National Inclusion Week: Belonging and the Power of Lived Experience

Each year, National Inclusion Week encourages organisations across the UK to reflect on the importance of inclusion in the workplace and beyond. Founded by Inclusive Employers in 2012, this annual event takes place every September and promotes the message that inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. The theme often centres on action, collaboration, and the idea that every individual can make a difference by helping others feel included.

National Inclusion Week started as a small initiative to spark conversations about workplace inclusion. Since then, it has grown into a nationwide movement involving thousands of organisations, from charities and councils to major businesses and public institutions. Each year brings a fresh focus, encouraging individuals and teams to assess how inclusive their practices really are and to commit to doing better.

Why Inclusion Matters
Inclusion is about creating environments where everyone feels they belong, where they are respected and where they can contribute fully. When people feel included, organisations benefit from greater innovation, higher engagement, and stronger collaboration.

But real inclusion does not happen by accident. It requires intentional actions as well as active listening and a willingness to share power. That’s where the concepts of coproduction and lived experience become particularly important.

Co-production: A Pathway to Real Inclusion
Co-production is about working in true partnership with the people who are directly affected by services, decisions, or policies. It is a way of shifting from doing things for people to doing things with people. In the workplace, this means involving employees and service users as equal partners in shaping decisions that impact them.

This approach aligns closely with the goals of National Inclusion Week. Inclusion is not just about having diverse voices in the room. It is about making sure those voices are heard, valued and have real influence.

Valuing Lived Experience
Lived experience refers to the personal knowledge someone gains through direct, first-hand involvement in a particular issue or system. This could include people who have experienced mental health challenges, disability, discrimination, poverty, or other forms of exclusion.

When organisations recognise and actively seek out lived experience, they gain insights that cannot be learned through theory alone. These perspectives help shape policies and practices that are more relevant, more respectful and more effective.

From Awareness to Action
National Inclusion Week is a powerful reminder, but the work of inclusion must happen all year round. Here are a few ways organisations can build on the momentum of this week and move toward real change:

• Embed coproduction in decision making processes. Involve people with lived experience from the very beginning.

• Create psychologically safe spaces where staff feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their perspectives.

• Invest in roles and leadership pathways that centre lived experience, not just as advisors but as decision makers.

• Measure outcomes, not just intentions. Track how inclusion efforts are making a meaningful impact.

National Inclusion Week is more than a celebration, it’s a call to action. True inclusion happens when people with lived experience are not only welcomed but are also empowered to lead, shape and transform the workplace.

By embracing co-production and listening to those who know the system from the inside, we move closer to building organisations where everyone feels they truly belong.

If you’re ready to start building a genuinely inclusive culture, we’re here to help.

Email CAPITAL Impact Solutions at [email protected] to start the conversation.