Latest thinking

Is social capital good for us?

Blog

27 Apr 2012

Newham Council’s controversial efforts to move housing benefit recipients 160 miles to Stoke has caused a stir this week.

Are networks/complexity the future of policymaking? (RSA event report)

Blog

28 Mar 2012

‘21st Century Policy Development - how networks and complex systems can inform policymaking in the UK' was the focus of what was, for me, a fascinating conference - jointly organised by the RSA - which attracted an audience of 200 Fellows and others to Westminster Central Hall.

If only you could bottle it! Reflections on a year in the Spotlight and the Social Entrepreneurs Network so far…

Blog

23 Mar 2012

The latest event from the Social Entrepreneurs Network (on Wednesday 7th March) drew to a close the first and pilot year of Social Enterprise Spotlight. Hopefully you’ve heard about the network and the Spotlight initiative but if not here’s a brief (or not so brief) history and an update about the future of Spotlight:

Bobby Baker - an artist at the RSA

Blog

19 Jan 2012

If you have never come across Bobby Baker, I envy you. I envy you because you have ahead of you the delicious joy of discovering her work. She is one of the most widely acclaimed performance artists working today, and has a large and impressive back catalogue of work which, using the most fabulously inventive methods (plenty of cake), makes art out of the everyday.

Hot off the press! The first Fellows’ newsletter of 2012….

Blog

19 Jan 2012

So here we are in 2012. New Year, new news… Last year surpassed all our expectations with inspiring projects from Catalyst, Fellows’ networks and events creating a wealth of exciting discussions, lots of collaboration and a plethora of ideas – all captured in the Fellowship newsletter. [pullquote]Catalyst, Fellows’ networks and events created a wealth of exciting discussions, lots of collaboration and a plethora of ideas – all captured in the Fellowship newsletter.[/pullquote]

Changing the world, one network at a time

Blog

19 Jan 2012

Jamie Cooke

“I have a good idea every two years. Give me a topic, I will give you the idea!”  Fritz Zwicky

Networked facts are the new black

Blog

04 Jan 2012

Facts are so last century. In the Internet-dominated world, networked facts have pretty much taken over. The old-fashioned view of the fact is that it is an irreducible atom of knowledge. The way information is organised on the Web means that everything is connected and it is only as a result of the links between elements of information that facts come into being.

What to make of an afternoon

Blog

21 Dec 2011

Bringing nearly thirty social entrepreneurs supported by RSA Catalyst together with Fellows leading social enterprises and from social enterprise intermediaries meant that there were many opportunities for good things to happen…

Going through the levels

Blog

20 Dec 2011

Matthew Taylor

Yesterday I sat in on a conversation about social care involving about twenty people, mainly practitioners from Leicester. They were an impressive group; committed, thoughtful, optimistic about what could be achieved but very aware of the limitations of existing provision.