ENABLE - From Culture of Caring to Culture of Enabling: How to Co-produce Services for People with Intellectual Disability

The ENABLE project ('From Culture of Caring to Culture of Enabling') was a two-year participatory process (October 2015 – December 2017) in which six committed partners, led by Fondation A.P.E.M.H. in Luxembourg, worked together to test and promote co-production as a new way to provide services for people with intellectual disability.

The project promotes inclusive learning and training materials for users, families and professionals; recognition of the skills, merits and contributions of people with disabilities to the workplace and labour market; and access to vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination, in line with Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Co-production was implemented through Assemblies-Focus groups bringing together service users, families, professionals in disability and local community representatives, alongside the creation of an Inclusive Training/Learning Platform on how to co-design, co-deliver and co-evaluate services together with people with intellectual disability.

The project reports qualitative learning points — innovative approaches to raise professionals' awareness and competences, addressing equality issues for people with disabilities, and testing co-production of services — though no quantified outcome data is presented in the available content.

ENABLE frames co-production in social-service design as a unique opportunity to rethink the relationship between citizens and the state, redefining service users, families, professionals and communities as equal partners and engines of change.