By Dr Amy Beardmore and Leila Powell
Introduction
Over the past 3 months, Dr Amy Beardmore, a Senior Lecturer in Public Health, and Leila Powell, a Research Associate, have had the opportunity to work on an Accelerated Knowledge Transfer project. This is a rapid, 3-way collaboration between a university, a business partner, and a research associate, to bridge research and current practice. This was made possible through a partnership between the Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing at UWE Bristol and Via, a national drug and alcohol support charity, supported by Innovate UK and NIHR.
We found this project to be an exciting opportunity to combine academic and business perspectives, learn from each other, and co-create a meaningful toolkit with the people who use and deliver services at Via. This blog will outline the project, its objectives, outcomes and next steps.
Project objectives
We set out to explore what helps and hinders Via’s service users from accessing community assets that can support their recovery and wellbeing. The core goal was to apply asset-based community engagement (ABCE) theory into a practical, easy-to-use tool that Community Connectors, Via Staff and service users themselves can use to understand what assets would better support their recovery process. Through co-design, we wanted this tool to feel grounded in current needs and be genuinely helpful for building connection to the community. Alongside this, we worked to develop a set of outputs that would influence future design of Via’s Digital Community Asset Platform, and to support asset access.
Project phases
The project unfolded in three key phases. We began with a rapid evidence review, which helped to anchor the project in current evidence and literature. The second phase, and arguably the core of the project, involved two planning meetings and two participatory workshops at Via’s services in Redbridge. This involved service users, peer workers and Via staff. These sessions were full of rich conversations, co-designed workshop activities, and insights drawn directly from the lived experiences of people accessing Via’s services. In the final phase, we moved on to refining the toolkit and report, bringing together everything we’d learned. Each phase naturally built on the last, and the structure of the project was truly shaped by the experiences of the participants.
Key actions
While the rapid review provided a strong starting point and anchored the research, the workshops really grounded the project in the realities of those recovering from dependency. In the first workshop, participants mapped the assets they currently access as well as the ones they aspire to use, while discussing real-world challenges that inhibit participation. This laid the groundwork for the conceptual supportive tool. Working together in the second workshop, we began to scope what elements would work in an ABCE toolkit to support access. Towards the end, we began thinking through the practicalities and what future recommendations may facilitate the use of the digital platform. One of the biggest takeaways for us was the value of co-production, and how bringing together academic knowledge, professional expertise and lived experience leads to richer, more grounded solutions.
Deliverables
Together, we produced an adaptation of the Stages of Change to form the Stages of Access; this helps to map the process from not being interested in accessing local assets in the community to maintaining regular access, through building confidence, regular support, and assertive linkage processes with a Community Connector.
Additionally, we adapted Stage 3 of the ABCE theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into a provisional questionnaire for Via, whereby anyone may use this to better understand what skills and passions a person possesses, what matters to them most, and what their urgent needs are. By combining these tools together, Via can develop a rooted understanding of an individual’s priorities and needs concurrently with their current stance on accessing assets, leading to tailored advice and the introduction of the digital platform at the correct time for the service user.
Reflections & insights
Across the workshops, several themes stood out strongly. Participants spoke about the importance of confidence and connection when engaging with community resources. They also highlighted how seemingly small barriers, like transport challenges, can have major impacts on people’s willingness to take part. Hearing these insights first-hand reinforced a shared belief that lived experience must sit at the centre of the tool development. We also found that grounding the project in evidence-based practise helped keep the work focused and aligned with public health values. Working together across various backgrounds has been deeply enriching. It strengthened our partnership, helped us see issues from different angles, and reminded us of the power of collaborative design.
What’s next?
We’re both excited to see how the ABCE toolkit performs during piloting, and how it evolves with real-world use. From our perspectives, this project has shaped the way we think about collaboration, co-production and the integration of research into practise. We hope to continue building on this momentum, securing further funding and exploring how the tool can support recovery across different services and contexts. Most importantly, we are optimistic to continue a partnership with Via and UWE, while keeping lived experience at the centre of everything that comes next.