Big Society, Small Budgets: Involving Citizens in Public Services, London, 11 - 12 October 2010

Look and learn!

Study visits are one of the most powerful ways of learning how to innovate.

One previous participant wrote recently “one of the best training investments I have made in 30 years in local government”. (OK, that was to Paris … but London has its attractions, too!)

Co-Design and Co-Delivery of public services in London

This exciting study visit will take place over two days in and around London and include site visits to cutting-edge organisations and partnerships which are co-producing their services with users and citizens in innovative ways which improve quality and cut costs. You won’t find any better way to get up to speed on how citizen-orientation is transforming the potential of public services in the UK.

Where are we going?

The case studies which will be visited will include:

Introducing individual budgets in social services and implementing a peer-based approach towards education – a half-day visit to a highly innovative London Borough – first, to talk to Adult Care managers and staff, and to some users, about getting the best out of individual budgets; and then, secondly, to meet managers and users of an award-winning peer-based education approach to youth services.

Giving an active role to patients in health - a visit to a highly participatory health initiative, including meetings with professional staff and active patients.

Roundtable with leading think tank and government representatives on the role of users and communities in service redesign and service delivery – this interactive panel discussion will give participants an overview of ‘state of the art’ thinking on user-centred service innovations in the public and private sectors, and will then invite all participants to debate the key issues.
"Making public services Up-close and Personal" with a visit to another London borough to learn how to link participatory budgeting to co-production at neighbourhood level.
Concluding workshop with all participants to exchange experiences and discuss ways forward

Who should participate in these study visits?

You will gain a huge amount from this study visit if you are involved in engaging your service users and communities in making a deeper and richer contribution to public services and social change. Typically, you will be:

an officer in central and local government or a public agency;
an elected politician or Board member of a public body;
a representative of a voluntary or community organisation, the media or otherwise

Participants will include public managers from the UK and other European countries, so that you will be able to learn about different international experiences and extend your network.

Facilitators of the study visit:

The facilitators are internationally experienced consultants who will fit all of these case studies into the context of the fast-changing policy world of public service transformation, citizen empowerment and performance improvement:

Elke Loeffler, Chief Executive of Governance International
John Tatam, former Deputy-Chief Executive and Director of Resources of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Associate of Governance International

Participation fee

The fee for the seminar will be £495 for participants from public sector organisations and £245 for participants from third sector organisations. Further participants from each organisation will get a significant discount. The participation fee covers:

organisation of the programme
accompaniment and briefings for all meetings and site visits
written documentation in English before, during and after the study trip
meals and refreshments during the study trip.

Participants will cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

Registration

You can register online by filling out our booking form

Further Information can be obtained from Elke.Loeffler@govint.org

In the spirit of co-design we are looking forward to building the comments and suggestions of participants into our future study trips!

< back