My top 5 things...
The people who have done the work over the last year have reflected on what worked for them and what didn't. these are the top 5 things that theyhave learned doing this.
Surinder says...
Decide who needs to be involved and do everything possible to help them to participate and contribute to the process -making sure that practical considerations such as timing of meetings, childcare issues and other barriers to attending the planning meetings are addressed.
Be prepared to listen to new ways of working and genuinely be prepared to change any preconceived ideas and seriously consider the suggestions people come up with - no matter how off difficult they may seem to be to incorporate at first.
Be realistic about timescales - real community involvement can be time consuming any any project plan should reflect this.
Decide how ideas and outcomes with be communicated throughout the process.
Keep the motivation and commitment going by giving positive feedback and valuing the contribution people make to the process.
Cheryl says...
Spectate, just sit, watch and listen. Done supportively this can be enormously empowering.
Spend time building trust; try to make them understand that you're not there simply to pick their brains, but that you're interested in them.
Really listen! Try not to be the expert, forget that you're trained to make a difference, just soak in what they're saying.
Try to make sure that what you learn is available to everyone else; try to express what you know in language that others can understand even though they weren't there.
Kay says...
Rapport trumps everything! Give tasks to the people who have the rapport with your community - they're more likely to get good results and it helps cement the relationship.
Remember to give opportunities to your colleagues to help them empathise with your community. Empathy with their needs can soon decay and you never know when you'll need your colleagues' help, when you do they'll need to feel the need as strongly as you do.
Light bulb moments all the time even when you think you know everything there is to know about a community, that's what makes the work so interesting/exciting!
Roll with situations that are presented to you, more learning can often be gained.
Leave 'we've always done it that way' thinking at home'. It will impede learning and stilt relationships.
Use all the resources around you for example the community itself, colleagues from other disciplines that are already working with the community and interpreters.
Small advertisements in professional journals can often elicit contacts from around the UK, they again may have more information or have already done what you intend to do.
Always allow more time than expected for preparation and for reflection after any event. A debrief is excellent way to get everyone's point of view.
Rachel says...
Drop any prior thoughts or assumptions you may have, they will be useless.
When you enter into a project based on coproduction you must be genuine about accepting the outcome, even if it's not what you anticipated.
Be prepared to listen, really listen, not spout and participate too.
Allow people time to share what they really want to and don't push people to work your way, be open.
Don't set the agenda to answer what you consider to be the problem; you may not be right about the problem in the first place!
Alison says...
Get sign up from those who need to be involved at the beginning
Don't rush it - you need to work at the pace of the community
Be innovative in your approach
Drop the NHS speak and don't wag the NHS finger (we know best approach) it doesn't work
Commitment of time is essential; there need to be continuity of those who are working with the community to build trust and reassurance of the commitment of the PCT.
Julia says...
To listen to what is being said
To be genuine in your listening
Not to listen with an agenda in mind
Be honest about what you are able to offer
The organisation will have an agenda/targets to meet - be honest about them
