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Research Team Slides
- 1. Enabling Social Action “MakingStories Count: Why and How should we be evaluating the impact of social action?” Leeds, 30 October 2018 twitter @Enabling_SA #socialactionnetwork #co-creating change
- 2. Enabling Social Action •Project runs March 2018 - March 2020 • Collaboration between DCMS and the universities of Sheffield and Hull AIMS: • Working with LA to support them to design and deliver services with local people, service users and VCSEs • Supporting commissioners to develop co-production approaches to engage communities in services • Encouraging LA to share practices, identify and overcome barriers and create an evidence base for social action
- 3. Our Approach • ESAis a commissioners focused programme but engages all stakeholders • ESA is designed to support SA through sharing strategies and learning • Supporting approaches to co-production • Reflecting the range of actors voices • Creating a community to support and encourage new ways of co- producing services • Developing an evidence base built upon a suite of approaches from ‘magic metrics’ to ‘making stories count’
- 4. Research Phases Scoping research Peerlearning network Peer learning events ESA partnerships 2,4 Advisory group SA champions
- 5. Get in touchto be involved! Contact Jenny McNeill on j.m.mcneill@sheffield.ac.uk Follow us on twitter @Enabling_SA @DCMS #socialactionnetwork #co-creating change
- 6. Findings • April 2018 •Early discussion groups - one with VCSEs & two with Commissioners • Social action meant different things • Identified key issues to address in ESA programme • Report available: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/management/esa/research Scoping research
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- 8. Scoping Research Findings Risk, control andbureaucracy Changing cultures and roles Coproduction Measurement Learning
- 9. Workshop 1: Buildingthe space for social action • Presentations of good practice • 70 delegates including commissioners, local councillors and VCSEs • 2 sessions to • explore parameters • examine benefits and risks • 4 breakout groups reflecting themes Workshop 1
- 10. Workshop 1 • EachPost-it note is a SA activity • Position on spectrum represents varying roles in commissioning SA
- 11. Workshop 2 Changing Rolesand Relationships: Should we learn to let go? • London, 14 September 2018 Workshop 2
- 12. Rethinking purpose, process andrelationships · Transition from traditional ‘doing to…’ approach. Can’t manage demand through statutory provision as resources aren’t there. · Empowering local communities means a potential loss of control · Less focus upon ‘delivering’ and a greater emphasis upon ‘enabling’ and ‘managing demand in a different way’. · A more holistic approach to key challenges e.g. loneliness, health and wellbeing, etc. · Needs better cross-sectoral relationships and dialogue between those commissioning and/or providing the services and those receiving the services.
- 13. Square Peg, RoundHole: Putting New Solutions into Old Frameworks · Objectives are often long term and preventative, in comparison to short term procurement cycles and evaluation metrics. · Need to take risks often contradicts pressures of finance, performance targets, appraisals and other workload pressures. Move away from service delivery models versus expectations of what councils should provide. · Measurement/Impact tools, grant and procurement processes dont always encourage alternative approaches. Focus on innovation over long-term sustainability
- 14. Square Peg, RoundHole: Putting New Solutions into Old Frameworks Requires a level of collaboration which takes time to build. Trust, openness and understanding isn’t simply an untapped resource. People are at different stages in the process, both within and across organisations.
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- 16. Key conditions to grow social action Changingcultures and mind-sets Shared power Understanding parameters Taking risks Engagement, coproduction and trust Communication Sharing good practice and learning Evidencing impact
- 17. ESA Workshops Making StoriesCount: Why and How should we be measuring impact? • Demonstrating evidence and impact is difficult • There is a need to use a range of new and existing evidence to demonstrate the benefits of social action. • Good evidence may act as a benchmark for understanding starting points and outcomes “The ‘prove it’ is difficult to do. It will save money down the line but trying to prove that is hard.”
- 18. Next Steps: EnablingSocial Action Programme Partnerships Working with six local partnerships on social action projects to coproduce solutions to issues faced by the communities Champions The aim of the Champions’ role is to generate and deliver activity at a regional level connecting peers and sharing best practice
- 19. EAST Kristy Ball Leicestershire kristy.ball@leics.gov.uk DCMS representatives AlisonJeffrey alison.jeffrey@culture.gov.uk Sue Lowe suzanne.lowe@culture.gov.uk SOUTH Rachel North West Sussex rachel.north@westsussex.gov.uk DCMS representatives Rebecca Noble rebecca.noble@culture.gov.uk WEST Andrew Donaldson Staffordshire andrew.donaldson@staffordshire.gov.uk DCMS representatives Helga Edstrom Helga.edstrom@culture.gov.uk Patrick McKenna patrick.mckenna@culture.gov.uk Enabling Social Action Champions and Office for Civil Society (OCS) Local team NORTH Joe Micheli City of York joe.micheli@york.gov.uk DCMS representatives Paul Schofield paul.schofield@culture.gov.uk Jennie Noble jennie.noble@culture.gov.uk
- 20. CHAMPIONS SESSIONS NORTH- BanquetingHall (Joe Michelli- Jon Burchell and Paul Schofield) WEST- West Room (Andrew Donaldson- Jenny McNeill) EAST- East Room (Kristy Ball- Joe Cook) SOUTH- Committee Room (Rachel North- Fiona Walkley)
- 21. Speaker sessions Group 1-Banqueting Hall (Vaibhavi Deshpande) Group 2- Banqueting Hall (Jon Burchell) Group 3- Banqueting Hall (Joe Cook) Group 4- Banqueting Hall (Harriet Orkney) Group 5- West Room (Fiona Walkley) Group 6- East Room (Jenny McNeill) Group 7- Committee Room (Rebecca Noble)
Editor's Notes
- #5 Before passing onto to Jenny – state that she will outline some of the themes from the scoping events
- #6 If you want to be part of the peer learning network or know more about the partnerships then get in touch.
- #7 We did some initial focus groups as part of our scoping exercise- one with VCSEs and 2 others with commissioners and we first asked participants to tell us what social action meant to them. We had a long list of definitions and there were some similarities and differences between these We captured some of these in Wordclouds which you’ll see in the next slide. We then had some in-depth discussions around social action and I’ll quickly run through the main 6 issues we pulled out but there is more detail in the report which can be access via the Sheffield university link .
- #8 There were differences in the language, definitions and perceived values placed on social action Social action was discussed as much broader than traditional formal volunteering as it also includes: informal volunteering, time banking schemes, time crediting, befriending and community organising. Participants gave a diverse range of definitions for social action including: ● Community engagement and people helping themselves and others ● Civic responsibility, civic pride and being a “good citizen” ● A collaborative way to respond to and tackle social issues ● Issues communities feel passionate about and where residents having a say in the development of services encouraging people to have a say in how services are delivered ● Community driven within a climate of shrinking services and the need to manage demand and ● Early intervention and prevention, taking a long term view for managing demand of services One of the challenges is developing a shared language around social action and one part of this is articulating these understandings and the benefits of social action.
- #9 The scoping research uncovered key challenges & barriers to enabling social action. These insights guided the design of our programme to support commissioners and VCSE actors with these issues Local authorities were often preoccupied with managing and minimising risks and it was felt that this actually stifles social action and doesn’t let communities “get on with it”. Participants argued that commissioners needed to act as Enablers rather than interfering and just learn to “let go” and embrace some risk taking, being far less structured and prescriptive. Hiding the wiring metaphor spoke about providing safeguarding support when required. Taking risks and sharing power was key in allowing social action to flourish. One of the key challenges is getting the right balance with the community – how to support, safeguard and know when to let go. Changing cultures and roles Commissioning social action is a different way of doing commissioning which focuses on working with communities to move from traditional procurement processes, the “transactional to the relational” . Greater investment in local social action initiatives should be prioritised over commissioning large organisations to deliver service Building relationships and co-production between commissioners, VSCEs, communities, businesses and elected members is critical for supporting better commissioning of social action. WHILST RECOGNISING Opportunities social action presents but also CHALLENGES: Competition over funding contracts creates conflict Measurement : What emerged from discussions were that there are Challenges in what, why and how to measure the impact of social action. We didn’t cover a lot in the discussions on impact measurement but this will be explored further in a workshop in October and working with our Partnerships. Whilst there were some examples of useful existing evaluation tools, the problem is that they can be costly or time consuming. Learning, reflection and sharing good and ‘unsuccessful’ social action is critical to growing it successfully. Difficult conversations about social action can be an opportunity.
- #10 Two sessions with one feedback session at the end. Participants were divided into four working groups reflecting key central themes. Participants had been asked in advance to identify which theme they wished to focus upon. Health and Wellbeing, Children and Young People, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Loneliness and Isolation Breakout session 1: Defining the parameters of social action: where do the boundaries lie? (45 minutes) Breakout session 2: Examining the benefits and risks of embracing social action (45 minutes) Building on the discussions on session 1 participants will be asked to consider the benefits and risks for VCSEs, Commissioners, Elected Officials, and communities of engaging with the types of social action activities identified. Following on from this, the groups were then asked to consider what strategies need to be undertaken in order to enable the benefits and reduce the risks.
- #11 Focusing upon a theme, participants within working groups were asked to identify the different types of social action activity and discuss the varying role of the Local Authority officers commissioning social action. The spectrum of SA activities runs from those that Those that require light touch to flourish - occur largely independently with little local government input, through requiring more support to enable – may require little direct funding but facilitation, financial support to seed - to those that require direct commissioning and financial support ending with those that are seen as statutory obligations. highlighted the varying role of Local Authority officers commissioning social action. Breakout session 2: Examining the benefits and risks of embracing social action for VCSEs, Commissioners, Elected Officials, and communities of engaging with the types of social action activities identified Considering what strategies need to be undertaken in order to enable the benefits and reduce the risks.
- #12 Two sessions with one feedback session at the end. Participants were divided into four working groups reflecting key central themes. Participants had been asked in advance to identify which theme they wished to focus upon. Health and Wellbeing, Children and Young People, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Loneliness and Isolation Breakout session 1: Defining the parameters of social action: where do the boundaries lie? (45 minutes) Breakout session 2: Examining the benefits and risks of embracing social action (45 minutes) Building on the discussions on session 1 participants will be asked to consider the benefits and risks for VCSEs, Commissioners, Elected Officials, and communities of engaging with the types of social action activities identified. Following on from this, the groups were then asked to consider what strategies need to be undertaken in order to enable the benefits and reduce the risks.
- #13 If you want to be part of the peer learning network or know more about the partnerships then get in touch.
- #14 If you want to be part of the peer learning network or know more about the partnerships then get in touch.
- #15 If you want to be part of the peer learning network or know more about the partnerships then get in touch.
- #16 If you want to be part of the peer learning network or know more about the partnerships then get in touch.
- #17 The 8 key conditions to grow social action which emerged from workshop discussions were: Changing cultures and mind-sets Despite local authorities’ different stages of change, commissioners demonstrated a willingness and enthusiasm for embracing a new way of working. Key shifts local authorities need include moving from a large scale to local focus, from narrowly focused cost savings to social value and from complex and lengthy procurement structures to proportionate structures. Shared leadership and power Shared leadership with long term visions to lead with communities is key for social action. Social action cannot be controlled but leaders within local authorities could enable and influence. Understanding parameters of social action and the role of VCSEs Social action is not a free resource and often needs commissioning. Even where social action is community led, occurs spontaneously and where commissioning is not required, local authorities may be able to offer support to communities. VCSEs are diverse and commissioners should work with them to draw on their existing knowledge and valuable resources. Taking risks A key skill of local authority commissioners is to ‘let go’ of managing social action and take risks. There was recognition that social action may be stifled as a consequence of more risk averse local authorities. Engagement, coproduction and trust Listening and understanding the needs of communities (rather than assuming) is essential for local authorities to engage with diverse communities and build trust. Creating the conditions for engagement to happen strengthens social action. Communication The language we use to communicate social action needs to be unambiguous and inclusive. How social action is talked about needs to be understood from communities’ perspectives. Demonstrating evidence and impact There is a need to use a range of new and existing evidence to demonstrate the benefits of social action. Good evidence may act as a benchmark for understanding starting points and outcomes. Sharing good practice and learning Some examples of strategies and initiatives were shared and there was recognition that sharing and learning helps grow social action but that there are challenges in doing so.
- #19 Future events will continue to provide forums to share more examples of good practice and learn through our network The aim of the Champions’ role is to generate and deliver activity at a regional level connecting peers and sharing best practice. These regional networks will act as a forum to link commissioners who are newer to social action to more experienced peers, to share learnings and to support the co-design and delivery services with local people, service users and VCSEs. We hope each Champion will organise two regional events between now and March We imagine in each area you will have you own ideas on how best to take the aims forward and what will work in your area. Learning materials from each of the events and activities in the ESA programme will be available, including reports from each of the workshops, in addition to blogs and webinars from the Peer Learning Events for you to share among your network.
- #21 Coproduction Commissioning social action is a different way of doing commissioning which focuses on working with local communities to move from the “transactional to the relational”. Many argued that this needed a change in mindset. Another issue that came up was that Greater investment in local social action initiatives should be prioritised over commissioning large organisations to deliver services. Building relationships and co-production between commissioners, VSCEs, communities, businesses and elected members is critical for supporting better commissioning of social action. WHILST RECOGNISING Opportunities social action presents but also CHALLENGES: Competition over funding contracts creates conflict. Taking risks “Letting go” of control was key in allowing social action to flourish. Local authorities were often preoccupied with managing and minimising risks and it was felt that this actually stifles social action and doesn’t let communities “get on with it”. Participants argued that commissioners needed to Act as enablers rather than interfering and just learn to “let go” and embrace some risk taking. JENNY CAN YOU REFRAME THAI A THE LANGUAGE ISN’T QUITE RIGHT - IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE SAYING THAT COMMISSIONERS DON'T RECOGNISE ITS NEED YET OUR DATA SHOWS THEY DO AND THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES CAUGHT BETWEEN RISK STRUCTURES AND WHAT THEY KNOW IS NEEDED TO GROW SA. Learning Reflecting and sharing learning from ‘unsuccessful’ social action is critical to growing it successfully. There was more scope to share strategies that work during the Birmingham workshop event but we hope this event we can go further and look at the strategies to overcome the barriers which were discussed in both the workshop and focus groups.
- #22 Coproduction Commissioning social action is a different way of doing commissioning which focuses on working with local communities to move from the “transactional to the relational”. Many argued that this needed a change in mindset. Another issue that came up was that Greater investment in local social action initiatives should be prioritised over commissioning large organisations to deliver services. Building relationships and co-production between commissioners, VSCEs, communities, businesses and elected members is critical for supporting better commissioning of social action. WHILST RECOGNISING Opportunities social action presents but also CHALLENGES: Competition over funding contracts creates conflict. Taking risks “Letting go” of control was key in allowing social action to flourish. Local authorities were often preoccupied with managing and minimising risks and it was felt that this actually stifles social action and doesn’t let communities “get on with it”. Participants argued that commissioners needed to Act as enablers rather than interfering and just learn to “let go” and embrace some risk taking. JENNY CAN YOU REFRAME THAI A THE LANGUAGE ISN’T QUITE RIGHT - IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE SAYING THAT COMMISSIONERS DON'T RECOGNISE ITS NEED YET OUR DATA SHOWS THEY DO AND THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES CAUGHT BETWEEN RISK STRUCTURES AND WHAT THEY KNOW IS NEEDED TO GROW SA. Learning Reflecting and sharing learning from ‘unsuccessful’ social action is critical to growing it successfully. There was more scope to share strategies that work during the Birmingham workshop event but we hope this event we can go further and look at the strategies to overcome the barriers which were discussed in both the workshop and focus groups.