Join us for the official LAUNCH of the Centre for Co-production!

Centre co-producers Nicc, Mandy, Mark, Al, Katherine and Lizzie tell you a little about the upcoming launch of the Centre for Co-production. Included in the blog is the event sign up link, we hope you can join us!

22 October 2020: remember that date.

If you haven’t already please block out 14:00-16:00 (UK time) in your diary. Why? We are officially LAUNCHING! We will have a brand new name, look, and strategy – all co-created, of course.

We’ve been working on developing the Centre as a mixed group of members of the public, researchers, patients, carers, healthcare practitioners, charities, local authorities and students (really anyone who wants to get involved or is interested in co-production!), since back in October 2017. After almost exactly 3 years we now feel ready to shout about who we are and what we are about to the world. Such an exciting time for the masses of great people who have been involved in this work so far!

As many of you know we have already been very active as a Centre but our funding from Wellcome Trust is coming to an end in 2021. We must now stand on our own feet and work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Centre. This launch event is a springboard from which we will kick-start the next phase of the Centre’s development.

As with everything we do this WILL NOT be your average launch event! Expect the unexpected and that you’ll have loads of fun along the way! Sound like your kind of thing? Great! We’ll see you there. Please register via Eventbrite.

Or if that’s difficult for any reason, email coproduction@ucl.ac.uk and we will sign you up, no problem at all.

This event will be a celebration of all things co-production, highlighting the importance of this approach to research, policy-making and service development/improvement. We’re still working on the full plan but it will include things like, short snippets from our ’Share your Co-pro Story’ campaign, the very exciting unveiling of our new strategy and new name, logo, and identity, and a chance to meet other likeminded people and have a chat.

Not yet convinced? Maybe Mandy can help…

One of the Centre Co-producers, member of the Allies Group (our advisory group), and a carer for her son who has cystic fibrosis, Mandy told us:

“Having been involved in various types and levels of co-production for over 5 years, I am delighted to have found the ‘holy grail’ of co-production. I have been a co-producer with the Centre for Co-production for nearly 3 years and wow, am I impressed!! Co-production from the floor to the board (but with flattened hierarchies), co-production from start to finish, wall to wall co-production! I am proud to be involved in the launch of this co-production community – it will be refreshingly different!! Don’t miss it! Did I mention the word ‘co-production’ enough?”

We’re blushing…. that’s a lot to live up to. But, as a community, we do our best to walk the co-production talk – join us!

One other VERY important thing to mention…

#CoProLive

This festival of co-production will also be happening 19-21 October, in the lead up to the launch. This is your chance to get involved in a session or two run by friends of the Centre, to meet some new people, to experience some great co-production, to have a debate and perhaps learn a thing or two! You can find out more in our blog about the sessions we have going on and how to sign up!

We look forward to seeing you at the launch event and during #CoProLive!

As we mentioned above, you can register to attend the Launch event on 22 October via Eventbrite. Or if that’s difficult for any reason, email coproduction@ucl.ac.uk and we will sign you up, no problem at all.

If there is any way that we can support your participation or make the event easier for you to take part in, please just let us know.

Thank you so much and hopefully see you in October!
Nicc, Mandy, Mark, Lizzie, Katherine & Al