Community co-production: Designing neighbourhood mental health centres with people, not for people

How can neighbourhood mental health services be designed with communities, rather than simply for them? A free online webinar this October will explore learning from Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot sites across the country – including York.

The Design in Mental Health Network (DiMHN) is hosting Community Co-production: designing neighbourhood mental health centres with people, not for people on Wednesday 14 October 2026, from 12pm–1.30pm.

The free Lunch & Learn webinar will bring together people involved in Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot sites in York, Sheffield, Hope Haven and Lewisham to explore what they have learned about co-production, community, place and design.

Learning from York

We’re delighted that our very own Ben Hutchinson, Co-Production Champion at York CVS, will be among the speakers, sharing learning from the development of York’s Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre in Acomb.

Co-production has played an important role in shaping the York centre, with local people directly influencing its look and feel, how the physical space is used, its delivery model and the way it connects with other services.

Community members and people using services have also been involved in decisions around décor, location and building design, as well as staff recruitment.

This work is based on a simple but important principle: people who use services and live within our communities should have a meaningful role in shaping them.

Moving beyond consultation

The webinar will explore what meaningful co-production looks like in practice – including the challenges as well as the successes.

Speakers will consider questions including:

• Where has co-production genuinely changed a decision?
• How can community aspirations be translated into practical design?
• What happens when established approaches need to change?
• How can a building support a model of care rather than determine it?
• What proved more difficult than expected?
• What would teams do differently next time?

The discussion will also consider something that can easily be overlooked when designing services: how does it actually feel to walk through the door?

Creating a welcoming and inclusive service isn’t only about the physical design of a building. Everyday interactions, relationships, choice and a sense of belonging can all influence people’s experiences of accessing support.