Your Partner in Participation
Your Partner in Participation
El Melbourne, (They/Them)
As founder and principal consultant of Common Purpose Collective, I bring over five years of strategic expertise in transforming how organisations involve those with lived experience. My experience spans healthcare, mental health, and cancer support services, where I've led major organisational change initiatives and developed innovative approaches to participation and co-production.
At Macmillan Cancer Support, I currently lead the development and implementation of their organisation-wide participation strategy, managing large-scale participatory research programmes that directly influence national cancer services and policy campaigns. My approach to partnering with communities experiencing the worst cancer outcomes has shaped Macmillan's 5-year organisational strategy and political campaigning agenda.
At Macmillan, as well as designing methods of co-production, my expertise also lies in creating the internal organisational environment that removes barriers to participatory practice. I have developed key policies and processes that have been introduced cross-organisationally, for example, a new flagship participation payment policy.
Previously at NHS England, I developed the participation approach of the nation Children and Young People's Mental Health Team in partnership with colleagues with lived experience. My work has consistently demonstrated the power of authentic participation to drive meaningful organisational change.
My passion for participation and co-production is deeply rooted in my lived experience and how I have used this to create change. My first significant role as a lived experience expert was as the Chair of NHS England's LGBT+ Network, where I led a team of volunteers to amplify the voices of over 1,000 LGBT+ staff members to create a safe workplace. This personal experience of creating change through collective action drives my commitment to authentic participation and power sharing.
My Network
Throughout my career in participation and co-production, I have built an extensive network of experts who share my commitment to creating meaningful change through authentic participation.
When projects require additional specialist input, I partner with trusted practitioners from my network. This includes people with expertise in:
Service design and accessibility
Community research and engagement
Participatory facilitation
Digital co-design
Cultural change
This network has been built through years of working in participation across the NHS, charity sector. My partnerships are founded on shared values and a joint commitment to breaking down barriers to participation and sharing power with communities.
IF YOU HAVE SKILLS THAT WOULD SUPPORT OUR MISSION AND WANT TO JOIN A COLLECTIVE OF FREELANCERS, GET IN TOUCH VIA THE CONTACT US PAGE