building design, service design, environmental controls and accessibility.
The feedback from these sessions will be shared with our architects and project board to ensure co-production remains a key element of the project and is a representation of the wider individual’s voice.