Comments on: The Big Society and the RSA – a good match http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/ Politics, brains, social action and the day to day life of the RSA’s chief executive Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:39:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: Margaret Bowker http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/comment-page-1/#comment-6252 Margaret Bowker Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:03:26 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=3174#comment-6252 It was very interesting to read Matthew Taylor's blog on the The Big Society and the RSA - A Good Match; and his concern over the dilemmas and challenges of putting the proposals into effect. It made me think about quangos and I was concerned that their reduction might happen without their specific, individual strengths being taken into account. The Partnership I attend, for example, has the strength of drawing a great many of the aspects of society together. It has open access, both before and after meetings, and questions may be asked at public question time. It is not as formal as the Council Chamber and is capable of providing a non-political platform for public concerns of every nature. Presently, it works with the Local Authority, the voluntary sector and Place Makers etc; and perhaps may evolve into more of a Forum as powers are transferred, but a forum with more weight than the average Civic Society. The bodies represented are led by a government agency which enables questioners to receive informed and influential opinion. I have been involved in the field the Big Society is seeking to develop for a considerable time, even before it was usual, and feel adaptation and restructuring is imminent Similarly, the country is going through the experience of considering Elected Mayors. As an activist, I found this concept appealing (as much as The Kavli RS Centre coming out to the MK/SM area), but the proposal is not as straightforward as it appears. Proposals should be worked through to their results and balanced accordingly. I feel Matthew Taylor is right in saying the RSA should be at the heart of public debate. As a worker in this field, I believe the time has come for considerable thinking. It was very interesting to read Matthew Taylor’s blog on the The Big Society and the RSA – A Good Match; and his concern over the dilemmas and challenges of putting the proposals into effect. It made me think about quangos and I was concerned that their reduction might happen without their specific, individual strengths being taken into account. The Partnership I attend, for example, has the strength of drawing a great many of the aspects of society together. It has open access, both before and after meetings, and questions may be asked at public question time. It is not as formal as the Council Chamber and is capable of providing a non-political platform for public concerns of every nature. Presently, it works with the Local Authority, the voluntary sector and Place Makers etc; and perhaps may evolve into more of a Forum as powers are transferred, but a forum with more weight than the average Civic Society. The bodies represented are led by a government agency which enables questioners to receive informed and influential opinion. I have been involved in the field the Big Society is seeking to develop for a considerable time, even before it was usual, and feel adaptation and restructuring is imminent

Similarly, the country is going through the experience of considering Elected Mayors. As an activist, I found this concept appealing (as much as The Kavli RS Centre coming out to the MK/SM area), but the proposal is not as straightforward as it appears. Proposals should be worked through to their results and balanced accordingly.

I feel Matthew Taylor is right in saying the RSA should be at the heart of public debate. As a worker in this field, I believe the time has come for considerable thinking.

]]> By: Julian Dobson http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/comment-page-1/#comment-6236 Julian Dobson Sat, 10 Jul 2010 09:11:28 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=3174#comment-6236 I think Barry Quirk's comments are well worth keeping in mind as we ride this rollercoaster. And Matthew, I think you're right to point out the need to learn from the past - the policy action teams did some really good work and the current crop of politicians and thinkers would do well to re-read some of it (or read it for the first time). But there's still a sense in your post and some of the reactions to it that the Big Society is something that's coming from government and that the people should respond to. We need to change that. Civil society belongs to all of us and we need to shape it in line with what we care about, rather than wait for someone else to set an agenda. That will be tough, but it is where the opportunity lies. We need to create our own spaces where we can fashion a Big Society of equals, not another set of client relationships. We're taking some first steps towards that in Sheffield on 27 July - see http://bsitnorth.eventbrite.com/ - and all are welcome. I think Barry Quirk’s comments are well worth keeping in mind as we ride this rollercoaster. And Matthew, I think you’re right to point out the need to learn from the past – the policy action teams did some really good work and the current crop of politicians and thinkers would do well to re-read some of it (or read it for the first time).

But there’s still a sense in your post and some of the reactions to it that the Big Society is something that’s coming from government and that the people should respond to. We need to change that. Civil society belongs to all of us and we need to shape it in line with what we care about, rather than wait for someone else to set an agenda.

That will be tough, but it is where the opportunity lies. We need to create our own spaces where we can fashion a Big Society of equals, not another set of client relationships. We’re taking some first steps towards that in Sheffield on 27 July – see http://bsitnorth.eventbrite.com/ – and all are welcome.

]]> By: Platform 10 » Blog Archive » The importance of Big Society, Big Schomeity http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/comment-page-1/#comment-6217 Platform 10 » Blog Archive » The importance of Big Society, Big Schomeity Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:42:25 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=3174#comment-6217 [...] those who are interested in the theory behind this movement I can recommend blogs by Nat Wei and Matthew Taylor. Unfortunately Matthew Taylor in his piece uses the acronym BS for ‘Big Society’. Where I come [...] [...] those who are interested in the theory behind this movement I can recommend blogs by Nat Wei and Matthew Taylor. Unfortunately Matthew Taylor in his piece uses the acronym BS for ‘Big Society’. Where I come [...]

]]> By: The network spreads… | Regen Future http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/comment-page-1/#comment-6212 The network spreads… | Regen Future Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:03:17 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=3174#comment-6212 [...] The last suggestion was made by Nick Booth who has blogged about it here. Other recent blogs worth looking at include Julian Dobson on the Big Society in the North, Tim Davies’ blog about Young People and the Big Society and Matthew Taylor’s where he shares some thoughts about another Big Society event that took place yesterday. [...] [...] The last suggestion was made by Nick Booth who has blogged about it here. Other recent blogs worth looking at include Julian Dobson on the Big Society in the North, Tim Davies’ blog about Young People and the Big Society and Matthew Taylor’s where he shares some thoughts about another Big Society event that took place yesterday. [...]

]]> By: Mike Chitty http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/the-big-society-and-the-rsa-a-good-match/comment-page-1/#comment-6211 Mike Chitty Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:16:46 +0000 http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/?p=3174#comment-6211 Big society seems to be based on a premise that we wish to roll our sleeves up and help the government in the delivery of their agenda. Big society will arrive when this is reversed and the government instead rolls its sleeves up and helps citizens to develop their own agendas... A switch from letting strategy, planning, procurement and contracting dominate to allowing responsiveness and facilitation to grow... Big society seems to be based on a premise that we wish to roll our sleeves up and help the government in the delivery of their agenda.

Big society will arrive when this is reversed and the government instead rolls its sleeves up and helps citizens to develop their own agendas…

A switch from letting strategy, planning, procurement and contracting dominate to allowing responsiveness and facilitation to grow…

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