This week is Co-production Week: 1-5 July 2024
What is Co-production?
Co-production is an approach where the people we support, their families, and professionals work together to plan, develop, deliver and evaluate social care services.
How we do co-production at Grace Eyre
Co-production is everywhere at Grace Eyre. Additionally, a team in our charity called Our Voices supports autistic people and people with a learning disability to have their voices heard and to be involved in Grace Eyre and the wider community.
Cleo Dibb, Our Voices Head of Service says:
“Our Voices is a co-produced department at Grace Eyre. 86% of our staff and volunteers have a Learning Disability or are autistic. We help support the rest of the organisation to know why sharing power and responsibility when making decisions about our lives and services is so important. Our main goal is for people to be in charge of their own lives.”
Fran Reynolds, Grace Eyre Ambassador and Our Voices Co-production trainer says:
“We have been delivering co-production training to our staff teams. Co-production is an important part of valuing everyone. For instance, I have choice and control in my life as I work with my staff team so I can have the support I need. I teach this to others in the training.”
Training
Our Voices also offer bespoke training and consultancy packages in governance, co-production, autism and easy read to external organisations.
Charter Checkers
Grace Eyre’s Charter Checkers are supported by the Charter Checker Coordinator, to visit homes where the people Grace Eyre support live. They make sure the support we are providing aligns with Our Charter.
Purple Productions
Purple Productions is Grace Eyre’s Events Team. They produce events for and by people with a learning disability and autistic people.
Learning Disability Pride Celebration
The team co-produced this event which included dancing, campaigning, performance, art and film. With support, each team member took responsibility for their own area. The outcome has been something to celebrate, enjoy and feel proud of. The added value of being involved in the co-production of these events is engaging the participation of our community.
Co-Production in the Community
Ambassadors Ben and Josh are now both reaching out into the community on their own. Ben has been sourcing new venues and events. Josh is managing the team’s tech. Co-production is no longer just internal at Grace Eyre – it’s out in our community.
Purple Productions are putting on events our community wants. The team have been given leadership, independence and equal opportunities. These include running their own events in new venues, having autonomy over their own roles, becoming part of Brighton Fringe, expanding events into Worthing and reaching their number one goal of organising their first festival, Big Purple Funfest.
Get Involved
We are looking for volunteers to join our Grace Eyre Ambassadors Team in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex.
The main focus of the Ambassadors’ work is increasing self-advocacy, which means people with learning disabilities and autistic people speaking out about what is important to them. Ambassadors receive training to help them carry out their role.
This is a voluntary role for people with a learning disability and/or autistic people and individuals who receive support from Adult social care services.
You must be able to commit to attending at least 2 meetings per month.
Find out more and apply to be a Grace Eyre Ambassador
Questions?
If you have any queries about co-production at Grace Eyre or you’d like to enquire about training, please contact Cleo Dibb, Our Voices Head of Service.
cdibb@grace-eyre.org
07921 095 492