This week we celebrate the impact our Experts by Experience Co-production Service has had over the last four years as the project sadly winds down this August and we say farewell to three of our brilliant, passionate staff—Suzie, Sophie and Andrew.
Given how much the project has achieved in its four-year run, we couldn’t say goodbye without recognising its impact on public services across Coventry and Warwickshire—and the autistic people, people with learning disabilities and their families living here.
Our impact showcase is presented as an infographic and we break it down in text format below.
We have highlighted some key achievements but there are many more—contact us by email if you are a funder, researcher, activist or strategist who would like to explore how we could make change together.
We marked the end of our Experts by Experience (EbE) Co-production Service with a celebration lunch for some of our experts by experience who have been involved in this work.
It was a lovely opportunity to share our impact showcase with them, what they have helped to change and to reflect on progress that can be made when people on the receiving end of systems, services and strategies can have their say and influence the decision-making process.
From designing, reviewing and evaluating different services, to supporting recruitment of the right people to work for the local authority or NHS. And more besides.
Here is our impact showcase:
- 75 EbEs were involved (and recompensed for their time) across Coventry and Warwickshire
- 12 recruitments were influenced—decisions about who was recruited for roles such as Senior Joint Commissioner, Integrated Commissioner, and Lead Commissioner for Disabilities
- 65 focus groups were held—on topics including: admission avoidance, barriers to health care, employment, healthy lifestyles, intensive support and shaping the local action plan
- 25 personal stories were shared—by EbEs with senior NHS and council professionals to influence work on areas including late diagnosis of autism, reasonable adjustments in health and social care.
Biggest achievements
- Neurodiversity training in Warwickshire schools
- New information resources for neurodivergent people and their families
- 4Ps reasonable adjustments model co-created and endorsed (Person, Place, Processes, Partnership)
- Co-devised and shaped upcoming Neurodiversity Champion role
- Housing Options easy reads
- Pneumonia and constipation prevention easy reads
- EbEs trained by Grapevine on goal setting, employability, gathering insight, advocating for others, telling stories to make change.
One EbE said: “I have come on in leaps and bounds due to the support I have received in coaching sessions and feedback to me.”
Three ‘Aha!’ moments
- Creation of a Co-production Resource Hub to capture best practice in one place
- Experts by training approaching the team with new ideas and a renewed keenness for co-production
- Warwickshire County Council changed concessionary bus travel so disability bus passes could be used before 9:30am—and all day—facilitating travel for EbEs and others to go to work and meetings.
Key services influenced: some examples
- Regional Autism Strategy and working in partnership with the Learning Disability Board
- Adult social care in Coventry and Warwickshire
- Housing action group
- Community learning disability team
- LeDeR (learning from lives and deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people report).
EbEs brought new perspectives
- A static glossary of terms became a language webinar, infographics, videos and animations
- Easy read agendas, plain English briefings and ice breakers made meetings more accessible and inclusive
- A new standard has been set where making decisions that will affect autistic people and people with a learning disability are not complete without experts by experience present.
Another EbE said: “Grapevine is clear and compassionate about the service they provide for individuals, which shouldn’t be underestimated because the value it brings is treasure.”
Unexpected EbE superpowers
- A shy, quiet EbE now has a career as a public speaker!
- Two EbEs were subsequently employed by Grapevine as project workers
- More confident EbEs lead focus groups and co-chaired Board meetings
- Less outgoing EbEs took on planning roles behind the scenes
- Many EbEs have gone onto employment after developing transferable skills
- EbEs built confidence to lead projects and gather people’s perspectives on different topics.
About this project
Grapevine’s Experts by Experience (EbE) Co-production Service was an opportunity for autistic people or people with a learning disability to influence decision-making and have a say on new services and strategies that have an impact on disabled people.
It was commissioned by Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board.
Read previous blog posts and news on this Shifting Power project here.
2025 marks 30 years of our work in the city and beyond. Read our story of three decades of deep social change by following this link.