Creative Co-production

Co-design

In collaboration with women who are trying to conceive, pregnant or mothers of children aged 5 and younger, we are co-designing a digital app.  This includes:

1. Identifying behaviour change techniques, 

2. Defining content and information on health consequences,

3. Exploring effective ways to track alcohol use,

4. Developing ideas for alternative behaviours, and

5. Creating tools for stress reduction.

Coproduction

Our coproduction workshops are collaborative sessions where those involved actively participate in designing the new resources. The activities encourage collective creativity to identify innovative ideas, solve problems and create solutions that are by and for maternal women. Using a human centred approach, we explore and identify maternal women’s needs and preferences for alcohol-related resources. 

The arts have a long history of adding value to our lives, bringing people together, and increasing our understanding of the human experience.  There is a growing appreciation of the role the arts can play in helping communities identify strengths and assets for patient benefit. More recently with the rise of co-design methods we are beginning to see how the arts can not only support the healing process but can help patients imagine, realise and shape future health services. Public Health England recognise how participatory approaches are an important resource in our path to building stronger connections and directly addressing the marginalisation and powerlessness caused by deep-rooted health inequalities. 

Creative approaches can significantly improve the experience of people participating in research. The arts can act as an effective tool for increasing participation, raising awareness, and engaging members of the public in discussions relating to health conditions that are morally complex, emotionally charged, and controversial.

In our co-production workshops, we have embraced performance and visual art techniques to enhance the participatory experience.

Visual arts – Visual minutes, drawing and colouring in design workshops

Drama – Drama techniques have been used as ice breakers and during focus group discussions, sharing views about ‘an-other’.

Singing – Singing has been proven to improve wellbeing, we introduced Belle Mama to our participants in Coproduction 1.

We will be exploring wider creative approaches (film, spoken word, relaxing movement and breathing) in our forthcoming coproduction workshops as we co-design some wellbeing tools and activities for the app.