Abstract
To improve health outcomes, disabled people need opportunities to contribute to policy planning. Although co-production methods can enhance policy relevance, disabled people continue to face challenges in terms of fully and meaningfully participating in processes that lead to inclusive policy development. The 'Flourishing Together' project, a three-year research study, is collaborating with disabled individuals to develop innovative tools and methods that empower them to articulate knowledge effectively. As a policy exemplar, the project focuses on disability-related housing and home policies in Aotearoa New Zealand. This chapter overviews the project's aims and processes in relation to Aotearoa New Zealand's health and disability policy context. We then outline the first author (Susan's) involvement as a disabled person and how disabled people's experiences and expertise, in general, are being embedded across the project. We emphasise the importance of integrating disabled people's experiences into policy development and reflect on how policy-oriented research should continue incorporating these experiences.