Zines Reveal How Lived Experts Experience Co-Design in OPT-In for Families

How can human services programs make sure families have a meaningful role in shaping the services they receive? This Chapin Hall report explores that question through the Opportunities for Prevention & Transformation Initiative, or OPT-In for Families, which connects families with voluntary community supports and financial assistance. Researchers used zines—creative, participant-generated booklets—to learn how people with lived experience viewed the co-design process.

The findings offer a practical lesson for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs: engaging clients means more than asking for feedback. Participants emphasized the importance of trust, transparency, clear roles, and showing how their input actually influenced decisions. TANF practitioners can use the resource when designing advisory groups, client-feedback processes, or new services. It is a creative approach that also provides an example of how programs can offer participants different ways to share their experiences beyond traditional surveys and meetings.