In employment and organisational dynamics, the concept of lived experience has emerged as a powerful force, reshaping perspectives and fostering empathy. This Conversation on Co-production delves into the dual narrative surrounding the employment of individuals with lived experience. From the viewpoint of both employers and those with firsthand knowledge, it uncovers the benefits and challenges that come with integrating these unique perspectives into the workforce.

In this month's Conversation on Co-production, the group discussed the importance of addressing power imbalances in co-production by promoting transparency, training, open communication, and bravery in challenging established norms. It highlighted the ongoing work needed to create a more inclusive and equitable co-production process. Listen to the podcast episode to hear what else they had to say! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3ZumACy Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here: https://bit.ly/3JTIN8X Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link: https://expertlink.org.uk/

The focus of this month's Conversation on Co-production was how we can improve communication between co-production parties. The group discussed ideas such as active listening and empathy, clear goal definition, progress updates and conflict resolution mechanisms. Listen to the podcast episode to hear what else they had to say! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3ZumACy Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here: https://bit.ly/3JTIN8X Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link: https://expertlink.org.uk/

"For a huge majority of people who I have worked alongside over several years of doing this, it has been about wanting to be heard, wanting to make the change, being part of that change and using what's happened to them, to their family members, or people they know to feed into that and make the change for others so that doesn't happen again, or does if it was positive. We have these conversations about payment and cash and vouchers and all of this kind of stuff, but most of the people I have spoken to are kind of like I don't care about that, that's not what I am doing it for, you know, I just want to be valued and heard…" The focus of this month's Conversation on Co-production was how we recompense and value co-production participants' time and contribution. We discussed what 'value' looks and feels like to different individuals, examples of how organisations recompense participation, and the reasons why people with lived experience may want to get involved in co-production. Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

'Co-production…can be a bit of a journey which can support people's mental health, so if it's done properly and it's done well and the support is in place…people can take a step out of their comfort zone and be supported, do well and move forward.' The focus of this month's Conversation on Co-production was how co-production can impact our mental health. We discussed mental health benefits, challenges, and considerations for people involved in co-production. Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

In this episode of Co-pro Radio, we discuss: 1. How to get started with co-production - the importance of being honest 2. The difference between involvement/participation and co-production 3. Levels of co-production and organisational consistency - from engagement to co-production 4. Assessing and adapting to individual and organisational needs 5. Recognising and reimbursing contributions to co-production Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

The gift of feedback - Why is feedback so important for co-production? And what does giving and receiving feedback look like? We asked attendees of this month's Conversation on Co-production for their experiences and learnings. Listen here for some more insights from the group! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

How do we make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to fully take part in co-production, in a way that suits them best? We asked attendees of Conversations on Co-production for their experiences and learnings. Listen here for some great insights and top tips from the front line! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

You have set up co-production processes & got a lived experience group together, but how do you keep the momentum going? What do you do to keep people coming back?   We asked attendees of  Conversations on Co-production for their experiences and learnings. Listen here for some great insights and top tips from the front line! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunitites and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

Which way of doing co-production works? We asked attendees of Conversations on Co-production for their experiences and learnings. Listen here for some great insights and top tips from the front line! Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

Should people with lived experience be on boards? 100% of those who attended conversations on co-production last week said YES!  Hear what else they had to say about why they should and what organisations can do to support them. Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox! Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

Why employ people with lived experience? We asked attendees of Conversations on Co-production for their experiences and learnings. Listen here for some great insights and top tips from the front line! In this episode, we discuss the benefits of employing people with lived experience in paid roles, the potential barriers they may face and how employers can best support them.   Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive the latest news, co-production tips, training opportunitites and more straight to your inbox!   Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link

We know by now that co-production is more than just a buzzword, but how do we get people doing it?  Getting started on a co-production journey can seem daunting, and senior management teams may be sceptical as to whether the benefits outweigh the effort.  At Conversation on Co-production, we looked at how we can encourage buy-in from different levels and the group shared their own experiences.   Sign up to become an Expert Link member and receive latest news, co-production tips, training opportunities and more straight to your inbox!  Join us at Conversations on Co-production by signing up here! Visit our website to find out more about Expert Link