Celebrating Co-Creation: CommuniCity in Manchester

Could engaging communities in the development of new technologies resolve some of the biggest challenges facing society today?

In 2024, Manchester became the first UK city outside London to join the EU-funded CommuniCity programme, a transformative innovation initiative that engaged local people, businesses, and organisations to develop tech-enabled solutions to social and urban challenges.

Over the last year, Manchester’s Digital Strategy team has worked in partnership with pioneering public sector colleagues and inspiring businesses from across Europe to co-create new tech solutions with communities.

Our CELEBRATING CO-CREATION event brings together pilot partners to share opportunities, challenges and learnings from their experiences of community engagement and co-creation. You’ll also have a chance to reflect on what meaningful co-creation looks like in practice and barriers to adoption as part of an interactive workshop session.

Are in you interested in exploring how community community-led innovation could shape more effective and inclusive public services? We’d love to welcome you to the conversation.

Key Details:

📅 Thursday 4th September

📍 Online

⏲ 13:00 GMT

What to Expect:

CELEBRATING CO-CREATION is an interactive, reflective session on co-creation in public service innovation.

You’ll have the chance to hear from the teams behind the pilots through presentations and panel discussions, before sharing your thoughts in a collaborative mind-mapping session.

Speakers will explore how co-creation shaped the design and delivery of each pilot, the importance of building mutually trusting relationships with communities, and how participatory design processes could help to align public services with community needs and values.

They’ll also be plenty of opportunities to share your experiences and ideas, as we explore the strengths, barriers and opportunities of co-creating with communities.

Agenda:

Welcome & Introduction: 13:00 – 13:05

Programme Overview & Highlights: 13:05 – 13:10

Overview of Pilot Challenges: 13:10 – 13:20

Interactive Session: Rethinking Co-Creation in Public Services: 13:20 – 14:00

Closing Remarks and Thank You: 14:00 – Close

Who Can Attend?:

Anyone and everyone!

We believe in the importance of listening to the priorities, perspectives, and needs of everyone in our city. We aim to draw together a diverse range of local authority colleagues, non-profit organisations, community leaders, businesses, and residents to explore community co-creation could inspire new social possibilities and support public sector innovation that works for everyone.

Whether you’re a policymaker, a practitioner, or simply curious, we welcome anyone with an interest in co-creation to join us!

Registration:

Sign up now for FREE to join the conversation on how co-creation could help drive the development of services that are more impactful, ethical and inclusive.

***

About Manchester's Digital Strategy:

AI for All is being organised by the team behind Manchester's Digital Strategy.

Embracing digital and technology has always been hugely important to Manchester. It creates opportunities for for the people who live here, enriches our thriving tech and digital ecosystem, and has the potential to provide solutions to many of our city’s biggest challenges.

Manchester's Digital Strategy sets out an aspirational vision that provides the foundation for us to realise our ambitions of becoming a world-leading digital city by 2026. This will be a future where we have digitally skilled residents, future-proofed infrastructure, a thriving digital economy, and a digitally enabled transition to a sustainable and resilient city.

Developed in collaboration with over 63 partners and networks across Greater Manchester’s digital sector, the Strategy puts people at the heart of our plans to build a fair future for everyone.

Find out more about the values that underpin our work by visiting the website:

DOING DIGITAL TOGETHER (manchesterdigitalstrategy.com)