June 29, 2021

Upbeat Liverpool – a co-production reflection

Upbeat Liverpool: a mental health and wellbeing support website built with people with first-hand mental health experience

Upbeat Liverpool was built during the pandemic alongside peer supporters including Pete and Corrine who have experienced mental health challenges first-hand, our amazing Wellbeing Centre team and our communications team. It offered an opportunity to really get to know each other, to share skills and knowledge and to create a valuable mental health and wellbeing resource at a time when people really needed it.  

The process of creating Upbeat took a little bit longer than usual, people didn’t always agree and there were some obstacles along the way but we ended up with something that everyone could really take ownership of. That’s what co-production is all about – ensuring that people are not only consulted but really feel valued and empowered to make a change. It’s less about getting a project done and more about instigating a culture shift for the future. 

Pete and Corrine were pivotal to making the website the engaging and user-friendly tool it is today and creating that community feeling of the Wellbeing Centres in the virtual space. Back in May they presented their perspectives of the experience to a room of council and health and social care leaders exploring how we can involve the people we support more in how we run services. This was an experience they both took so much from and felt great pride in. Last week, Pete, Corrine and Siobhan from our communications team got together to reflect on what worked well, what co-production means to them and the solid relationship they’ve forged to work together in the future.  

Check out www.UpbeatLiverpool.com.