Co-production Week 2019

Co-production Week 2019

Wednesday 3 July 2019

‘A childhood in care almost broke me – I needed to shine a light on it’


By Lemn Sissay, who performs at the SCIE Co-production Festival on 4 July 2019.

The power of story and co-production.

Stories are powerful. They can educate, sustain and also heal - both the person sharing the story and the person receiving it.  A key part of co-production is recognising that everyone has assets and brings something to the table. Because of our experience - our story - our point of view is vital. Sharing a story and supporting someone who is experiencing something similar is sometimes called peer support.


But I struggle with the idea of people sharing their stories again and again but not being given the power to change things for the better.

In my documentary Superkids: Breaking Away from Care I saw seven young people share their stories and experiences and the years of pent-up anger and pain they felt. We were all honoured to receive a Bafta nomination in recognition of our stories.

I’ve battled with Wigan Council to put right the wrongs of my appalling treatment in care since being born up to the age of 18. It wasn’t good enough for me as an artist to go banging on about my story without getting the institution (my legal parent) to pay for what they did.

SCIE’s Co-Production Week is about creating a more equal power balance between people who use services, carers and professionals. It’s only when everyone’s contribution is valued equally and power is shared that meaningful co-production can happen.

My friend Lebogang Mashile says beautifully in her poem ‘Tell Your Story’

“Tell your story
Let it nourish you,
Sustain you
And claim you
Tell your story
Let it feed you,
Heal you
And release you
Tell your story
Let it twist and remix your shattered heart
Tell your story
Until your past stops tearing your present apart”. 

I don’t believe I can give young people, or anyone receiving social care services a voice. Their voice is already there. We just need to listen.



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