My Experience as a Management Committee Member at Metro GAD
Metro GAD
In 2019, while living in Greenwich, I reached out to a member of the Management Committee at Metro GAD (formerly Greenwich Association of Disabled People) to express my interest in joining the board. I was deeply inspired by the organisation’s history of activism, years of campaigning against funding cuts for Disabled people, fighting for free access to care, and standing up for rights in the face of systemic barriers.
Although GAD had lost its funding, the charity was fortunately taken under the wing of METRO, a larger organisation known for its work with LGBTQ+ communities. This merger marked a new chapter for GAD. The Management Committee saw this as an opportunity to grow in intersectional understanding, and, as one of the few new and diverse voices on the board, I was welcomed enthusiastically.
At the time, I was working alongside Strategic Coproduction Officers at the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. We were establishing a culture of coproduction across the borough, helping to implement a strategy that positioned Disabled residents as equal partners in shaping services and policies. I was also training in Inclusive Design with young Disabled people through the Centre for Accessible Environments. The experience I brought from these roles was something my Metro GAD colleagues greatly valued.
Our central focus at Metro GAD became clear: we needed to influence Greenwich Council to adopt a similar level of commitment to coproduction as Hammersmith and Fulham had. In Greenwich, coproduction was still a new and unfamiliar concept. Many of my colleagues had already given countless hours of unpaid time in consultations with the council, often without clear influence or recognition.
I attended several of these meetings and began working with the Committee on a shared goal: advocating for the creation of a Coproduction Officer role within the council. But this wasn’t a simple task. We needed to define the role, outline responsibilities, decide which department it would sit under, and perhaps most crucially, determine whether it would be a paid position.
Initially, some of my Committee colleagues imagined it could be a voluntary role, as they were so used to giving their time freely. But I made the case, drawing from the Hammersmith and Fulham Disabled People’s Commission Report, that coproduction must not rely on unpaid labour. Council staff aren’t expected to work for free, so why should experts by experience?
I also argued that to be effective, this role needed commitment and accountability, something that couldn’t be expected from a voluntary post. Eventually, the Committee agreed, and we brought our proposal to senior officers at the council. It was accepted.
This was a proud moment for me, not just for helping to influence local policy, but for showing how lived experience, advocacy, and collaborative leadership can lead to real change. It gave hope that residents in Greenwich would finally have a meaningful role in shaping decisions that affect their lives.
Special Thanks to Sue Elsegood, the person who included me in Metro GAD
Sue Elsegood is a disabled activist who has been active within the disability rights movement for many years
Passionate about civil rights, Sue has campaigned on diverse issues related to disability, and undertaken a number of roles to promote the access, inclusion and independent living rights of all disabled people. Based in Greenwich, she has served as a Trustee, trainer, and volunteer counsellor for the Greenwich Association of Disabled People Centre for Independent Living (GAD-CIL) since 1990, and was previously Vice-Chair and Secretary of the organisation.
"Council staff aren't expected to work for free, so why should experts by experience? Effective coproduction requires commitment, accountability, and recognition that lived experience has value."
About Agnė Moses
Psychology & Wellbeing Specialist challenging medicalised models of mental health. Founder of Radical Thought, creating inclusive, human-centred approaches that honour lived experience and promote true resilience. Currently completing a Master's in Research in Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing.