How we work in co-design

The unique model that ensures everyone gets a say.

At Feros Care, we’re big on collaboration.

Our lived experience allows our team members to work in co-design with people in disability alongside peak bodies and organisations, influencing social policy and building capacity in communities, and working for further accessibility and inclusivity.

This approach works towards ensuring people with disability have full rights to access the services and supports available to other Australians.

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Co-design guiding principles


Accountability and transparency

Feros Care will seek feedback and work together with participants and communities on creative and outcome-focused solutions.


Inclusive and accessible design

Feros Care will be a leader in building all-inclusive practices alongside people of all abilities.


Collaboration

Feros Care will embed in community to establish ongoing partnerships and develop strong opportunities to work together.


Safe spaces and safe people

Feros Care will learn from our communities and educate staff to nurture safe spaces.


Circle of support

Feros Care will work with people with disability, families, friends and supporters to empower each to live their best life.

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Changing the narrative

Feros Care will work on true visibility of disability to break down stigma and stereotypes.


Investing time

Feros Care will provide diverse models of engagement to ensure you have a platform to feel heard.

Co-design in action

Stay up-to-date with how our co-design process is evolving, and the topics discussed and insights gained each time our Local Working Groups meet.

 Co-design timeline

What we've done

Our local working groups met most recently in November 2022. They had two main objectives;

  1. Shape Feros Care’s practices and initiatives
  2. Co-design a resource based on the challenge: How can employers foster more inclusive workplaces?

Learn more about the insights each working group generated below.

Qld Local Working Groups

  • November 2022

SA Local Working Group

  • November 2022

ACT Local Working Group

  • November 2022

National Advisory Group

  • January 2023

What's next

Our next Local Working Groups will be held in February 2023, and our National Advisory Group will also come together.

We will be moving into the develop phase of co-designing our inclusive employment resource.

How we came to the Co-Design model

In 2021, we began reviewing and refining our existing consultation process to formalise our Co-design Guiding Principles.

This process included forming national advisory groups and intensive focus groups with a wide range of people with disability from diverse groups.

We collated all the feedback and themes and convened a national workshop that united people with disability, professionals from the community and Feros Care staff to understand the top themes that came out of the national focus groups.

This has since formed our seven Co-design Guiding Principles, which ensure we continue to hear everyone’s voice to create projects with the people they are meant for.

It’s all part of our ‘Nothing About Me, Without Me’ approach, which ensures that a person with disability takes part in every conversation about their life, their services and support.

Photos from co-design focus groups

Co-design stories

Thumbnail image for The Co-Design Way: How we ensure ‘inclusivity’ is more than just a word

The Co-Design Way: How we ensure ‘inclusivity’ is more than just a word

Collaboration, cooperative approaches, community, a coming together of people from all diverse backgrounds… it’s called co-design.

Young queer person in a blue-tinted room seated on a couch and looking at chess set on a coffee table

How activist Dylan McBurney has helped make Feros Care more inclusive

Activist Dylan McBurney has brought their wisdom and passion to the Feros Care Co-Design focus groups to contribute to the vision of a more inclusive society for people living with disability. Find out more!

Three women and a man with lanyards around their necks, posing for a picture

Taking the confusion out of inclusion

Feros Care subscribes to the social model of disability, and Carly Hennessy believes that people are disabled by barriers in society that need to be removed to create equality and offer people more independence, choice and control.

Two young women sitting on corner couch and looking at printed guide

Disability guide empowers in building sustainable employment

You can now download Feros Care's disability guide that aims to empower people with disability and employers to establish sustainable employment options.