Features

To mark Co-Production Week, guest blogger Emma Barrett Palmer gives her take on co-production.

In the aftermath of first Brexit and now Trump, 'co-production' is not at the top of the To Do list for some of the most influential world leaders. 

So why do we know that it is still the right thing to do? Why is there still a growing movement of people dedicated to the collaboration cause?

Big P politics aside, I want to start by focusing on the small p politics.

Social Services Knowledge Scotland (SSKS) is a website and digital library dedicated to social care. Content relates to policy, practice and personal development within social services in Scotland. It was originally developed in partnership with Iriss and other sector organisations, and is built on NHS Education for Scotland 's long-established information technology, The Knowledge Network.

From November 2016, there will be improvements to the website. These include:

At Iriss, we’re often asked about what’s worked and what hasn’t in our projects. On October 3rd, we hosted an event to share the learning from two co-design projects that we’ve run recently - one with older people and practitioners who worked together to improve the pathway from hospital to home; and the other with people who access, or may in the future access, self-directed support (SDS) and practitioners - Pilotlight. 

On the evening of 14 September 2016, Iriss (Michelle, Kerry and Lisa) took part in an iamsocialwork event in Glasgow. iamsocialwork is a concept created by Zoe Betts, a qualified social worker, to provide peer support and networking for student, newly qualified and qualified social workers across the UK. iamsocialwork involves a series of SUPER:vision events that bring social workers together to share experiences, knowledge and challenges and to provide a listening ear and support to each other.

Trello is a visual and easy to use project management tool that allows for collaboration. It’s free to set up so you can give it a go without investing a lot of time or any finance in it. If you think very visually it’s likely to appeal as it’s organised using images and coloured labels, rather than just plain text. 

Is this the best it can be? is a new toolkit that can be used by anyone delivering arts and creative learning through collaborative or participatory projects and programmes.

Your Options Understood (Y.O.U.) is a resource that offers independent advice to those living with a disability, as well as parents and carers. It was set-up by Dr Danielle Farrel to share her own experiences of life with a disability and to show that having a disability does not necessarily mean that individuals cannot live an independent life. Y.O.U. supports those living with a disability to have control over their daily support, and to get assistance to do the things they want to do, at times when they want to do them, supported by people they choose.

PACS is a small charitable organisation based in Stirling that comprises parents, social workers and other professionals involved in adoption and long-term foster care. It offers a range of post placement support and services to adoptive families and permanent foster carers. 

PACS receives a grant from Clackmannan, Falkirk and Stirling Councils to provide its services.

Services it offers include: