Promoting civic participation: comparing three co-produced models of lifelong learning and cultural engagement in the UK

This chapter examines how the process of co-producing three different models of lifelong learning and cultural participation contributes to social inclusion in later life. It interrogates what co-production in these models involved, including co-construction, co-design, and co-delivery. The three models encompassed a contemporary dance programme, and two classroom-based learning programmes with different groups. Observations, focus group interviews with participants, supplementary feedback from participants, and in-house evaluation are thematically analysed. The dance programme developed bodily knowledge, with participants performing publicly in a space older people are normally excluded from. One of the classroom programmes led to predominantly middle-class participants becoming more active politically. The second classroom programme, involving South Asian women for whom English was a second language, did not lead to greater social inclusion beyond the life of the programme. However, communicating their achievements to the professional actors was a way of acknowledging their skills, thereby empowering participants as valuable members of their community. It was crucial that the co-produced methods directly engaged participants in dialogue about age discrimination to then challenge it. A critical pedagogic approach using imagery and movement is recommended, particularly for people with English as a second language. Working as a group was essential in developing confidence and sharing knowledge and in strengthening social networks. We conclude that structured forms of participation that aim to actively challenge exclusion from public discourse and ageism support greater social inclusion. Also, whilst the South Asian group did not continue to engage, participating in the programme was still considered worthwhile by both community and professional actors - people come to projects with different experiential baselines. Expectations of transformative experiences are, therefore, unhelpful in gauging subtle shifts in attitudes and behaviour over a relatively short period of time.