How does good facilitation support co-production?
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 11th March 2026
Facilitation sits at the core of supporting people to take action on the issues important to them and is a key part of how good community development happens.
Facilitation aims to support people to have efficient and inclusive discussions that lead to consensus and decision-making.
For co-production, where it’s vital that everyone is equally heard, the role of the facilitator is key, providing a neutral and supportive presence during discussions.
A key starting point is the National Standards for Community Engagement. These are good practice principles that act as the foundation for all types of engagement and participatory processes, including co-production.
The Co-production Guide features a dedicated section on the role facilitation plays in good co-production. It includes step-by-step tips for facilitating a successful session.
Last week the Scottish Co-production Network held a webinar exploring the role of facilitation in co-production - a recording of the full session and slides are available here.
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