Coproduction with peer support groups: A new approach to culturally responsive social services

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Cultural Competence in Healthcare
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Disparities in social service access for culturally diverse populations are a growing concern.
• Coproduction offers a promising approach to enhance cultural responsiveness in social services.
• Effective strategies for facilitating coproduction with diverse groups remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how disability support organizations can facilitate and support coproduction with people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
• To explore the role of peer support groups in improving culturally responsive service provision.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving three Australian disability support organizations.
• Observations of peer support group activities (Chinese background individuals with disabilities and their families).
• Semistructured interviews with group members and organization staff.

Main Results:

• Organizing peer support groups facilitated crucial knowledge exchange between diverse service users and organizations.
• Five key contributors to successful knowledge exchange were identified: dedicated staff, empowering group challenges, supporting peer facilitators, building trust, and inter-organizational collaboration.
• This exchange informed practice development and improved service provision.

Conclusions:

• Peer support groups are effective mechanisms for fostering coproduction and enhancing cultural responsiveness in social services.
• Organizational strategies must focus on building trust, empowering diverse users, and supporting facilitators.
• Addressing cultural norms and preferences is essential for equitable and effective support provision.