User involvement
Involving users means working ‘with people’ not doing things ‘to people’. At NPC we believe charities and funders work best when they involve their beneficiaries in governance, designing services, and developing strategy.
The people whom charities and funders exist to help often have little or no influence over those organisations’ decisions. To achieve impact, it’s critical that charities and funders find meaningful ways for their beneficiaries to let them know how they would like things to be different.
As the evaluation partner for the Building Connections Fund, we supported grant-holders in co-design processes. From this, we’ve published guidance on how to implement and evaluate co-design which is applicable to almost any project, and we run regular training sessions to help you put it into practice. Get in touch with our consultants for support with your project.
Featured resources and commentary on user involvement
Implementing and evaluating co-design
Our five-stage roadmap for planning and implementing your co-design. We also explore how to evaluate your outcomes and processes, and how to learn from the data.
Make it count: Why impact matters in user involvement
Involving users in shaping services and strategies is increasingly considered to be both the right and most effective way for the social sector and charities to work. This paper argues for a greater focus in the social sector on what user involvement aims to achieve and evidencing its effectiveness.
Why we need to do user involvement right
User involvement is in the spotlight, and while participatory and influencing practices are nothing new, they are now making it to the mainstream. But are they being used as well as they could be? Rosie McLeod, Deputy Head of Measurement and Evaluation explores her new research.
User voice: Putting people at the heart of impact practice
This report explains how charities can best harness the views and needs of their beneficiaries in order to improve their impact.
User mapping techniques: A guide for the social sector
This guide outlines how user mapping techniques can be used to better understand people's lived experiences and drive impact.
Putting people with lived experience in the lead
Darren Murinas, CEO, Expert Citizens
Expert Citizens is a Stoke-based independent group of people who have all experienced multiple needs. As ambassadors of lived experience, they encourage decision-makers to listen, learn, and then lead systems change in local services to make them even better. Here the organisation’s CEO shares his experience of connecting user voice, governance, strategy, and service design. He argues that charities still have a long way to go before they are truly putting people with lived experience in the lead.
4 insights from working with ‘experts by experience’
We talk a lot about the need for charities to involve the intended user when designing services. But we also know that it’s easier said than done. So we decided to have a go at doing. Here are four things we learned from mapping young people's experiences in Camden.
Bridging the gap between charities and their users
Involving users in planning, delivering and evaluating a charity's work can help make services more effective. But it's also a matter of principle, argues Shona Curvers.
Funders can set a powerful precedent by involving service users
It has been broadly accepted by charities from across the sector that listening to users is not only the moral thing to do—it’s also the smart and logical thing to do. So, how do funders fit into all of this?
Latest updates
Could smarter financial incentives improve charity survey participation?
Paying survey participants is standard practice in commercial market research. In the charity sector it is less prevalent. Why is this and how do vouchers or cash rewards affect response rates and survey representativeness?
How to maximise user involvement opportunities in an age of social distancing
Co-design happens when a charity and its stakeholders work together to design or rethink a service. But how can we encourage user participation at a time of lockdowns and social distancing? This blog shares useful insights into how to involve users in service design or improvement during a pandemic.
How to involve users despite social distancing
With social distancing mandatory for the foreseeable future, you’re probably wondering how on earth you can still involve users meaningfully in decision making, be it consultation, co-design or co-production. There are many challenges, but now is not the time to step back.
Three things to think about when asking sensitive survey questions
How do you build trusting and honest relationships when asking sensitive survey questions? Through working with the grant-holders of the Building Connections Fund, we've been exploring how to promote open conversations.
How to plan effective co-design
At Christmastime many charities will be campaigning for action on loneliness. Many projects are using co-design to involve people directly in improving community spaces. What are we learning about what works?
How to engage young people in arts and culture
The artistic landscape is shifting. Across the country, budgetary pressures and the demands of career-focussed choices mean we may be facing a generation of young people who have never experienced art at school or anywhere else. Philanthropists have an opportunity to change this.
NPC Ignites: People, Impact, Purpose
What can you expect from our annual conference NPC Ignites 2019?
Learning to involve stakeholders in your charity’s work
What practical steps should charities take to to involve users in an ethical way?
Snapshots of the sector 2019: Involvement
Some charities are expert in involving their users in their work, but is the whole sector up to speed.
Why we need to do user involvement right
User involvement is in the spotlight, and while participatory and influencing practices are nothing new, they are now making it to the mainstream. But are they being used as well as they could be? Rosie McLeod, Deputy Head of Measurement and Evaluation explores her new research.
Make it count: Why impact matters in user involvement
Involving users in shaping services and strategies is increasingly considered to be both the right and most effective way for the social sector and charities to work. This paper argues for a greater focus in the social sector on what user involvement aims to achieve and evidencing its effectiveness.
4 insights from working with ‘experts by experience’
We talk a lot about the need for charities to involve the intended user when designing services. But we also know that it’s easier said than done. So we decided to have a go at doing. Here are four things we learned from mapping young people's experiences in Camden.
Talk to us
Got a question, comment, or want to work with us on user involvement? Get in touch with Charlotte Lamb NPC’s User Voice Lead.
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