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Coproduction and Lived Experience Lead
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Coproduction and Lived Experience Lead
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP5 2BY Salary: £42,839 per annum pro rata (£22.23 per hour) Hours: 30 hours per week Contract: Permanent (required as soon as possible) Reference: 0802
About the Role
Help us make ‘nothing about us, without us’ a reality. We’re seeking a warm, values-led Coproduction and Lived Experience Lead to embed coproduction across Suffolk User Forum (SUF) and support the wider Suffolk mental health system.
In this position, you will:
- Manage a Lived Experience Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator.
- Lead our quarterly Coproduction Steering Group and working groups.
- Represent Suffolk User Forum in key coproduction and engagement programmes for the Integrated Care Board and Suffolk County Council.
- Ensure lived experience shapes service design, internal governance, and strategy execution.
- Provide clear, accessible reports to the Chief Executive Officer and Board.
This role demands visible leadership to champion Suffolk User Forum’s 2026–2029 strategy, championing a fixated focus on person-centred approaches, equity, and systemic influence.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategic Influence
- Champion coproduction across SUF, ensuring lived experience voices (including marginalised groups) shape governance, systems, and services.
- Lead the Coproduction Steering Group, ensuring accessible agendas, clear progression, and actionable outcomes from ** consultations and co-design**.
- Provide transparent, timely updates for the CEO, Board, and Members, demonstrating impact and accountability.
Representation & Partnerships
- Act as a succinct, effective ambassador for SUF in engaging with Integrated Care Board, Suffolk County Council, NHS partners, and VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) organisations.
- Support people with lived experience in recruitment, tender processes, programme boards, and service redesign, ensuring meaningful, fair inclusion.
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Coproduction & Engagement
- Lead internal and external coproduction projects from conception to measureable impact; assist the CEO in fundraising bids.
- Collaborate to deliver strategic priorities, including:
- Conversation Cafés
- Focus groups
- Stepping Forward events
- Self-advocacy resources
Team & Volunteer Support
- Provide supportive line management for the Lived Experience and Volunteer Coordinators, fostering growth, engagement, and capability.
- Strengthen volunteer pathways and safe, welcoming environments for members and carers, while ensuring participation is truly barrier-free.
Monitoring & Representation
- Track impact metrics and evidence of progress.
- Ensure data integrity, confidentiality/compliance, and human-centred language in all materials.
- Contribute to SUF’s growth, advancing member engagement, engagement strategies, and public systems influence.
Requirements
Qualifications
- Relevant qualification or equivalent experience in coproduction, mental health advocacy, lived experience leadership, or community assets development.
- GCSE Maths and English (or equivalency qualification).
- Commitment to ongoing professional development.
Experience
- Leading coproduction or lived experience work in transformative settings.
- Creating clear, accessible, stakeholder-friendly reports.
- Collaborating effectively with staff, partners, and volunteers.
Skills
- Strong facilitation and communication to engage a diverse range of individuals.
- Ability to build trust while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Competence with Microsoft Office applications.
Values Alignment
- Deep commitment to SUF’s values; prioritising equity, inclusion, and humane-curating relationships.
- Demonstrates integrity and fosters an inclusive, lifelong learning culture.
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Other Considerations
- Required: Ability to *travel and flex across Suffolk.
- Occasional evenings or weekend commitments may arise.
About Us
At Suffolk User Forum, we are a led-by-estate organisation dedicated to ensuring that “nothing about us, without us” drives mental health service design. Our mission is to advocate for every lived experience voice—whether users in primary, secondary, or inpatient settings—empowering individuals to shape ** Suicide Service Design** and decision-making through trust-building, equitable processes.
Our 2026–2029 strategy focuses on:
- Strengthening community cohesion and inclusive networks.
- Deepening coproduction across sectors.
- Developing self-advocacy pathways.
- Accelerating collective vision, engagement, and successful partnerships.
What We Offer
- A reduce, supportive, voice-changing organisation, known for integrity and impact.
- Supportive team culture where confidence in judgment and contributions are both valued!
- Immersive opportunities to contribute to world-class mental health systems redesign.
- Role flexibility and creative growth dedicated to community welfare.
How to Apply
To apply, submit:
- Completed Application Form
- *Equal Opportunities Form OPTIONAL but helpful; remain/chained
Email attachments to hello@suffolkuserforum.co.uk.
Deadline: 12 pm (Noon), 10 July 2024.
Interviews: Scheduled 14 July 2024. Lived Experience Panel Review: 16 July 2024.
For further enquiries, contact Jayne Stevens at 01473 907087.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY There is no direct online job form: attaching the documents via email is the only valid submission route.*
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