Inside Knowledge - uncovering hidden wisdom

- What best helps families with complex needs to become stable? 
- What else needs to happen to prevent people of Pakistani descent losing their sight, as a result of diabetes? 
- What can we do to help young people use alcohol more wisely? 


These three major questions have been occupying my work and waking life over the past six months. 


In each case the work involved asking those with the inside knowledge - the families, people of Pakistani descent and young people and their parents.


 Of course, we listened to what all the relevant professionals had to say as well. In fact we listened to the 'whole system' i.e. everyone who had a contribution to make in one way or another, to the issue being considered.


There was thoughtfulness and animation in the focus group discussions; a real willingness to share experiences generously, even painful ones, in the individual interviews. Parents who had never been involved in anything like this before helped to design and shape community responses to family needs. 


Revelations and insights abounded. From the interviews with families who have succeeded in becoming far more stable, a common pattern emerged of what things had helped them to change life for the better. Their analysis provided a possible model for professionals to use to help more families at an earlier stage. 


It took nerve and not a little courage to turn up to a workshop with professionals; to air ideas; to listen and to be changed what you heard.


This sort of involvement, engagement , designing and learning is immensely powerful for everyone participating. It shows that people, no matter how vulnerable or how complex their lives, can deliberate and analyse with others, offering insights that the professionals could never guess at. 


The most surprising thing for some professional participants was just how much consensus there was about what needs to be done, when all the different perspectives had been shared and heard. 


I would love more public services to dare to draw the public in to help with innovation, strategy and planning. 


What are your best stories of work like this?