Measuring the Mountain was a pan-Wales project designed to understand people’s real experiences of social care and the early impact of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It gathered authentic feedback from people who receive care and support, as well as carers, and shared that evidence with Welsh Government and partners.

The project created a rich evidence base grounded in lived experience and produced recommendations for Welsh Government and the wider social care sector. It helped show where social care was working well, where it was falling short, and what people felt really mattered in practice.

CyberFirst Wales, a partnership between the National Cyber Security Centre, University of South Wales, Swansea University, and Coleg Cambria, had successfully delivered cyber and tech education programmes to schools and FE colleges across Wales. The programme currently includes cyber awards, industry partnerships, and ambassador role modelling. With possible changes being planned to the programme’s funding and objectives they wanted to engage stakeholders, including teachers, industry partners, young people, and third sector organisations to co-design the new approach.

Cyberfirst Wales were able to bring together around 100 participants, across industry, education and young people, to reflect on what is working well, what needs to grow, and what young people in Wales need from the expanded TechFirst Wales programme.

NHS Wales, Welsh Government and Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) were developing a new Women’s Health Website for Wales and needed to ensure it genuinely reflected the needs, preferences and experiences of women across Wales, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalised communities. The Co-production Lab Wales worked iteratively alongside an active development process, turning real-time engagement insights into actionable recommendations, and doing so to a tight deadline across a diverse and dispersed population.

The Women’s Health Wales website launched in March 2026 with direct evidence of participant feedback reflected in the final design and content, including a postcode finder for Women’s Health Hubs implemented mid-project based on participant suggestion. The client team reported that the engagement “absolutely” shaped the website in ways they hadn’t anticipated, expanding their understanding of what women wanted. 

GISDA, a youth homelessness charity in Caernarfon, was developing Banc GISDA: a new hub for young people. They were committed to embedding young people’s voices in the design, but needed support to move beyond consultation toward genuine co-design while building their team’s capacity to sustain this approach independently.

Banc GISDA opened with design, services, and operations directly shaped by young people’s insights. GISDA staff gained the skills and confidence to design and facilitate co-production workshops independently. Young people became genuine partners in development, experiencing authentic voice and influence rather than tokenistic consultation. The bilingual approach made participation accessible to all.

ACE Hub Wales wanted to explore how Wales can better support those living with trauma and adversity, but recognised that conversations about trauma typically missed the voices of communities often most affected, particularly outside Cardiff and in marginalised areas. How do you design trauma-informed conversations that are genuinely safe, reach embedded community leaders, and balance acknowledging trauma without defining people by it?

ACE Hub Wales enhanced awareness within marginalised communities, developed new relationships, and learned new evaluation methods applicable beyond this project. There was increased skills and confidence to facilitate trauma-informed conversations and learning about how ACE Hub Wales could support others to do this independently.