West Yorkshire – Finding Independence (WY-FI) was founded on co-production. Street research was used to inform the principles of WY-FI, which include person-centered support, multi-agency working and of course, co-production.
Between 2014 and 2020, the Co-Production Team were involved in a number of initiatives, with the overall aim of promoting the voice of lived experience. These included:
- The ongoing development of the WY-FI model of working, including trauma and psychologically informed environments (PIE) approaches.
- Recruitment and valuing lived experience in the workplace.
- Level 2 Accredited Peer Mentor Training and ongoing support.
- Street and peer research.
- Support for commissioning processes in NHS England.
- Five Innovation Pilots across West Yorkshire.
- Public Consultations, including the Department for Work and Pensions and the Dame Carol Black Review of Drugs.
- Development of the MNingful Life training resource
Co-production Interview
Listen to an audio interview between Sue (former WY-FI Peer Mentor and member of the founding WY-FI Team) and Joe Alderdice (former WY-FI Co-production Lead) talk about the co-production principles that WY-FI was built on.
Learning and Insight
WY-FI has learnt a lot about co-production since the project started in 2014.
The following presentation was first shared at the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership Knowledge Exchange Event in March 2021. It outlines WY-FI’s successes, challenges and learning from all it’s co-production activities.
