how to get buy in and support for innovative work in local councils

1. The Social Innovation Lab for Kent
Designing better services together and resources for innovation
Tools
Starting with people Space to think
Designing services for everyday living
Insights Ideas Actions Collaborating for better services
Supporting innovators and leaders in Kent

2. Where the story began
OUR OPERATING ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING
• Capacity to prepare for the future, as well as past performance
• Area-based not institutionally focused
• Engagement, empowerment, involvement
• Use of data - real-time, experiential, geographic

3. What we do
Capacity Building Projects Making Connections

4. Our recent project work
Activmobs
Digital Inclusion
Food for Families
The Gateways
Financial Inclusion
Families in Kent Fathers Care Directory Opportunities

5. But how do we get support for change?

6. Secure senior leadership

7. Plan, plan, plan

8. Know your stakeholders

9. Be ruthless about the team

10. Involve the people that matter

11. Turn research into action

12. Value communication work

13. Make the business your business

14. Be entrepreneurial

15. What we found hard
NEW WAYS OF SEEING, THINKING AND WORKING TOGETHER
Keeping the faith and making the time
Balancing energy with over-claiming
Prioritising and focusing
Turning little ideas into big innovations

16. What would have helped
ENCOURAGEMENT, EMPOWERMENT… AND LESS PROCUREMENT…
More eyes for spotting opportunities
Platforms for us to tell our story
Greater political will
Easier routes to engaging external support

17. Where next
A NEW WAY OF WORKING, NOT AN ADDITIONAL THING TO DO
A core team for SILK in the business plan
Using and continuing to develop the framework on strategic projects
Building capacity to work in a people-centred way through training
Turn the framework into a collaborative resource online

18. The Social Innovation Lab for Kent
MANAGING INNOVATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Sophia Parker
SILK, Kent County Council