Engagement and participation
We are building a culture where Experts by Experience, carers and families, and staff collaborate as equal partners.
At Response, co-production is not a checkbox; it’s a shared commitment to designing services with people, not for them. We are building a culture where Experts by Experience, Carers and Families, and staff collaborate as equal partners.
This approach ensures that our services reflect real needs, not assumptions. Through Advisory Boards, interview panels, and focus groups, lived experience directly shapes our decisions. Co-production leads to smarter, more inclusive, and more effective support. Our goal is clear: embed co-production as standard practice across all departments by 2026, so that every voice isn’t just heard but drives change.
Opportunities at Response
At Response, we empower people to build new skills, grow in confidence, and have a real say in shaping the services that support them. Through various opportunities, individuals can become Experts by Experience (EbEs), using their lived experience to influence decisions and drive meaningful change within Response.
EbEs play a key role in interview panels, where their insight helps identify the qualities that make a great candidate. Their involvement ensures that the people we support have a voice in the hiring process, shaping the future of our teams.
Focus groups, both within Response and externally with the Oxford Mental Health Partnership, offer a platform for people to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas. These groups help us shape services that truly meet the needs of those who use them, making sure every voice is valued and heard.
Every opportunity is designed to give people the chance to engage at a level that suits them, whether it’s sharing their views, influencing policies, or playing a hands-on role in co-production. However people choose to get involved, their contributions help shape a more inclusive, responsive, and supportive organisation.
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board is an exciting new initiative where EbEs and carers can actively contribute to shaping policies, procedures, and key organisational decisions. This is a space where they can not only provide feedback but also co-produce meaningful changes, ensuring that the future of Response is built in partnership with the people we support.
The Board supports our executive team by sharing valuable insights from lived experience of our services. It also offers opportunities to build skills in areas such as chairing meetings, reviewing policy, developing confidence and more. Membership is open to anyone who is or has used Response services, as well as their family, friends and carers.
What is it like to be an Expert by Experience?
Opportunities directory
Want to find activities, volunteering and opportunities around Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire?
Below you will find a comprehensive list with all the information you need.
Co-production
Co-production is an approach where service providers and people supported by the organisation work together as equal partners to design, develop, deliver, and evaluate services. It emphasizes valuing the lived experience, knowledge, and insights of those directly affected by the services, ensuring their active participation rather than merely consulting them as passive recipients. Co-production is important because it leads to services that better meet the actual needs, preferences, and priorities of users, ultimately resulting in greater effectiveness, satisfaction, and empowerment for individuals. It also fosters mutual respect, trust, and inclusivity, promoting equitable relationships between organisations and communities.
You can read our Co-Production Policy here.
