Co-production
Working together on what’s important.
At Buttle, we believe we should be answerable to the children, young people and families we support, and to the professionals who stand beside them.
Co-production is how we make that happen. It keeps us honest, transparent and focused on real impact.
We work with two groups, who shape what we do:
Our Advisor Network
A network bringing together young people, parents, carers and frontline professionals.
Advisor NetworkTogether, they meet with our staff and trustees, take part in consultations, and lead projects that challenge us to do better. Their insight strengthens our grants, sharpens our decision-making and makes sure we’re delivering the things that truly matter to children and young people.
We’re learning as we go and sharing that journey openly here and on our blog. To find out more, get in touch with our Co-Production and Youth Engagement Manager, Charlotte Robey-Turner, at coproduction@buttleuk.org.
What does co-production at Buttle mean?
Our vision for co-production at Buttle is best described by one of our Youth Advisory Panel members. Dima says:
“Co-production means working together as equals, where young people and adults both bring their experiences, voices and ideas to make decisions that matter.
And it’s not about being consulted or just giving feedback at the end. It’s about being part of shaping things right from the start. It also means trust, respect, and shared power…
Young people bring lived experience and creativity, while adults bring structures and resources. When those come together, they create something stronger, more honest and more effective.”
Why we do it.
Our ambition is simple:
Embed co-production across Buttle, so our work has the greatest possible impact.
By working in partnership at every level, we aim to:
- Strengthen and evolve our grant-making, so children and young people get the outcomes that truly matter to them.
- Improve every part of Buttle, from fundraising, communications, governance and more.
- Understand the wider issues that drive financial hardship, and respond to them responsibly.
- Amplify young people’s voices, making sure they’re heard across our sector and beyond.
- Stay accountable to the people we support, following through on their feedback and inviting them to scrutinise our decisions.
For us, accountability means being transparent about our impact, listening carefully, acting on what we hear and reporting back.
Looking to get involved? Contact coproduction@buttleuk.org.
Youth Advisory Panel
Young people shaping what matters in childhood.
Our Youth Advisory Panel is at the heart of our co-production work.
It brings together young people aged 16–25 who have benefited from our support, and who want to use their experience to make childhoods fairer.
In 2024, we worked with 12 young people who had received Buttle grants to co-design the Panel: its purpose, its goals, its recruitment and its induction.
The panel was co-designed with young people, who created a clear aim: to increase Buttle’s impact and reach by using our experiences to create meaningful change in the charity and wider society.
Our Youth Advisory Panel:
- Takes part in Buttle’s governance, scrutinising decisions and holding us accountable.
- Works with staff to strengthen and improve how we deliver grants.
- Helps our teams and trustees stay connected to what young people are really facing.
- Raises awareness of our work, helping more people access the support they need.
- Brings new perspectives on the issues affecting childhood today.
- Creates space for young people to have a genuine voice at every level of the organisation.
- Meets regularly to talk about priority issues, developing how we work.
Thanks to the Youth Advisory Panel’s work, we have become an organisation that has an even deeper understanding of the issues facing childhoods across the country.
Advisor network
Lived and learned experience guides our work.
At Buttle, we aim for lived and learned experiences to shape everything we do.
Our Advisor Network brings together young people, parents, carers and professionals with direct experience of the challenges our grants address. Their vital insight keeps our work grounded, relevant and focused on real-world impact.
The Advisor Network isn’t a route for challenging individual grant decisions or making complaints — and taking part won’t affect the outcome of any applications.
Instead, it’s a space for honest, constructive partnerships.