Putting the co in co-design
Research has arguably reached peak co. Collaborate, cooperate, codesign, coproduce, cocreate. These terms fill funding proposals, promotional websites and descriptions of new ways of conducting research with impact.
But what do the terms mean in practice? How do we embed them, rather than just attach them as labels onto standard ways of doing business?
These are just a few of the questions that the Agrifood Innovation Institute (AFII) team have been asking over recent months.
On 11 September we brought people together from across the country, both online and in person, to learn more about how we can conduct community engagement in a way that produces truly inclusive outcomes.
The event aimed to showcase current examples of people and projects leading the way in youth and community engagement in the coproduction of research and advocacy.
Isabelle Zhu-Maguire, a PhD Candidate at the ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance, shared her experience of youth advocacy for a climate secure future as a coordinator of the Local Conference of Youth, providing a platform for young people’s voices to be heard by the UNFCC in climate negotiations. This highlighted the opportunity that exists for leveraging the skills, expertise and energy of young people.
Alison Coughlan, Manager of the Health Consumers Centre, shared principles for coproduction highlighting the necessity to work in equal partnership, disrupt (or at least mitigate) established power dynamics, trust the process and create bridges rather than barriers. This has allowed a more inclusive delivery of value through incorporating the lived experience of healthcare consumers.
Finally, Khalid Muse and Christina Zorbas from the Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition shared their experiences of successful youth engagement and codesign in health, nutrition and food security. This has been built on centring of equity and community lived experiences, building young people’s capacity and leadership and remaining persistent in overcoming barriers to changes.
Research that embeds principles of coproduction in defining questions and conducting research and advocacy is more likely to produce tangible outcomes that benefit targeted stakeholders. AFII will continue working in this area aiming to provide a clear set of principles to support codesign of programs that deliver significant impact to the agrifood sector.
View the presentations