February, 2023 | Include.org

What is Co-production, and is it important?

The Include Champions Group is a lived experience consultancy team, generating ideas, feedback and free accessible resources on important topics. Between us, group members have real world experience in of learning disabilities, autism and other communication needs.

Our latest FREE Easy Read resource is about Co-production. It helps to explain what Co-production is and why Include puts it at the heart of everything the charity does.

An audio version is on SoundCloud

Working together

Our dedicated Champions Group members meet every week via Zoom, and there is always something important to discuss, analyse and provide feedback on.

Last week we had an invite from Lloyds Bank seeking the input of people with additional needs. This is so the bank can try to design their services with everyone in mind.

We had a special guest on the Champions Group Zoom session last week – Cathy Wood who has joined Include’s Board of Trustees. She said:

“I was delighted to hear that Lloyds Bank are inviting Include members to provide feedback as experts by experience of what it is like to use their services with a communication need.”

Cathy W – Trustee of Include.org

Philip from the Include Champions Group said this;

“It makes us feel happy that they want our help. I’ll feel like I’ve achieved something and the bank is being helpful by asking us.”

Philip – Include Champion

We can help others

The Champions can teach services about their experiences and what helps them to communicate well.

For example, the Champions Group help design training for health professionals, to help them understand how to support people with communication needs in hospital.

The Champions can also help to check documents to make sure they are accessible. For example, the Champions worked with The Samaritans to make sure their flyer was easy to understand.

Trustee Cathy sums up:

“It was great to get more insight into the important work that The Include Champions Group does. Ensuring everyone has a clear idea of what Co-production is, and why it is important is such a valuable piece of work. We hope many organisations and individuals will make use of this Easy Read explainer.”

Please email us on info@include.org if you think you might like some help from The Include Champions Group.

Penny Sims
Penny Sims
Communications and Partnerships Manager

Hello…we are the Champions!

Claudia, our new Speech and Language Therapy Assistant, who we introduced you to in December’s blog, has been getting to know The Include Champions Group a bit better.

We’re really proud of the Champions Group because they do some really important things, and we’d like everyone to have a chance to get to know the group better – not just Claudia!

So, our latest FREE Easy Read resource is made by the Include Champions about the Include Champions! It explains what the group does, why and how – all presented in an Easy Read format.

FREE Audio format on SoundCloud.

In summary, The Include Champions Group is a lived experience consultancy team, generating ideas, feedback and free accessible resources on important topics including the Mental Capacity Act and Inclusive Communication.

Members have real world experience of learning disabilities, autism and other communication needs.

Dedicated group members meet every week via Zoom, and there is always something important to discuss, analyse and provide feedback on.

Time to Talk Day (2nd Feb), which encourages people to have conversations about mental health, seemed like a good day to re-share two of the Easy Read resources produced by our group:

🗣 Kind Communication
👂 Listening Skills

As our CEO Alix says in her guest blog for Browning York; “Today is ‘Time to Talk’ day – a day designed to promote conversation and communication to benefit everyone’s mental health. Let’s also think about the communication which uses more than words to include people – the biggest kindness of all.”

Penny Sims
Penny Sims
Communications and Partnerships Manager