What is working with
Working with is an overarching term to describe a variety of co-ways of working that governments, services, organisations can
engage
include, and
work in meaningful partnership
with the people that their work affects (aka people with relevant lived and or living experience)
Fast Facts
It’s been around for a long time and is happening in lots of areas under lots of different names.
This is thanks to both quiet achievers and countless advocates and leaders from many walks of life, communities and movements who paved the way and those who build on their efforts today.
Co-words (and matching skill sets) like co-production, co-creation, co-design, co-evaluation, co-delivery, community led, collaborative.
Settings like health, social care, disability, mental health, community services, organisational development and more.
(Done well) it looks like people coming together in partnership to work on something they all care about. They might make something new, or make changes to something that already exists.
Calling it working with, keeps things as simple and applicable to most contexts as possible.
Where it fits on participation scales and spectrums
In public participation speak, working with sits on the doing with rung of Arnstein's Ladder (Arnstein SR. 1969. A Ladder of Citizen Participation) or in the empower range of the IAP2 Spectrum (International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Public Participation Spectrum).
Looks like
Partnering with people with lived experience, staff and professionals to learn, design and decide.
Sharing power and responsibility with people with lived experience.
Supporting people with lived experience into leadership roles (eg. in governance, evaluation)
Community led projects which listen to communities, without an agenda or expectation that we will ‘fix’ or act in a particular way. (nod to McKercher KA. Beyond Sticky Notes).
Getting the co-part right matters
The together parts of these co-words in action are the co-parts of working with.
A carefully crafted mix of essential elements, ways of thinking and doing that must be there to create spaces and experiences where everyone feels seen, valued and heard - where the seeds of trust and goodwill are planted, nurtured and over time can grow.
When something is produced, planned, designed, researched, evaluated and delivered in ways (and spaces) where the co-parts have been considered and addressed, this is when we see safe, respectful, meaningful and productive working with happen.
We are better together
Experience has taught me that genuine working with is often promised but not always happening.
Not everything is or can be co-design. It’s most important for organisations to name their work honestly. To be open about how people can be involved. And what decisions can (and can’t) be made together.
Great working with takes time and practice to do well - the goal should be real not perfect.
The Better Together Collective works with senior leaders and teams to create better seats at better tables and build bridges to better practice.