Coastal communities are often talked about through the lens of disadvantage, deprivation and need. While these challenges are real, they can sometimes overshadow the incredible strengths, creativity and community spirit that exist within these places.  

Participants highlighted a range of barriers: 

• Communities are often repeatedly asked the same questions by different organisations.  

• Lived experience is not always central to research and decision-making.  

• Co-production takes time, trust and investment, which can be difficult within short-term funding cycles.  

• Smaller organisations can struggle to participate in partnerships dominated by larger institutions.  

• Systems often prioritise process and quick results over relationships and long-term community development.  

Most importantly, there was a shared feeling that people needed opportunities to come together, connect and think differently about what was possible.  

We worked with partners to design and facilitate a hybrid gathering that brought together people from across multiple coastal communities to share learning, build relationships and explore future action.  

Rather than creating a traditional conference, we created a participatory experience. 

The day included: 

• Randomised coffee conversations to spark new connections.  

• A series of fast-paced Pecha Kucha presentations showcasing stories, projects and learning from practice.  

• Creative graphic recording to capture ideas visually throughout the event.  

• Shared tablecloths and online spaces where people could contribute thoughts and reflections.  

• An Open Space session where participants created the agenda themselves and chose the conversations that mattered most to them.  

Instead of directing people towards predetermined answers, we created the conditions for meaningful conversations to emerge organically. 

Participants explored themes including: 

• Co-production and community influence. 

• Youth opportunities and aspirations. 

• Creative approaches to engagement. 

• Equity and inclusion. 

• Leadership and systems change. 

• How communities stay connected and sustain momentum.  

The event strengthened connections between people working across different organisations, sectors and places. It created a shared space for learning, challenge and collaboration.  

Several key messages emerged: 

• Coastal communities have significant strengths that deserve greater visibility.  

• Communities should be partners in research, not subjects of research.  

• Co-production needs to become a way of working rather than a one-off activity.  

• Creative approaches can unlock participation, influence and innovation in unexpected ways.  

• Lived experience should play a much bigger role in shaping decisions and research priorities.  

• Collaboration across organisations and communities is essential if lasting change is going to happen.  

Participants also identified practical next steps, including continued learning circles, stronger research partnerships and more opportunities for communities to influence future work.  

“Collaborate Out Loud were far more than event facilitators. Their proactive support, creativity and attention to detail helped us deliver inclusive, engaging events that strengthened partnerships and made complex projects easier to deliver.” 
Dr Barbara Mezes, University of Liverpool 

This work reminded us that communities are not empty vessels waiting for solutions. They are already full of skills, relationships, creativity, knowledge and care. 

Too often, systems focus on what communities lack. The conversations throughout this project highlighted the importance of starting from a different place, asking what strengths already exist and how we can create the conditions for those strengths to flourish.  

We were particularly struck by the challenge from participants around the language of “assets”. For some people, describing communities as assets felt helpful. For others, it felt dehumanising. Behind that conversation was a powerful reminder that this work is ultimately about people, not programmes.  

At Collaborate Out Loud, we believe that some of the most important insights emerge when diverse people come together in spaces built on curiosity, creativity and trust. This project showed what becomes possible when communities, researchers and organisations stop talking about people and start learning with them. 

The future of coastal communities will not be shaped by any single organisation. It will be shaped by the relationships, ideas and actions that emerge when people come together and collaborate out loud.