Vulnerable Citizens: Will Co-production Make a Difference?

Abstract

One of the presumed benefits of introducing co-production is that it will lead to a greater inclusion of citizens and vulnerable people in particular. The chapter assesses how realistic that is, by discussing how coproduction changes the conditions that discourage vulnerable people from engaging with more traditional types of participation. The chapter concludes that co-production has a better chance of involving vulnerable people than traditional types of participation, especially because its relevance is more directly apparent and because it relies less on personal skills. However, it is not a cure-for-all and will never be able to involve everyone.