Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital clients and staff have co-created a video tour that serves as a warm welcome to new visitors. There are not many resources created by kids in pediatric spaces. Further, knowledge about best practices for sharing information with children in healthcare spaces is limited. Holland Bloorview’s Children’s Advisory Committee (CAC) spotted this gap when they identified the need for a tour that would welcome first-time clients to the hospital and help to mitigate the stress and anxiety that can come with entering a new healthcare space.

The EPIC Lab, led by Dr. Tim Ross, conducts research on experiences of childhood disability with a view to identifying and addressing barriers that may hinder the community participation of children with disabilities and their families. Together with Melissa Ngo, a Family Support Specialist at Holland Bloorview, and Holland Bloorview clients, they co-created this video tour of the hospital. The result: a fun, interactive, “choose your own adventure” style video tour series. Each video covers a different hospital floor. The videos are available to view on YouTube and the Holland Bloorview website. Clinics around the hospital can send a link to the videos to families who are waitlisted for an appointment.

Ngo says that the idea for this project was identified by kids a long time ago: “We heard this feedback from children years ago and we’ve always wanted to do a tour that was co-designed by kids for kids.” Kids want to help other kids feel welcome. They want to offer their perspective to help demystify the hospital experience for others. She continues: “Kids have so much to say and so much expertise to offer. We don’t involve kids nearly enough in pediatric care when they have this expertise and knowledge for creating information that is relevant, helpful, and accessible.” To get child-friendly places and services, we need the perspectives of children.

The whole design process was done virtually. When the team came together to film, the kids directed and decided how each shot would be filmed. They created the script, did the voiceovers, and brought their best performances. All their hard work was brought to life and can now be used for the benefit of future clients.

The clients had a viewing party where they expressed their excitement about working on the videos and the potential impact of their work. Many were particularly proud of how they were able to depict Holland Bloorview as a safe place for future clients. 

The video tours are not only practical and helpful, but they are also part of a larger body of research. As part of Dr. Ross’s research, he has been looking at pediatric healthcare communications and who they are oriented towards.

“We found that a lot of the communications are often adult focused, which warrants questioning given these services are for kids,” says Dr. Ross. “Adjusting how we’re communicating with a view to engaging children and youth seems worthwhile and practical.”

The EPIC Lab is compiling resources and working on their own best practice resources that will help healthcare service providers to develop and carry out their own unique co-design sessions with young participants. They are doing this to help challenge the notion that co-designing with kids is too onerous. Dr. Ross says that by engaging the lived experiences of clients at Holland Bloorview we can work toward “creating more joyful, interactive, and playful environments and programs within pediatric healthcare and, in so doing, we can challenge the adultism that quietly persists in how we design spaces.” The welcome tour video series is just a starting point to further advance engagement with children and youth in pediatric spaces.

Dr. Ross and Ngo strongly believe that co-creating with kids in pediatric spaces is feasible, applicable, and impactful. This experience brought together kids from many different backgrounds and identities, making room at the decision-making table for all.

“This is one of the most meaningful projects I’ve ever had the pleasure and opportunity to be a part of,” says Ngo. “I am always in awe of what our families are able to provide for us. In the midst of all they are dealing with themselves, our families want to help other families. I’m so proud of their enthusiasm and passion.”

Special thanks go to Daniel Scott who was integral to the co-design process and led the Children’s Advisory Committee for many years, contributors at the EPIC Lab, Aman Sium, and Dr. Michelle Wyndham-West of OCAD University.

Watch the videos here!