NEWS
Co-creation delivers improvements and benefits for all
LIBRARIES Rising’s co-creation programme with children and young people has been hailed a success, with 94 per cent of those taking part saying that they “felt heard.” A report into the co-creation programme, which saw 238 young people collaborate with 20 libraries services in England to develop new youth offerings. The young people worked alongside library professionals to develop services through the Libraries Rising Youth Engagement Network. The follow up report found that co-creation brought a range
of benefits for both libraries and users, including stronger rela- tionships and improved services that help to make libraries more open and inclusive. Libraries Rising’s Chief Executive Tabitha Witherick Macaulay says the evidence should be embraced by library services as a way of reducing barriers for young people using libraries. She said: “One of the most impactful takeaways was just how strongly young people engaged throughout the whole process. In many cases this helped challenge wider perceptions of young peo- ple’s interest in libraries, including their enthusiasm to continue working with services beyond the initial activity. “By building trust and taking a flexible approach to what can be achieved, the programme has demonstrated the value of co-cre- ation as a model for meaningful engagement with young people.
The key is to start the conversation, and to truly listen. “The evidence is clear: co-creation in libraries helps young peo-
ple feel heard, builds confidence and belonging, and supports the development of inclusive services. At a time when many young people feel their voices aren’t being listened to, libraries are showing what meaningful participation can look like in practice.” As well as feeing more heard, the young people involved also
reported that they felt more welcome in their library (92 per cent); 85 per cent said they proud of what they achieved while 77 per cent learnt new skills. Overall, almost two thirds (61 per cent) said they would visit the library more often than before. The benefits also spread to the library, with staff reporting that they were more empathetic to young people (88 per cent), 81 per cent were more confident about what successful co-creation looks like, and three quarters felt more able to demonstrate the value of co-creation, which just over half (56 per cent) felt better prepared to deliver co-created projects. One staff member at a participating library also endorsed the process, saying: “It’s enabled a group that feel that there are bar- riers in their lives anyway, to find somewhere that they feel valued and that they feel slightly more understood, that there aren’t specific expectations on them as such.”
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https://librariesrising.org.uk/what-we-do/youth-engagement-network/
August-September 2026
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 9
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