Co-Developed Resources
Creating inclusive, accurate and practical resources with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
Friends, Families and Travellers works in partnership with healthcare organisations, public bodies and third sector agencies to co-develop accessible, culturally informed resources with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
We do not simply translate or adapt existing materials. We co-create resources from the ground up, ensuring they reflect lived experience, address real barriers to access, and are usable in practice by both communities and professionals.
Our co-development work spans national guidance, local health information, training materials, patient resources and public health communications.
We support organisations to design and produce:
- Health information resources for patients and communities
- Public health campaigns and communications
- GP registration and access guidance materials
- Vaccination and screening information resources
- Service access leaflets and toolkits
- Digital resources and video content
- Staff guidance and professional practice tools
- Co-produced reports and policy materials
- Community-informed evaluation outputs
Why co-development matters
Many health and public service resources fail to reach or engage Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities because they are:
- Not co-designed with communities
- Written in inaccessible or overly technical language
- Based on assumptions rather than lived experience
- Not trusted by the intended audience
- Not reflective of real barriers to access
Co-development addresses this by ensuring:
- Communities shape content from the start
- Language, tone and format are accessible and relevant
- Barriers to access are directly addressed
- Trust is embedded into the design process
- Resources are more likely to be used in practice
This leads to better engagement, improved understanding and more effective services.
Our approach
Our co-development process typically includes:
1
Scoping and needs identification
2
Engagement with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
3
Collaborative content development
4
Testing and feedback with community members
5
Refinement and accessibility review
6
Final production and dissemination planning
7
Optional evaluation of impact and uptake
We tailor this process depending on the scale, audience and purpose of the resource.
Working with communities
We ensure meaningful involvement of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people throughout the process.
This may include:
- Community workshops
- Focus groups and discussion sessions
- 1:1 interviews and feedback
- Peer review of materials
- Testing of draft resources
- Involvement in messaging and design decisions
We prioritise accessibility, trust and safe participation throughout.
Who we work with
We regularly co-develop resources with:
- NHS England and Integrated Care Boards
- Local authority public health teams
- GP practices and primary care networks
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) partners
- Charities and national NGOs
- Academic and research institutions
- Policy and commissioning bodies
- Community and voluntary sector organisations
Examples of co-developed work
Our co-development work includes collaboration on:
- Health access and registration guidance for primary care
- Vaccination and public health messaging resources
- Inclusion health guidance and practitioner tools
- Community-informed research outputs
- National and regional health communication campaigns
- Toolkits supporting service improvement and engagement
These resources are designed to be practical, trusted and widely usable across services:
What makes our approach different
Lived experience at the centre
We ensure Gypsy, Roma and Traveller voices directly shape content, not just validate it at the end.
Focus on usability
Resources are designed to be used in real-world settings by both professionals and communities.
Trust and accessibility
We understand what makes materials credible and accessible for communities who have experienced exclusion from services.
Sector expertise
We combine community insight with deep knowledge of health, housing, education and public service systems.
Outcomes of co-developed resources
Organisations typically see:
- Increased uptake of health and public service information
- Improved engagement with services and campaigns
- Greater trust in communications
- More inclusive service design
- Better alignment with equality and inclusion goals
- Improved clarity and accessibility of materials
- Stronger relationships with communities
Working with us
We can support your organisation at any stage of resource development, from early concept design through to final production and evaluation.
We can also integrate co-development with:
- Training programmes
- Consultancy and engagement work
- Evaluation and research
- Service design and improvement projects
Book a consultation
If you are planning to develop resources for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, or want to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of your existing materials, we can support you.
Next steps:
We recommend an initial scoping discussion to clarify:
- Target audience and purpose
- Community involvement approach
- Timeline and delivery requirements
- Expected outputs and formats
- Evaluation or dissemination needs