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The Days After: Are we learning? Are we building back better? Join us on 7 July to shift the dial
On 23 June, in conjunction with CPI, the OPSI and the London Policy & Strategy Network, we considered what has been gleaned from our learning journey to date, and as we move into the uncertain ‘days after’, what we mourn and moan, what we celebrate, and our determinations for a better future.
We will meet again on 7 July, from 14:20-16:20. Book your free place now.
The learning community
Over 100 days in the heart of the first COVID crisis, the learning community to build back better in the days after worked together to try to make sense of things. Over 120 people who care about citizen and community outcomes came together to learn together. Organisations and spaces they came from included housing associations, charities, health, police, local and central government. And a really interesting smattering of international people, transformational linguists, systems and complexity thinkers.
The journey of the group included:
- focus on ‘what will we face in the days after’ – appreciating the multivarious and overlapping challenges scenario development to consider the possibilities of what will result… which was not immediately inspiring
- open space development of key focus areas – from new forms of leadership, to the revolutionising of adult social care commissioning
- digging into the scenarios and asking ‘what do we want our new future to be’?
- third horizon thinking to consider what potential realities we can spot and seek to bring through into the new world identifying the prospects for radical rebuilding in the days after, and developing a full vision on ‘what we want to be valued’ in the days after
- identifying barriers to the achievement of the vision – and how we can model and share these values, and the shared collaborative learning process which led to them
- along with ‘spin-off’ events on post-crisis communications, ‘five worlds’ for place-based working, and deep engagement – connecting, reflecting, sensemaking
- we also participated in the OECD Observatory for Public Sector Innovation’s Government After Shock event in November
The group produced the Adaptive Council model – a short paper with key findings – a LinkedIn summary is here.
We have been featured in the Local Government Chronicle and highlighted by the Whitehall & Industry Group.
To join the session 23 June from 14:20-16:20 UK time, book your free place now.
History of the group
Our original inspiration was phrased in this way:
- We’ve been dynamic in dealing with the crisis – amazing things have been achieved.
How do we learn from these breakthroughs? - Things are still chaotic and confusing! And will be for some time as the ramifications continue.
How do we make sense of things right now and for the future? - How do we prepare for a real reboot in ‘the days after’ the crisis?
Three special ‘spin-off’ events have been held:
- Communication: continuing past the crisis, engaging citizens – Risks and opportunities in the post Covid-19 world – with Amanda Coleman, former head of corporate communications, Greater Manchester Police. Slides and video etc at: https;//bit.ly/communicatingpastcrisisafter
- Five worlds for place-based working – with Alan Burns, RedQuadrant’s future operating approaches lead. Slides and video etc at: https://bit.ly/fiveworldsplaceafter
- Deep engagement – connecting, reflecting, sensemaking – with Anne Bennett and Penny Shapland-Chew of RedQuadrant, Roger Duck of Mapsar, and Amaranatho Robey, the Playful Monk. Drop an email to benjamin.taylor@publicservicetransformation.org if you’d like to find out more
We would like to thank all the participants, particularly those members of the core group who took the time to develop the thinking, structuring. learning and products of this unique community.
To join the group.io group and WhatsApp, which will continue, and to hear about next steps beyond this group, email benjamin.taylor@publicservicetransformation.org