Co-design Support
We provide bespoke, sustained support to integrate co-design and co-production into your research project.
Whether you are an experienced researcher or just starting out, and whether your project is underway or you are just beginning to explore it; we can share our extensive experience in co-design and participatory research to support and guide you to embed co-design in your research practice.
We build researchers’ capability and capacity by working with you to develop a tailored and comprehensive toolkit that you can use in future projects.
Here’s some of the services we offer:
Workshops & Training
- Bridges supported self-management
- Introduction to co-design and co-production
- Group facilitation skills
- Narrative interview skills
Mentoring & Facilitation
- Research application support including PPI
- Coaching sessions throughout the project
- Q&A sessions for you and your project team
- Co-design event facilitation
- Opportunity to connect with the Bridges network and other researchers
Resource Creation
- Access to Bridges co-design & co-production resources
- Collaborate on a co-designed lived experience resource
- Develop films from narrative interviews
- Co-design session facilitation resources
Codesign is designing with, not for
- Co-design brings together lived experience, lived expertise and professional experience to learn from each other and make things better – by design.
- Co-design is part of co-production.
- Co-design involves centring care, working with the people closest to the solutions, sharing power, prioritising relationships, being honest, being welcoming, using creative tools, balancing idealism and realism, building and sharing skills.
- Co-design uses inclusive facilitation that embraces many ways of knowing, being and doing.
- Co-design has a ‘co’ bit (e.g. community, co-operation) and a ‘design’ bit. Both parts are important, but neither has all the answers.
Why Co-design?
Co-design and co-production methods enable people living with long-term conditions and healthcare staff to come together to contribute, listen, debate and design resources and interventions that they want and need. These methods are central to Bridges.
“Co-production describes a relationship where professionals and citizens share power to plan and deliver support together, recognising that both partners have vital contributions to make in order to improve quality of life for people and communities” National co-production critical friends group (2013)
Recent and Current Projects
Angie: Stroke Rehabilitation Researcher
We are working with Dr Angie Logan, Consultant Physiotherapist, on a 2-year project to co-design a toolkit to optimise adherence to any physical intervention in stroke rehabilitation trials.
Rebecca: Sickle Cell Researcher
We are working with Rebecca McLoughlin and her Public and Patient Involvement group on a two-year project to co-design and evaluate a new self-management intervention, or toolkit, for people with Sickle Cell disease. This will also include co-designing a training programme for clinicians to deliver the toolkit.
Gita: Neuromuscular Disorders Researcher
We are working on a four-year project (Better Balance) with Dr Gita Ramdharry, Consultant AHP in Neuromuscular Diseases, to co-design and develop a book and website focusing on balance for people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and deliver Bridges training to one cohort of healthcare professionals to support the delivery of the co-designed intervention.
Participatory Research Hub
We have collaborated with City St George’s University to create a free public resource for researchers. It provides introduction to participatory research and co-design, and contains resources, guidance, and experience shared by experienced practitioners.