Why this course?

This course represents a compilation of findings and results from a European wide research project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No 770492) on issues concerning how ‘co-creation’ in public administration may influence social innovation and create value for beneficiaries and citizens in the field of public service. In the private sphere of service production, involvement of end-users have long been an important perspective for creating value. However, in public administration, and particularly service production aimed for so-called vulnerable and marginalized groups, we still need to know more on how co-creation and its methods may be realised in practice or as a new practice and be supportive of individual well-being.

Why study?

In this course we want to share our knowledge on both promises as well as challenges using ‘co-creation’ as an approach, method and practice in public administration. Our ambition is to make it as easily understandable as possible without compromising the depth and innovativeness of the project insights or your reflexivity. The materials provided are meant to help you to reflect upon your own context or service settings and co-creation possibilities by comparing and assessing our project findings. Our aim is to enrich you with knowledge, insights and empower you for co-creative action and in reaping its benefits.

What are you going to learn?

• The “system”: How co-creation relates to the broader system of service delivery and its governance towards co-creation. This includes how we approach co-creation as a phenomenon, service relations it implies, different roles for service actors and managers on all levels, involvement of great diversity of stakeholders and service beneficiaries, other challenges and cornerstones, co-creation added value and impacts, how that can be assessed and captured, how co-creation experiences or outputs may be spread, shared and important advice to policy makers to enhance co-creation culture.  

• The “ethical compass” or our insights on what underlying values and approaches to individuals and services need to inform co-creation as a (new) practice in welfare services, not least with so-called “marginalized” groups and how these approaches may be developed to aid co-creation

• The “catalysts” theme explores the various drivers and facilitators of co-creation undertaken facilitator roles, our tested strategies and specific tools and methods their pros and cons in co-creation. You will also find exclusive help by way of a (digitally accessible and informative) Roadmap to Cocreation to further help with all co-creation related processes and stages in practice.