Touchstone Business Development Team
A Journey in Coproduction (Part 1)
Working Together for Equality Resource Pack
A few weeks ago I attended ‘News For You’ – Touchstone’s Service User Forum. A room filled with around 20 service users, each an expert in their own right, it was wonderful, and a privilege to see how the group runs. They rotate the chair/minute taker each month, and run through the meeting with such clarity and efficiency I think we could all learn at lot from them. I attended as an observer, and as an ‘Any other Business’ contributor.
Once the main bulk of the meeting was complete, it was over to me – I was there looking for some individuals who would be interested in coproducing a business development strategy with me. This might sound simple, but it was surprisingly hard to try and explain what it was people were getting involved in – because I didn’t know. The nature of coproduction means that I can’t sit in my office, writing out a strategy I think will work, and then taking it to service users for comment. That’s not going to cut the mustard.
Instead I was looking for some fellow adventurers, some travel companions who would be willing to come on a journey with me to work out what coproducing a business development strategy looks like, how it’s done and all of the other bits in-between.
Several willing adventurers came forward, ready to take on the challenge and eager to set off on our travels. Over the coming months we will be starting our training – exercising our minds and stretching our thoughts, and will begin planning our route towards our destination (once we work out where it is and how to spot it on a map).
So that’s where we are now. I will keep you posted as to how our journey unfolds, but for now I’m going to find a bag and pack some coffee for the journey!
