co-design callouts 1
In this new blog and youtube vlog, "Co-design Callouts", I want to share some insights on co-design, co-production, and participation as they apply to children's services, adult services, and human services work in general. Over the coming weeks, I will post here about themes that have bubbled up from my reading on co-design over the past two years. Sharing the themes and the Vlog links.
First up: coalitions, lived experience practices.
Starting with coalitions, the idea revolves around people coming together, finding common ground, and setting a path forward. Influential figures like Angela Davis emphasise the need for "unlikely coalitions" (Westoby, Palmer, & Lathouras, 2020). As a council officer, I believe the key is to find allies who share values and recognize the need for change. In this sense, a coalition can emerge naturally as long as there is a diverse mix of people involved. Fred Moten's concept of the undercommons expresses this mutual space within institutions where people have a shared acknowledgment of what needs changing, share vulnerability and leadership, and work within and against the inequities of systems.
Facilitators play a crucial role in nurturing these coalitions. Some valuable resources for understanding roles and dynamics within such groups are the book "Building a Movement to End the New Jim Crow: Organizing Guide" (Hunter, 2015) and the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing. One of the core principles is inclusivity, which requires going beyond tokenism in the invitation to join these movements and the work being done together.
It's essential to have a mix of lived and learned experiences in these coalitions to enact change in areas like social care and child protection. This requires full consideration of the lived experience practices within the emerging group. Some helpful tips can be found in the book "Sticky Notes" (McKercher, 2020), which emphasises the importance of trauma-informed practice, choice, consent-driven convening, and an approach marked by openness, humility, and warmth.
The goal is to create a group where everyone has a seat at the table and can contribute in different ways while moving forward together. One important aspect, as mentioned by Sasha Costanza-Chock in their book "Design Justice", is recognizing the knowledge and experience within the community itself. It may be more beneficial to draw on local expertise rather than immediately seeking outside help.
In summary, forming diverse coalitions and focusing on lived experience practices are essential for making meaningful change in human services work. By creating inclusive spaces where everyone can contribute, we can better address the complex issues facing our communities.
Thank you!
Tim
