Brighton and Hove rocks

Brighton and Hove Rocks was a project undertaken by the Scarman Trust in the cities of Brighton and Hove in the UK. It was a way for local people to be involved in setting priorities for government-provided health services. The story describes the innovative means by which this was achieved, involving a centralised interactive event. 10 workshops with about 20 people in each were held, looking at the root social causes of ill-health in Brighton and Hove, which community initiatives would have an impact, and what policy measures would have a positive impact. A roving video camera and computers were made available for people to have their say. Legislative theatre proved to be a powerful means to reflect people's realities and their experiences. The audience was asked to think about solutions in response to the performance, which generated brilliant ideas. Some significant gains and lessons learnt from the process are also discussed.