Who is involved?

A mix of representatives will help create a good Knowhow session. Include professionals working in the area, researchers, advocates and most importantly people impacted by the area such as clients or the general public.  

In general Knowhow sessions are aimed at a medium group size of 15 to 60 participants. A group too small may represent a skewed view and a group too large can be unworkable.  

Client feedback / public perception

Knowledge obtained from Knowhow sessions are more balanced when those who are impacted by the area are represented in the room. Ideally, a majority of the participants should be people who are impacted by the area so that real life, accurate experiences can be understood. This supports a person-centred approach to understanding rather than a clinical or academic view.  It may not be easy to find people impacted by the area to speak out in public however there are ways to capture and present their views. 

Client feedback / public perception can be highlighted through…

• 1 or 2 representatives of the people who are impacted can help guide the discussions. Often just having these representatives in the room can encourage all participants to be conscious and person-centred in their views. It is critical to support these representatives to feel empowered and able to speak up, being mindful that their views represent their own experiences and not necessarily all of the people who are impacted 
• Video footage of interviews TIP Try YouTube and Vimeo for a free way to do this but remember to obtain signed consent from the person that should include specifics on how the footage will be used.
• Presenting a testimonial using the person’s own words 
• Presenting client data including how the data was obtained so that the context is clear
• Use advocates; although the information can be ‘second hand’ advocates are skilled at presenting the needs and aspirations of the people they represent 
• Ask someone to wear a different hat, for example in a recent session on Fatherhood professionals were asked to attend as a father or family member. This may not capture the direct views of the people who are impacted however it will help to keep the discussions balanced
• Ensure your facilitator guides the discussions around the people who are impacted  TIP It helps to have a facilitator who is knowledgeable on the topic and can draw on their own experience without tainting the discussions.