Enabling genuine participation in co-design with young people with learning disabilities. Issue 4 (2nd October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Raman, Sneha; French, Tara
• Is Part Of: CoDesign. Volume 18:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 431
• Page End: 447
• Publication Date: 2022-10-02
• Subjects: Co-design -- young people with learning disabilities -- creativity -- conceptual decision-making -- genuine participation -- rights-based ethos; Design -- Periodicals; Communication in design -- Periodicals; Artistic collaboration -- Periodicals; 745.2
• DOI: 10.1080/15710882.2021.1877728
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1571-0882

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper shares key learnings and emerging principles on ways of enabling genuine participation from young people with learning disabilities in co-design. Reviewing previous research focusing on co-design with young people and people with learning disabilities, we highlight key gaps including – a lack of approaches engaging young people with learning disabilities throughout a co-design process; and limited examples of genuine participation focusing on lived experience and engagement in creative and conceptual decision-making. We present our work with young people with learning disabilities to design a game-based learning tool, with a focus on the co-design process. The work illustrates a situated, tailored Participatory Design approach for engaging participants across all stages of co-design. Findings highlight the importance of contextual preparation by embedding in situ to support multi-vocal, multi-method engagement; and asset-based narratives to empower young people and support expression of voice, enabling creativity and conceptual decision-making. Synthesising key learnings and reflections, we present emerging principles underpinned by a rights-based ethos, with an emphasis on creating the right conditions and developing capacities to enable genuine participation.