John Seddon reflects on how a systems thinking method has improved public services but is now under threat from cuts, commissioning and ‘big society’ as the government fails to move beyond central control and large-scale initiatives.
David Cameron described the ‘big society’ as a ‘culture change’, where people are free and powerful enough to help … Continue reading
Following the riots in the UK this week, many people in the voluntary and community sector are asking where we go from here. If you feel the need of thoughtful questions, messages of solidarity and some analysis of how we are thinking and talking about the riots, see the discussion ‘Wasn’t it inevitable’ on the … Continue reading
Read our latest newsletter for commentary on the open public services white paper and the latest ‘big society’ nonsense, plus links and ideas for people who are fed up with language games and are getting on with what they want to do with people they care about.… Continue reading
Andy Benson spots fake sincerity and voluntary sector window dressing in the Open Public Services White Paper
Having just read the government’s White Paper ‘Open Public Services’ I am reminded of two maxims. The first – ‘above all else people value sincerity; if you can fake that you’ve got it made’. This document is full … Continue reading
Colleagues at Adur Voluntary Action set out what’s wrong with the Transforming Local Infrastructure scheme and ask key questions to help us find an alternative.
The UK Office for Civil Society’s Transforming Local Infrastructure scheme offers £50m to fund local support organisations to merge, collaborate and share services such as IT. The funding is short … Continue reading
Read an update from NCIA’s planning group meeting for news of the campaigns we’re linking with, progress on our project work and how we can make a louder noise about independent voluntary action.
Penny Waterhouse finds a connection with the struggle for democracy in Burma.
I was listening to Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader of Burma, about the struggles in her country to be self-determining. And although Burma’s situation is very different to mine, here’s what she said which rang bells with me:
– being … Continue reading
Two new youth work case studies show that we need to defend independent voluntary action if young people and youth workers are to be included in democratic decisions about youth services.
From partner to butler: Defending young people’s participation from local authority take-over (2011) shows how a council’s narrow vision of voluntary action limited young … Continue reading
We’re not the only ones saying mind your language when it comes to the ‘big society’ show. NCIA folks have been inspired by the academics who have protested at the inclusion of the party political term ‘big society’ in the funding agreement between the government and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
More than … Continue reading
Sarah Lamb is a trustee of Adur Voluntary Action. She was one of the people who contributed to qualitative research in 2009 on The local state and voluntary action in West Sussex which showed the damage commissioning does. NCIA caught up with her to find out how things have been going over the last 18 … Continue reading