Co-Production, representation and different perspectives

By Kevin Minier, carer and Co-production Network member

Kevin (left) at the Co-production Week webinar, July 2018

Why do we acknowledge that a Co-Production Team must be representative?  Include the views of ALL stakeholders?  That everyone’s voice is important?  It is because nobody can truly stand in somebody else’s shoes, walk somebody else’s walk, live somebody else’s life.  We all have different experiences and different aspirations.

Co-Production must embrace everyone’s different perspectives and differences – it is who we are. As a Carer my primary focus is getting good support for myself and excellent support for the person(s) I care for.  Yes, I am considerate about the needs of other stakeholders including: people who use services, clinicians, care workers, support staff, managers, business owners, taxpayers, health authorities and local authorities. And it is commendable to put the needs of others before my own.  But, as a Co-Production Team Member it is my duty to clearly express the needs and concerns of the stakeholders I am there to represent.

This is a good thing and PART of being an effective Co-Production Team Member.  It would be wrong to prevent a stakeholder from expressing their particular perspective and experience. Of course this should be done in a constructive and respectful manner.  A problem shared is the only chance of resolving the problem. This requires trained Co-Production Facilitators to allow stakeholders to express themselves freely and to not allow unacceptable judgements or statements go unchallenged.

This is how we ALL grow.

One of the many benefits of being a Co-Production Team Member.