What is Service User Involvement?
Service User Involvement (SUI) refers to the process by which people who are using or have used a service become involved in the planning, development, delivery, and evaluation of that service. This ensures that services, and policies are led and shaped by the people best placed to know what works.
The insights and perspectives gained can shed light on the realities of the system and its impact on individuals. People are also more likely to engage with and share their experiences with peers or others with LE than with professionals in positions of power.
We also support services users and people with LE to ‘speak truth to power’. Speaking truth to power enables people to tell their stories and experiences to influential people in positions of authority, such as ministers, government officials, stakeholders, policy makers and civil servants.
Wherever possible, we avoid speaking on behalf of service users – rather we should equip and empower them to tell their own stories in an effective and compelling way, whilst ensuring they feel safe and supported to do so.
Our vision
Our vision is that current and former Pact service users have the opportunity and tools to evaluate, develop and shape all Pact’s services and speak ‘truth to power’.
We will seek to embed SUI at all levels of consultation, planning, review, and decision making within the organisation. Pact aims to ensure that involvement is conducted in a consistent, robust, and meaningful way in line with our values and strives to make SUI an authentic part of our culture.
- Service users (both prisoners and families/friends) get services that are better tailored to their needs and authentically rooted in LE.
- Pact policies and operational procedures reflect the views and experiences of service users.
- Frontline staff and volunteers have the right tools and feel confident to deliver SUI effectively at a local level.
- Pact recruits more staff and volunteers with lived experience at all levels of the organisation.
- Pact has a bank of people who can ‘speak truth to power’ at events, in the media, and with senior civil servants and ministers.