Big Society and Schools

School-Community linksnothing new!

• The history of school-community engagement dates back to:

• Henry Morris in the 1930s• the expansion of community schools after the

Plowden Report in the 1960s• and the development of community programmes for

specialist schools since 1997• the extended schools initiative from 2000

Developing a strategy for community engagement2

21st Century Outward Facing School

The orthodoxy since 1997

3 Developing a strategy for community engagement

4The community programme

Community aspec

t of specia

lism

Extended Services

Communit

y Cohes

ion

Trusts

Federations

Co-operative Schools

Free Schools

Academies

Who do schools partner with as a result of the ideas?

Developing a strategy for community engagement5

Multi- Agency Work

Higher/ Further Education

Charities/ Third Sector/ Voluntary Organisations

Statutory Agencies

Duel Use Arrangements

Employers

Parents and Community Members

Children’s Trusts Children’s Centres

/Primary/secondary/special school networks

Adult and Family Learning

Why do schools work with their communities?

Create the best conditions for all their students to thrive; drawing on all sectors of the community to make a contribution

• Build the social capital of their students• Build the strategic social capitol of the school to draw in

funds/local support• Promote lifelong learning within the community• Improve parental engagement• Community regeneration • Public relations/reputation

Developing a strategy for community engagement6

What are Schools now?

• State Funded Bodies• Charitable Trusts• Social Enterprises• Limited Companies

• Community Hubs• Bases for community

Forums• Network Coordinators• CPD

Deliverers/Training providers

Developing a strategy for community engagement7

Big Society Overview

“I want us to build a society with stronger families and stronger

communities”.

“…. We know that the best ideas come from the ground up, not the

top down. We know that when you give people and communities more power over their lives, more power to come together and work

together to make life better – great things

happen.”

What is it?“At its core, the big society is an attempt to connect the civic institutions that lie between the individual and the state .... It is born out of recognition that our centralised state has become too big, too bureaucratic and just too distant to support many of those most in need of help, and that it deters people from playing a more active role in public life.

In political terms, this means passing power to the lowest level possible radical public service reform, so that schools, social services, planning and even prisons are more responsive to the needs of those using them; and social action, to encourage more people to play a role in society. Not just charities, but neighbourhood groups, workers' co-operatives, social enterprises.”

Ian Birrell, David Cameron’s speech writer, author of the Big Society speeches

Guardian, 9 Oct 2010

Vanguard areas• In July four ‘vanguard areas’ were announced, where civil servants are

working with local groups to develop ideas and projects:• Liverpool, Eden Valley (Cumbria), Windsor and Maidenhead, Sutton • In these areas, local people have proposed: • moving a community centre to a site chosen by the community; building a renewable

energy generation project; a community buy out of a local pub; providing community broadband access (Eden Valley)

• participatory budgeting for parks budget; delegating budgets to streets (Windsor)• boosting volunteering at museums; creating a social enterprise to produce films and

content for digital platforms; developing neighbourhood media and cultural activities in poorer areas (Liverpool).

• sustainable transport schemes and influencing local public transport; identifying champions for greener living; supporting the creation of a project involving young people that invests in the local community (Sutton)

• “The Big Society will be created by community groups, social entrepreneurs and practitioners who will help make it a reality on the ground” (CLG website)

Announcements• A Big Society Day (details not announced yet)

• National citizen service for 16 -18 year olds

• Training for 500 community organisers

• Big Society Bank - £500- £800m from unclaimed assets, orginally announced for April 2011

Key players

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society(Cabinet Office)

Lord (Nat) Wei, Govt Advisor on Big Society

Paul Twivy, CEO, Big Society Network

‘Motherhood and apple pie?’

The language is about empowerment, where citizens will

have greater control over their local area and local institutions, that there will be many more opportunities for people to take an active role in bringing about the changes they want to see. What’s not to like?

active citizens volunteering

Community engagement neighbourhood

groups

citizens in control