Working together
When we bring people together to form a community recruitment group, we’re bringing different types of people into one space to work together. This kind of working is often called coproduction. Coproduction simply means working together, sharing decisions and ideas, and creating something with people, not for them.
Relationships are central to coproduction. It only works when people truly work with each other, not just side by side. Good relationships help people understand one another’s views, needs, and strengths, which leads to better decisions together.
Setting a collaborative tone early on—where community members and professionals feel equally welcome—helps the group get off to a strong start. Everyone should feel included, whether they’re managers, frontline staff, volunteers, or people with lived experience. Starting with kindness, getting to know each other a bit, and making some personal connections can make the group’s work smoother and more meaningful. Simple questions like “Where do you live?”, “What do you enjoy doing?”, or “Do you have any pets?” can help people feel seen and included.
Early on, take time to ask everyone in the co‑production group about their availability and any factors that might affect when or how they can meet – such as preferred times of day, whether online or in‑person works best, accessibility requirements, childcare or caring responsibilities, school‑holiday pressures, or travel needs. Building this understanding together helps you choose meeting times and formats that remove barriers and make it easier for everyone to participate fully.
It also helps if everyone has a shared understanding of the challenges before getting started. Setting clear, consistent goals that everyone understands and agrees on is an important part of working well together.
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