I can sense my growth through this public involvement journey which has educated and nourished my being.
Traci Carroll
Public contributor
Tinashe Munyebvu, a former PhD student in Mechanical Engineering at Southampton discusses her experience of public involvement in a biomedical engineering context. She explains the importance of co-production in a field that is widely technology driven.
What makes a welcome, safe and brave space for coproduction?
People need to understand the context. There needs to be a link made with what has happened before, and what else is happening now.
How everyone feels, and being together
Being able to be yourself:
feeling comfortable
accepting individual differences
be open to all
the chance to get involved or just listen
An open, non-judgemental and listening environment:
a space that fosters honesty and trust
recognising that inequalities and power imbalances exist
creating space to listen to each other
respectful disagreement is okay
Foster understanding and learning:
sharing knowledge
short summaries
pausing for reflection
getting to the root problem
Getting the setting right
Choosing the setting to meet the needs of the people:
starting in trusted settings, where the community feels comfortable
"community animators" play a crucial role, they can be the glue bringing everyone together
The setting is welcoming:
knowing where you are going and what will happen
friendly greetings
refreshments are essential
The physical environment:
be responsive to different sensory needs
access to a loo
access to seating
Getting started in co-production and participatory research
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