The challenge was not simply to produce a resource pack encouraging people to walk a mile each day. The bigger challenge was to ensure that any resources were rooted in the experiences, motivations and barriers faced by real people across Greater Manchester.  

There was also a need to reach beyond the usual participants who often engage in physical activity programmes. Collaborate Out Loud wanted to hear from people whose voices are less frequently included in conversations about health and movement, including people who were not currently walking regularly.  

In addition, engagement had to happen during a period when face-to-face activity was limited, requiring creative use of digital platforms and methods to create meaningful conversations at scale.  

Collaborate Out Loud partnered with Spark Community to design and deliver an engagement and co-production process that put community voices at the centre of the work. Rather than starting with a predefined solution, the team began by creating conversations to understand people’s experiences of walking and physical activity.  

To maximise participation, a range of engagement channels were created, including online discussion boards, digital surveys, social media conversations and a live Twitter chat. This enabled people to contribute in ways that suited them and helped reach diverse audiences across Greater Manchester.  

The process was intentionally transparent and “out loud”. Participants were able to see ideas emerge, build on each other’s thinking and contribute to the development of future resources. The approach focused on understanding: 

• What helps people walk more 

• What prevents people from walking 

• What resources and support people wanted 

• How communities could encourage one another to move more  

Insights gathered from the engagement process were then used to inform co-design activities, where communities helped shape prototype resources. Rather than creating materials based on professional assumptions, Collaborate Out Loud tested ideas with the people who would ultimately use them.  

The proposed outputs included practical guides for workplaces and communities, social media resources, visual identity materials, walking prompts and curated stories designed to inspire action. These resources were then tested and refined through experimentation before final versions were produced.  

The project demonstrated that community engagement can be a powerful intervention in its own right. By creating multiple ways for people to participate, the work generated conversations about walking, wellbeing and community connection at a time when many people were feeling isolated. Participants were encouraged not only to share barriers but also to contribute ideas, inspiration and solutions.  

The process helped shift the focus from creating a campaign for people to creating resources with people. By involving communities throughout the design process, the resulting materials were grounded in the realities of everyday life and reflected a wider range of experiences than would have been possible through a traditional development approach.  

The work also demonstrated the value of using digital platforms to engage communities during periods of significant disruption. By using social media, online discussion boards and live conversations, the project was able to connect with people across Greater Manchester and continue building momentum around the ambition to get more people moving.  

Most importantly, the project reinforced the idea that walking is about more than physical activity. For many people, walking provides opportunities for connection, stress relief, exploration, reflection and community building.  

We learned that people are far more likely to engage when they are invited into the design process rather than presented with finished solutions. 

Communities often know exactly what barriers exist and frequently have ideas about what could help overcome them. Creating opportunities for people to share those insights early leads to more relevant and practical solutions.  

We learned that digital engagement can be an effective way to reach people when it is designed to be simple, open and accessible. Different people prefer different methods of participation, and offering multiple routes into the conversation helps include a broader range of voices.  

We also learned that the most powerful messages about movement come from local people and real experiences. Stories, tips and examples from communities often resonate more strongly than formal health promotion messages.  

Most importantly, we learned that getting people moving starts with understanding what matters to them. Walking is rarely just about exercise. It is about connection, confidence, wellbeing and belonging. When resources are designed around those motivations, they are far more likely to inspire lasting change.