Beyond the Usual Suspects – Towards Inclusive User Involvement

Shaping Our Lives, the national network of service users and disabled people, has launched of a series of resources offering a detailed insight into inclusive service user involvement.

The focus of the network’s study is to make it possible for everyone who wants to, to be more involved and have more say over their lives and the services they use to live them. The study draws on findings from a national research and development project supported by the Department of Health, to find out how this could be achieved.

The two key themes that dominate the findings are that:

Some groups of service users, particularly from minorities, often experience generally inferior access to and support from services;

The same groups are likely to have inferior opportunities to get involved in participatory initiatives.

The combined effect of these two factors is likely to be to exacerbate and perpetuate inequalities in support received by some of the most disadvantaged groups of service users.

For further information, to request any of the resources, which include the research report, findings, a practical guide, poster and DVD, or for information on training and presentations available, contact Becki Meakin on 07956 424511 or by email at becki@shapingourlives.org.uk or visit www.shapingourlives.org.uk/ourpubs.html#Beyond.