List of The last word Archive

Social media, community organising, IBM jams + ‘collaboration illiteracy’

Blog

07 Jun 2012

It’s been a particularly rewarding few weeks for me, where I’ve had opportunities to learn much about the kind of role that social media can play, and is playing, in community organising - the approach to change that gained attention because of the key role it played in Barack Obama's own political development. (And was later embraced by David Cameron, to support the 'Big Society' agenda).

The search for clumsy leaders

Blog

06 Jun 2012

Matthew Taylor

Over the Jubilee weekend I wrote a marathon post on cultural theory (CT) and ‘wicked’ issues. CT advocates ‘clumsy solutions’ involving the three active rationalities of hierarchy, egalitarianism, and individualism (as well as recognising the fourth, passive, rationality of fatalism).

The New Enterprise Allowance: can employment services begin to accomodate a more enterprising nation?

Blog

06 Jun 2012

Benedict Dellot

The New Enterprise Allowance scheme deserves some praise. For those who haven’t heard of it, the NEA helps unemployed people who have been claiming benefits for 26 weeks or more to start up their own business. Anyone with a robust enough proposition is provided with mentorship support, a weekly allowance of around £65 and access to a start-up loan of some £1,000. The employment minister Chris Grayling revealed last week that in just over a year, this NEA support package has already been used by around 4,500 unemployed people to kick-start their own business. According to DWP, this includes film makers, child-minders, hairdressers, web designers, language tutors, plasterers and gardeners, to name but a few.

A small flotilla of ideas - is anyone waving?

Blog

04 Jun 2012

Matthew Taylor

Although I took time out to watch the boats, I am spending much of the Jubilee weekend continuing to think about my forthcoming RSA annual lecture, which aims to add depth to the 21st century enlightenment thesis. If you have a spare ten minutes I would be ever so grateful for views….

Service Children's Education: the Military Covenant with a smile

Blog

01 Jun 2012

Joe Hallgarten

RSA Education has begun a new partnership with Service Children’s Education, the agency responsible for the children of Ministry of Defence personnel, service and civilian, who are based overseas. SCE currently provides education for over 10,000 pupils in 38 schools in nine countries.

Over and out?

Blog

01 Jun 2012

Matthew Taylor

I wrote yesterday about the distinction between 'power over' and 'power to'. This distinction is relevant to the crisis which now grips Europe.

What does the future hold for a recovery agenda?

Blog

01 Jun 2012

This week I read an interesting blog post  by Toby Seddon entitled ‘The politics of recovery’. The article draws the comparison between previous crime reduction and harm reduction strategies that have now given way to a more recovery orientated agenda in formulating modern drug policy. The tone of this piece is one of scepticism outlining that continuity is often king, and that recent policies have much in common with their predecessors on  a strategic level. So where does this leave the implementation of a recovery agenda on the front line, and more importantly in our local communities?

Between the book shelves - a new way forward for libraries

Blog

01 Jun 2012

Kate Monkhouse

My first foray into the world of work was as a Saturday girl at the library in my local town.  No two days were ever the same and so many people came through the doors for one reason or another.  It has saddened me therefore to see the decline of funding for libraries and the continued closing of them over the past few years.  However, a couple of weeks ago I visited a library that has been bought back from the brink by a loyal band of volunteers.

Power of Curiosity

Report

01 Jun 2012

The Power of Curiosity report reveals that Britain may lack the kind of curiosity needed to stimulate innovation and solve our future energy challenges.