Co-production Week 2025
A new framework which sets out the ways in which Gateshead adult social care services will work with citizens is being introduced during Co-Production Week 2025.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) campaign promotes 'co-production', which is a new way of working in equal partnership with citizens, offering communities to have real choice and influence over local social care services. Inclusion North, an organisation which works across the region to support projects that increase inclusion of people with a learning disability, autistic people and their families, has supported Gateshead Council in the co-production of the new framework.
To ensure communities were involved from the very beginning, Inclusion North held sessions with a core group to explore what co-production means to them, and what it should look like in Gateshead.
This group was made up of experts by experience, including members of People's Voice, the council's co-production group, as well as council officers and representatives from local Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
Further conversations were then held through community groups with over 175 residents from across the borough to gather their views, as well as engagement with a range of VCSE groups, including Age UK Gateshead, Carers Federation, Gateshead Older People's Assembly, North Regional Association for Sensory Support, Gateshead Foodbank, Healthwatch Gateshead, Integration Station, Out North East and Your Voice Counts.
Following this developmental work, it was agreed with those involved that the framework should be called 'Working Together for Change', setting out how Gateshead adult social care services will:
- work together with communities and partners to find solutions
- involve people every step of the way, from beginning to end
- make change happen by taking action
- ensure constant improvement by continuously looking at what's working and what's not
- celebrate diversity by recognising that different solutions work for different people, and everyone brings something to the table
Councillor John Adams, cabinet member for Adult Social Care at Gateshead Council, said:
"We're proud to be making process with our innovative approach to improving adult social care services in Gateshead, and the Working Together for Change framework will be key to how we continue this journey with our communities and partners."
"Co-production is all about a new way of working, where everyone works together to create real change to how our communities can access help and support."
"Working Together for Change has brought together residents from across our communities and is an excellent example of what can be achieved through co-production itself."
"While embedding the new framework will be a long journey and not something we can achieve overnight, having the key principles of co-production clearly set out makes us more accountable to our communities and partners as part of our improvement journey."
Anyone interested in finding out more about co-production in Gateshead or is interested in improving adult social care services as part of this journey, can get in touch with the team at peoplesvoice@gateshead.gov.uk or visit our community led support webpages.
A new framework which sets out the ways in which Gateshead adult social care services will work with citizens is being introduced during Co-Production Week 2025.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) campaign promotes 'co-production', which is a new way of working in equal partnership with citizens, offering communities to have real choice and influence over local social care services. Inclusion North, an organisation which works across the region to support projects that increase inclusion of people with a learning disability, autistic people and their families, has supported Gateshead Council in the co-production of the new framework.
To ensure communities were involved from the very beginning, Inclusion North held sessions with a core group to explore what co-production means to them, and what it should look like in Gateshead.
This group was made up of experts by experience, including members of People's Voice, the council's co-production group, as well as council officers and representatives from local Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
Further conversations were then held through community groups with over 175 residents from across the borough to gather their views, as well as engagement with a range of VCSE groups, including Age UK Gateshead, Carers Federation, Gateshead Older People's Assembly, North Regional Association for Sensory Support, Gateshead Foodbank, Healthwatch Gateshead, Integration Station, Out North East and Your Voice Counts.
Following this developmental work, it was agreed with those involved that the framework should be called 'Working Together for Change', setting out how Gateshead adult social care services will:
- work together with communities and partners to find solutions
- involve people every step of the way, from beginning to end
- make change happen by taking action
- ensure constant improvement by continuously looking at what's working and what's not
- celebrate diversity by recognising that different solutions work for different people, and everyone brings something to the table
Councillor John Adams, cabinet member for Adult Social Care at Gateshead Council, said:
"We're proud to be making process with our innovative approach to improving adult social care services in Gateshead, and the Working Together for Change framework will be key to how we continue this journey with our communities and partners."
"Co-production is all about a new way of working, where everyone works together to create real change to how our communities can access help and support."
"Working Together for Change has brought together residents from across our communities and is an excellent example of what can be achieved through co-production itself."
"While embedding the new framework will be a long journey and not something we can achieve overnight, having the key principles of co-production clearly set out makes us more accountable to our communities and partners as part of our improvement journey."
Anyone interested in finding out more about co-production in Gateshead or is interested in improving adult social care services as part of this journey, can get in touch with the team at peoplesvoice@gateshead.gov.uk or visit our community led support webpages.
