Co-Production Week: Why It Matters – and How We’re Living It at CPSL Mind

At its core, co-production is about doing things with people, not for them. It’s about listening to people with lived experience, making space for different perspectives, and building services together—not behind closed doors.

What We’ve Been Doing

Over the past year, we’ve been trying to make co-production part of everything we do—not just a one-off project or a tick-box exercise. Here are a few things I’m especially proud of:

• Stop Suicide Chronic Pain Campaign
  We worked side by side with individuals living with both chronic pain and mental health challenges to co-create resources that reflect real experiences. From a new leaflet and social media posts to updates to our workshop content, everything was shaped with—and not just for—the people most affected.
• Making Space Conversations
  We’ve spoken to over 30 people through coffee mornings and drop-ins, listening to what support is missing and what really helps. Their stories are already helping shape new offers within our Good Life Service.
• Influencing Public Health Work
  Through national conversations with Public Health England and local public health teams, we’ve made sure the voices of people with lived experience are influencing wider mental health priorities—not just within CPSL Mind, but across systems. That includes speaking up about what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.

Why Co-Production Works

It’s not just about values—it’s about impact. According to National Voices, services developed with lived experience are up to 33% more likely to meet real needs. That confirms what we are seeing on the ground: when people are truly involved in creating something, it works better for everyone.

Looking Ahead

We know there’s always room to do more. Over the next year, we’ll keep finding new and simple ways to involve people in shaping our services—especially those who might not usually get asked. Whether that’s through informal conversations, creative projects, or joining working groups, we’ll keep making co-production part of how we work every day.

So, during Co-Production Week, I just want to say thank you—to everyone who’s shared, shaped, challenged, or created with us. Whether it’s been a quick conversation, a workshop, or a co-designed project, your input matters.

One of those people is Hattie. Hattie reached out to CPSL Mind as a service user and attended the St. Neots Good Mood Cafe at 17-years-old. In her blog, Hattie reflects on her volunteer journey with CPSL Mind and shares how she is using her lived experience to help other people have positive mental health. You can read Hattie’s story here.

Let’s keep going, together.

#CoProductionWeek #CPSLMind #LivedExperience