Greater Essex Public Involvement Network

Overview

We want to create a connected, coordinated infrastructure that connects researchers, commissioners, and policymakers within Greater Essex's public services with community, voluntary, resident, and specialist networks. This infrastructure will help enable inclusive public involvement, genuine co-production, and shared influence over local priorities. We are seeking a partner to help build and maintain a "public involvement network" for Greater Essex - a key piece of infrastructure supporting public involvement. We anticipate that this will involve the following: Phase One - Building the network: Mapping existing involvement and engagement groups/forums across Greater Essex that can support engagement between public services and residents, service users, patients, and wider interest groups defined by lived experience. Collecting and documenting information about these forums and groups in a format suitable for inclusion in a 'directory', enabling researchers, commissioners, service designers, and policymakers to identify and contact groups where resident voices can inform research, commissioning decisions, service design, or policy development. Establishing relationships with the owners or gatekeepers of these groups, securing appropriate agreements to include their details in any directory. Collaborating with representatives from the identified forums and groups to develop clear processes and protocols governing how researchers, commissioners, and policymakers should engage with them. This may take the form of a rulebook or charter outlining expectations and responsibilities within collaborative or co