Embedding co-production best practice in Blackpool: Learning to date and future ambitions

Join Michaela Goodridge and members of the Blackpool Co‑Production Team, a group of people with lived experience who are reshaping how services in Blackpool are designed, delivered and understood.

This session will offer an honest, practical look at how co‑production really works when people with lived experience lead the way. Drawing on years of insight from community‑embedded projects, the team will share their approach to creating system change that reflects real lives, real stories, and real needs.

You’ll hear how Blackpool’s co‑production community works alongside partners to redesign services, challenge assumptions, and build solutions that are rooted in trust and experience. The team will also invite attendees to reflect on what co‑production could look like in their own organisations and offer practical guidance on taking first steps.

Whether you’re already working co‑productively or are just beginning to explore it, this event will provide inspiration, connection, and concrete ideas you can apply immediately. In this session, the team will share:  

• How the Blackpool co‑production team was built and how it works in practice
• What meaningful involvement of people with lived experience looks like 
• Real examples of co‑produced projects that have influenced systems and services
• Practical approaches for embedding co‑production within your own work

There will also be time for discussion, questions, and sharing ideas with the team about ideas for future co-production work.

Who should join?

This session will be relevant to: 

• Practitioners, service leads, commissioners, and managers 
• Researchers and evaluators working with communities
• Voluntary sector staff and partnership teams
• Anyone interested in developing or strengthening co‑production in their service or organisation

Location

This session will take place in-person in Meeting Room 3 in the Holiday Inn. If the event has sold out or if you are unable to attend in person, you can register to receive a recording of the presentation and we will send this to you via email after the session.

Please see The Big Evidence Fortnight full programme for other sessions you might be interested in.