All Our Services – Expert Link

Welcome

At Expert Link, we are committed to empowering individuals, organisations, and communities to embrace co-production, enhance leadership, and drive meaningful change. Whether you are looking to build your personal or professional skills, implement co-production in your projects, or engage with lived experience, we have tailored consultancy and training services to support your goals.

Safeguarding Notice: Expert Link promotes appropriate safeguarding measures across all our services to ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for everyone involved.

Note on Bookings: Currently, we are only offering group bookings for the services listed below. Please sign up for our newsletter where we will announce when we are able to offer individual bookings for these services.

Storytelling for Change

Harness your personal story to inspire change.

Key Highlights:
- Craft your story to make an impact.
- Gain confidence in sharing your story publicly.
- Learn how to use storytelling as a tool for advocacy and social change.

Ideal For:
- Individuals who want to develop their ability to share personal experiences in a way that drives social change.
- Those interested in using storytelling for advocacy or as a tool for personal growth.
- People wanting to influence their community or larger societal issues.

Cost: £1,275
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £999!
Duration: 1 day
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

Peer Research Training

Learn to conduct research that empowers you and your community.

Key Highlights:
- Learn research methods that prioritise lived experience.
- Collect and analyse data that drives real-world change.
- Gain skills that help ensure your community's voices are heard in decision-making.

Ideal For:
- People with lived experience who want to use research to make a tangible impact on services, policies, or their community.
- Individuals interested in learning how to collect and use data to advocate for change.
- Groups or organisations aiming to involve people with lived experience in research initiatives.

Cost: £2,550
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £1,999!
Duration: 2 days
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

What is Co-production?

An introduction to co-production principles and how they can transform your practice.

Key Highlights:
- Understand the core principles of co-production.
- Discover the benefits of co-production for both service users and providers.

Ideal For:
- Frontline workers or teams who are new to co-production and want to understand its fundamental principles.
- Those who want to integrate co-production into their work with people with lived experience.
- Teams who need foundational knowledge of co-production before applying it in their practice.

Cost: Free
Duration: 1 hour
Number of participants: Up to 50 participants

Essential Nuts and Bolts of Co-production

Practical tools and techniques for embedding co-production into your practice.

Key Highlights:
- Learn practical tools for engaging people with lived experience in co-production.
- Develop skills for managing group dynamics and fostering collaboration.
- Gain confidence in implementing co-production from planning through to execution.

Ideal For:
- Frontline workers and teams looking to implement co-production strategies in their work.
- Those interested in gaining practical tools to foster collaboration and better outcomes for service users.
- Organisations that want to make co-production part of their everyday practices and decision-making.

Cost: £1,275 for up to 16 participants, £1,900 for up to 32 participants
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £999 for up to 16 participants and £1499 for up to 32 participants
Duration: 1 day
Number of participants: Up to 32 participants

Setting Up a Lived Experience Group or Forum: 6-Month Programme

Support for creating and sustaining lived experience groups.

Key Highlights:
- Initial Setup: Assistance with recruiting, specialist training for members, defining the group’s purpose, and creating initial plans.
- Group Dynamics: Support with facilitating group discussions, managing conflict, and ensuring equal participation.
- Embedding Co-production: Help with ensuring co-production is integrated into the group’s operations and wider organisation.
- Progress Tracking: Regular check-ins to monitor the progress of the group and assess effectiveness.

Ideal For:
- Frontline workers or community leaders who are in the early stages of setting up a lived experience group.
- Organisations looking to embed co-production principles into their operations over a short to medium-term period.
- Teams that need support with group dynamics and ensuring the group stays focused on its goals.

Cost: £12,000
Early Bird Discount: 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £9,600
Duration: 6 months
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

Consultancy Support for Co-production Project

Consultancy support for co-production projects, from start to finish.

Key Highlights:
- Initial Planning: Work with you to design a co-production project, setting clear objectives and outcomes.
- Co-Design Workshops: Facilitate co-design workshops to ensure all stakeholders are involved from the beginning.
- Group Development: Help build a group of people with lived experience to work on the project.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Provide ongoing support to ensure the project is delivered on time, on budget, and achieves the desired impact.

Ideal For:
- Organisations or community groups seeking to introduce co-production into a specific project or initiative.
- Frontline workers or teams who need support with projects and want to ensure meaningful engagement with people with lived experience.
- Funders looking to support smaller projects that can serve as pilot or learning opportunities for larger co-production initiatives.

Cost: £12,000 - £24,000 depending on project
Early Bird Discount: 20% off if booked and paid before April
Duration: Project based
Number of participants: N/A

Wealth Within

Recognise your strengths, build confidence, and turn your experiences into leadership opportunities.

Key Highlights:
- Build confidence by recognising your unique strengths.
- Develop the skills to take active roles in your community.
- Gain practical tools to set and achieve personal and leadership goals.

Ideal For:
- People with lived experience who are looking to grow personally and professionally.
- Those who want to transition into leadership roles and use their experiences to inspire others.
- Individuals ready to take on more active roles in their communities and organisations.

Cost: £1,275
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £999!
Duration: 1 day
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

Effective Facilitation and Active Participation

Engaging in meetings as both a participant and facilitator in co-production and decision-making.

Key Highlights:
- Master facilitation techniques that promote inclusion and equal participation.
- Build confidence in managing group dynamics and decision-making.
- Empower others by facilitating co-production and advocacy groups.

Ideal For:
- People with lived experience who want to facilitate discussions or workshops in their communities or organisations.
- Individuals who wish to become active participants in meetings while fostering equal participation.
- Anyone interested in developing their skills to lead co-production or advocacy groups

Cost: £1,275
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £999!
Duration: 1 day
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

Personalised Consultancy Support

Tailored support for setting up or refining co-production efforts.

Key Highlights:
- Receive consultancy on the key steps to establish a co-production group.
- Assess and refine your co-production practices to enhance impact.

Ideal For:
- Frontline workers who are setting up co-production groups or looking to reflect and refine their existing co-production initiatives.
- Managers who want to ensure that co-production is successfully embedded within their teams.
- Teams that would benefit from ongoing, tailored coaching to ensure effective co-production.

Cost: £5,525 for 6 sessions, plus initial session to determine aspirations
Early Bird Discount: over 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £4,420
Duration: 6 sessions, 1 hour to 1.5 hours per session
Number of participants: 1 - 3 participants

Setting Up a Lived Experience Group or Forum: 12-Month Programme

Support for creating and sustaining co-production groups over 12 months.

Key Highlights:
- Long-Term Planning: Guidance on setting long-term goals and creating sustainable plans for the group.
- Organisational Integration: Assistance with ensuring the group works closely with the wider organisation.
- Leadership Development: Coaching for group leaders to ensure they can effectively manage the group and navigate challenges.
- Impact Reporting: Annual progress and impact report of group achievements and learning.
- Sustainability: Help with developing strategies for sustaining the group beyond the initial 12-month period.

Ideal For:
- Organisations looking for extensive support to embed co-production into their practice.
- Frontline teams requiring ongoing coaching to achieve deep integration of co-production.
- Teams or organisations aiming to establish co-production as a foundational element of their service.

Cost: £24,000
Early Bird Discount: 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £19,200
Duration: 12 months
Number of participants: Up to 16 participants

Lived Experience Engagement Exercise

Getting lived experience voices into a project or policy programme.

Key Highlights:
- One-off Engagement Session: Recruit and facilitate an engagement session to gather lived experience feedback into policy or programmes.
- Engagement Report: Impactful report highlighting key points and recommendations driven by the voices of people with lived experience.

Ideal For:
- Funders or policymakers seeking to gather lived experience intelligence in the design and implementation of policies or programmes.

Cost: £2,500
Early Bird Discount: 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £1,999
Duration: 1 day
Number of participants: N/A

Support for Setting Up an Organisation

Support for setting up an organisation, from concept to obtaining legal status.

Key Highlights:
- Concept Development: Guidance on turning your idea into a viable organisation, from mission statement to structure.
- Business Planning: Help with creating a sustainable business plan, including setting goals, identifying stakeholders, and defining your service model.
- Legal Setup: Advice on registering your organisation, obtaining legal status, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
- Funding Strategy: Support with identifying funding sources and writing grant proposals.
- Networking and Partnerships: Assistance with building a network of partners, collaborators, and potential funders.

Ideal For:
- Individuals or groups who have a concept or idea for an organisation but need support navigating the process of setting it up.
- Social entrepreneurs with lived experience who want to formalise their initiatives and ensure sustainability.
- Community leaders looking to create an organisation that serves the needs of their local or professional communities.

Cost: On request
Early Bird Discount: 20% off if booked and paid before April, now £TBC
Duration: Project based
Number of participants: Varies

How We Support You: Our Simple Process

At Expert Link, we believe in making the process simple and transparent. Whether you're looking for consultancy or training, here's how we work together to help you achieve your goals:

1. Get in Touch: Share your vision, needs, and goals with us. Whether you're looking for a specific service or need general advice, we're here to listen and understand.

2. Tailored Service Design: Once we understand your needs, we’ll craft a bespoke service designed specifically for you. Our services are flexible, allowing us to tailor the content and approach.

3. Implementation & Support: We don’t just deliver the service – we ensure that it’s effectively implemented and supported throughout. We’ll be by your side to guide, adjust, and ensure success.

4. Continued Partnership: We stay in touch, offering support to sustain impact, measure outcomes, and keep momentum going.

All Consultancy and Training

Expert Link Consultancy and Training Services