Building the Framework community: the power of participation
At Framework, we know that real progress happens when people feel heard, valued, and included. That’s why participation—when people with lived experience help shape the services they use—is at the heart of how we want to work.
But what does “participation” actually mean?
For many, the word itself feels distant or even off-putting. Early feedback from some of our service users highlighted this perfectly: “What does that mean?”, “Why would I want to go to that?”, “It just sounds boring.”
We listened—and we agreed. That’s when the idea of a rebrand started to take shape.
Introducing: Framework Community
Born from a collaboration between past and current service users and staff, the name Framework Community was chosen by the very people it’s for.
We wanted a name that reflects what this is really about: community, belonging, and shared purpose. When people feel part of something, they’re more likely to contribute. And when they contribute, the entire organisation benefits—from new ideas and greater transparency to services that work better for those who use them.
Why Participation Matters
Encouraging participation isn’t always easy—especially in a large, diverse organisation like Framework. But we know it’s worth the effort.
When we create spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas, it leads to:
- Innovation and creativity that comes from real lived experience
- Stronger services, built on feedback from the people who use them
- Empowered individuals who feel heard, valued, and respected
- Accountability at every level of the organisation
Participation is about more than meetings or feedback forms—it’s about culture. It’s about giving people a meaningful say in the decisions that affect them and taking those voices seriously.
Our Guiding Principles
We’ve built our participation strategy on five clear principles that keep us grounded and accountable:
- Meaningful Influence – Ensuring service users can genuinely shape services at all levels
- Integrated Perspective – Making sure decisions always reflect lived experience
- Continuous Improvement – Avoiding tokenism and always looking to do better
- Access and Inclusivity – Meeting people where they are, and removing barriers to involvement
- Standards – Striving not just to meet, but exceed expectations for participation
Our Goals for the Next Three Years
We know there’s still work to be done. But we’re committed to progress, and we’ve set out clear objectives to guide us:
- Embed consistent, meaningful participation across all services
- Strengthen the links between local participation and decision-making
- Grow the number and depth of service user engagement
- Improve the impact of our Framework Community Forum and Network
- Build on what’s already working and make it even better
We’re also taking practical steps—from involving service users in recruitment to improving our satisfaction surveys—to make sure our approach continues to evolve.
A Journey We Take Together
Creating a truly inclusive organisation isn’t something that happens overnight. But with every conversation, every piece of feedback, and every shared idea, we’re building a stronger Framework Community—together.
If you’d like to learn more about Framework Community or how to get involved, please get in touch at frameworkcommunity@frameworkha.org. We’d love to hear from you.