24 August 2026
Homelessness Partnership BCP has held the second meeting of its Co-production Gathering in collaboration with Poverty Truth Wisdom Lab, bringing together experts by experience and frontline practitioners to help shape the delivery of the BCP Homelessness Strategy.
The Co-production Gathering is a key part of the Partnership’s commitment to putting people with lived experience at the heart of its work. While the approach is still developing, members are committed to testing, learning and improving as the strategy is delivered.
During the session, attendees explored what helps create safe, welcoming spaces where people feel able to share their experiences and ideas. The group also reflected on how to encourage more experts by experience to get involved and how to make future meetings as inclusive and accessible as possible, particularly for people attending for the first time or those who may not feel confident speaking in groups.
Participants also took part in an interactive exercise looking at the different elements needed for an effective homelessness strategy. Working together to complete a jigsaw, the group quickly identified that the missing piece was co-production with experts by experience, reinforcing the importance of involving people with lived experience alongside data, research and professional expertise.
The gathering then worked through the next set of learning questions that will guide the Partnership’s ‘test and learn’ approach to delivering the strategy. Through discussion and voting, preventing repeat homelessness emerged as the priority area for future work. This will now be shared with the Homelessness Delivery Board to help shape the next phase of testing and service development.
The session reflected the Partnership’s commitment to ensuring that co-production is more than consultation. By working alongside people with lived experience throughout the process, the Partnership aims to develop services that are more effective, more inclusive and better able to meet people’s needs.
Comments from experts by experience and practitioners included:
Although the work is still at an early stage, the second gathering demonstrated the enthusiasm and commitment of everyone involved to creating lasting change through collaboration. As the Homelessness Strategy continues to be delivered, the Co-production Gathering will remain an important forum for testing ideas, learning together and ensuring that the voices of people with lived experience continue to shape the future of homelessness services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
The Partnership welcomes continued involvement from people with lived experience, partner organisations and practitioners who want to help create better outcomes for people facing homelessness.
