I am Manager of Hertfordshire PASS 'a user-driven charity using employment to enable disabled people to live independently'. In fulfilling this aim we run WorkABILITY, an employment preparation programme run by, and for disabled young people.
Such user-driven work is not just a simple matter of allowing disabled young people to get on with it alone, as there needs to be some sort of framework within which such work can take place. (This is not peculiar to disabled young people as it applies to all young people growing up).
To appreciate the framework we use, it is necessary to understand the implicit outcome in user-driven work. We want disabled young people to move from being 'just a disabled young person' (often imposed on them by others) to taking up a wide range of 'driving' roles such as facilitator, writer, mentor, planner, strategist, or manager. In the context of WorkABILITY such roles are currently being taken by our 3 apprentices, as they plan and deliver employment preparation for their peers.
Clearly 'role' is important, but it begs the question 'where does a role come from?' In our view a role is always linked to achieving the aim of the project, or meeting, or organisation. Therefore being explicit about the aim enables the participants in the meeting or project to take up an appropriate role to achieve that aim. However, many meetings and projects have implicit aims ( - or none at all) and / or are driven by strong and charismatic individuals, resulting in a vagueness of role. Therefore being clear about the aim of the project, meeting or organisation is vital. (See my 'Being clear about purpose' blog dated 29/7/09.)
In turn this begs the next question 'where does the aim of the project, or meeting, or organisation come from?' There is a danger the aim often emanates from the strong and powerful - and their ideas, thoughts, hunches, opinions or beliefs. Alternatively the aim can grow out of a sharing of relevant lived experiences, which when weaved together reflect the shared story of those involved and what they want to do together. (See my 'Everyday experience at work: vital to disabled young people exploring the world of work' blog dated 30/6/09.)
So in summary, in our user-driven work we focus on three main areas:
- the person and their lived experience
- defining the system (ie meeting, project, organisation) through clarifying its aim, and
- the roles we all take up in achieving this aim.
So when people ask me 'how do you manage a user-driven project?' I answer in terms of ensuring there is an aim, that it is validated by the lived experiences of users, and that roles are being taken up to achieve the aim. Such a framework frees up the 'users' to take up suitable 'driving' roles such as manager, planner, innovator......
(I am grateful to the Grubb Institute of Behavioural Studies who I worked with for 6 years, for introducing me to this 'Person-System-Role' framework and giving me opportunity to hone my skills and understanding with young people in schools, and young offenders in 7 prisons.)
