1. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Connected Communities
OR
“Building the Big Society”
Dr Bert Provan
Deputy Director and Head of Profession for Social Research
Department of Communities and Local Government

2. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
State support has discouraged
personal and social responsibility
“I am certain that government is a big part of the problem – its size has now
reached a point where it is actually making our social problems worse. That‟s
because by trying to do too much, it has drained the lifeblood of a strong
society – personal and social responsibility.”2
2
2. Speech, Let‟s mend our broken society, 27 April 2010

3. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
The Big Society
“The Big Society is a society where the leading force for progress is social
responsibility not state control.” 1.
This will be a society with
• localism – high levels of decentralisation, transparency and accountability
• Self reliance and mass engagement in social action
• Much reduced role of the central and local state
• fewer programmes
• fewer targets (CAA gone)
“Neighbourhoods are the building blocks for everything we do”
3
1. David Cameron

4. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
The Guiding Principles
Can individuals do it? Give them the power and the resources
Can communities do it? Give them the power and the resources
Can local authorities do it? Give them the power and the resources
Must the centre intervene to persuade, prescribe, or fund?
4

5. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Restoring personal and social responsibility:
role of citizens and communities
“Real change is not what government can do on its own – real change is when everyone
pulls together, comes together, works together, where we all exercise our
responsibilities to ourselves, to our families, to our communities and to others.”8
• Playing an active role in civic life
• Holding service providers and politicians to account
• Looking out for neighbours and the vulnerable
• Identifying opportunities for self-help and community responsibility
5
• Taking over the running of community assets 8. David Cameron, 12th May, 10 Downing Street

6. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Restoring personal and social responsibility:
role of charities, community organisations and
social enterprises
“The challenge
for any
government is
how to help
communities to
help themselves -
to support rather
than stifle
grassroots
community
action.”9
• Identifying community needs
• Bringing communities together to solve problems
• Raising funds
• Co-ordinating community events
6
• Co-designing and delivering services 9. Community Sector Coalition

7. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Restoring personal and social
responsibility: role of the state
“directly agitating for, catalysing and galvanising social renewal”10
1. Giving away power (not money)
2. Removing barriers to civic action
(including lack of capacity and
transparent information)
3. Facilitating change (including Big
Society Bank and providing
government contracts to social
enterprises)
4. Empowering others (including
through intermediaries and
institutions)
5. Being the change we want to see
(including civic service for civil
7
servants)
10. Speech, The Big Society, Hugo Young Lecture, 10 November 2009

8. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
So the question is :
How, where, and how fast can
this happen?
Some pointers and options….
8

9. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
“We want to build up strong local
institutions which are tangible and
where people – literally – come together
to meet and mingle.”3
Mutual support Community football
Institutions
Community events Voluntary organisations
9
3. David Cameron

10. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
“By giving people more information, we give them more
power”4
Data transparency and accountability Holding providers and politicians to account
Information & Influence
Contacting local government and services Practical10
politics
4. David Cameron

11. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
“We need to enable more ownership, offering local people who see a
derelict building or a local service the chance to think „we can take
over and we can turn it into something really special.‟”5
Running local services Pride in place Community allotments
Community space
11
Community centres Schools Community pubs
5. David Cameron, From Central Power to People Power, speech, February 2010

12. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
“We want social entrepreneurs to have better access to
the strategic capital they need.”6
Delegated and participatory budgets Business sponsorship
6. Big Society, Not Big Government
Local Funds
12
Access to finance Fund raising Social enterprise

13. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
“… non-state collective action is more effective than centralised
state solutions in solving community problems.” 7
Online Offline
Sharing ideas
13
7. David Cameron, Hugo Young Lecture

14. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Issue 1: Dissemination and
transmission of knowledge
To Citizens
New challenge – passing on understanding to local
non specialists
Making a coherent and cross discipline set of
narratives
Working with intermediaries (Big Society Network,
Vol orgs)
Conscious of “what‟s in it for me?”
Supporting their knowledge networks – and using
ICT
This involves engagement to make it happen…… 14

15. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Issue 2: Definitions and ideas
What do we mean by
• Neighbourhoods
• Connected communities
• Empowerment
• Social capital
• Nudge
• Social responsibility
• Civic responsibility
• Volunteering
• Localism And how do they
• Engagement
• Meaningful interaction relate to each
• Multiple deprivation other?
• Area effects
• Benefit dependency
• Integration
• Cohesion
15

16. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Issue 3: Evidence
What is the baseline?
Who is engaged? Self reliant?
Where are the cohesive communities? Those with social
capital?
Where are the communities who will find it most difficult to
engage?
How do we map this at small area level?
How to we measure change?
How do we monitor individuals and their journey?
How do we measure communities in flux?
What are our criteria to judge that the “Big Society” has
arrived?
How to we recognise risks and triumphs?
Is it cost effective?
Surely you know lots of this already? 16

17. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Issue 4: Understanding Change
•What works in getting communities engaged,
connected and active?
•What stimulates and motivates?
•What gets in the way?
•Are drivers primarily socieo-economic? Or
educational?
•What is the role of cultural factors?
•Is change tactical or fundamental?
•Do we have a theory of change?
How will it be made to work this time?
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18. For discussion only: This does not present Government policy
Issue 5: Methodology and approach
Challenge of getting good evidence in a localised world – no
more national mega evaluations
Research methods appropriate with constrained budgets
Innovative in how collect and present info – electronic
surveys and interactive presentation
Cross discipline – demographics, behavioural economics,
qualitative social research, wild ideas
Get value out of what already have
Informing the Big Society……..
18

19. Scotland
We would hope to see bids to the programme that both took
account of:
• generalities of Scottish difference (our income distribution, our
rural and remote population dispersal),
• specifics (e.g our built environment, our housing stock, our
minority ethnic population).
• We would welcome partnerships and collaborations that draw
in expertise of Scotland.
19

20. Scotland
Scottish national performance framework,
„where all can flourish‟.
• We realise our full economic potential with more and better
employment opportunities.
• Our children have the best start in life and are ready to
succeed.
• We live longer, healthier lives.
• We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.
• We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger.
• We live in well designed, sustainable places where we are able
to access the amenities and services we need.
• We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where
people take responsibility for their own actions and how they
affect others.
• We value and enjoy our built environment and protect and
enhance it for future generations. 20

21. Scotland
It is also important to note that following the „concordat‟, the majority of spend and
decision making is conducted through Community Planning Partnerships, operating
at local level, and therefore requiring local level information.
In terms of regeneration policy, activity focuses on three key areas:
Policy development through working with Ministers and key stakeholders.
Supporting the delivery of regeneration through providing funding and advice
Building capacity though identifying, sharing and getting people to act on good practice.
Key objectives that we‟d seek to meet through knowledge generated in the programme
are:
to support community-led regeneration and, in particular, how communities can have
more control over how their neighbourhood is regenerated, building on their own asset
base and infrastructure.
to ensure we achieve greater value for money from existing interventions and where
other sources of finance besides government grant can be harnessed, and
to work more closely with key sectors to facilitate consideration of where innovative
approaches can be made to work.
In planning,
• how to use the Scottish planning system to engender earlier, and better community
involvement, and
• how the use of mediation can resolve planning disputes, and achieve better
outcomes. 21

22. Scotland
Key questions therefore to consider when
designing your bid, to provide policy value in
Scotland would be:
• Does this apply equally to Scotland?
• Is this a uniquely Scottish situation/issue/finding?
• Do the government arrangements in Scotland make
a difference to the policy implications I draw?
• Are there particular communities and places in
Scotland that can tell me something particular about
this issue?
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