Short description The project uses Community Reporting and co-creation practices to initiate, design and implement pilot services that address issues around poverty in Stockport in the North West of England. The aim of the practice was to to involve citizens in the initiating, design and implementation of public services to address poverty.
How does the method engage citizens/learner? The practice uses a ‘bottom-up’ approach to engage participants, asking them to co-create the services they use so that they accurately reflect their needs. The needs were initially uncovered through Community Reporter training to enable participants to gather the stories of their peers so that their lived experiences could be heard. The openness of the process and the willingness of the Council to listen and open up decision-making processes was also a factor.
Which co-creation moments are included? Participation in society Awareness as a citizen
Pedagogic/methodological aspects This smart practices utilises the Community Reporter methodology to underpin cocreation. People are trained as Community Reporters in order to gather stories from their peers within their local communities. Community Reporting for Co-Production uses different forms of digital media to present a range of perspectives on a subject matter, creating a dialogue between various points of view on a topic. Stories are curated in sensemaking sessions for Community Reporters to find what’s important to people in order to start the co-creation process and begin designing services.
Feedback from participants is gained through stories and reflective interviews.
SWOT Strength
The practice promotes more collaboration between citizens and local authority and redistributes power.
Weakness
It can be time consuming and what you ‘plan’ may not end up being what you deliver – things can change, and this adaptability should be allowed but it can take more resourcing that you think at the beginning of the process
Opportunities
Storytelling is a good route into better understanding communities.
Threats
Putting too much pressure on citizens to coimplement services when that is mainly the job of the local authority. Actions based on the stories not being seen by participants quickly enough and people drifting away from the project
Which aspects are transferable? The entire practice is transferable and is already being transferred. Other departments of the Council are utilizing Community Reporting to support residents to be involved in service and strategy co-design. This has already happened with the writing of a new children’s service strategy.
What kind of change is created? The practice’s results included: people’s money was maximised, and greater access to “joyful” activities. The Council has committed to using cocreation in the design of their services and silos between departments are beginning to be eroded. In addition to this, both council workers council workers were trained as Community
49
