Local organisations and community groups are invited to a special event to learn how to make their services easier to use and more welcoming for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The event, called Portsmouth: Our Inclusive City, will take place on Thursday 3 July from 10am to 1pm at Portsmouth Central Library. It is being organised by Portsmouth City Council and delivered by Kids, a national charity that supports disabled children and young people.

The event will focus on thinking about accessibility first, making sure that services are designed with everyone in mind, especially those who may face barriers.

Attendees will learn how to work together with families and young people to improve services. This way of working is called co-production, which means listening to people’s experiences and using their ideas to make things better.

Councillor Nick Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council: Creating inclusive services that genuinely meet the needs of our communities is essential for helping children, young people, and families thrive.

“Co-production is a powerful way to achieve this by working together, we ensure that lived experiences shape the way services are designed and delivered. National Co-production Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate this approach and inspire more organisations to embed it in their everyday work.

Dynamite, a young person’s group in Portsmouth use this approach already to ensure those aged 14 – 25 years old have a say in how services for young people are run.

The group organise an initiative called young inspectors, where three to four young people visit a venue in the city to check it for accessibility.

The scheme builds confidence in each individual and helps shape improvements through constructive feedback.

Michelle Cowley, group co-ordinator at Dynamite said: Being involved in co-production has been incredibly rewarding. The initiative highlights the value of listening to people with lived experience. When young people are given the opportunity to share their views and shape the services they use, it creates a real sense of ownership and pride.

“We’ve seen first-hand how this approach boosts confidence, encourages independence, and leads to more inclusive, thoughtful services across the city.

Tickets are available for organisations and community groups who want to create services that are inclusive and accessible.

For more information and to get your ticket, visit www.portsmouthlocaloffer.org/CCW.