Are we Rallying Together? Launching our report on collaboration and public sector reform

With collaboration between communities and local government high on the public service reform agenda, the GO Lab are excited to launch their report, Are we Rallying Together?, on 28th March.

We will host a seminar with a keynote speech by Donna Hall, Chief Executive of the pioneering Wigan Council and incoming Chair of the New Local Government Network think-tank. It will be held at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, a fitting venue celebrating the history of democracy.

The GO Lab research looks at the emerging practice of sharing responsibility for local public services. It considers the collaborations and partnerships that are forming between local public sector authorities, the voluntary sector, businesses and local people.  

Our early findings identify some clear pre-requisites for successful collaboration and some common challenges. In particular, how to form and govern collaborative relationships and how to learn and measure impact where there are multiple organisations involved. This report has more case studies and insights that we are keen to share with you. 

We will be launching the full findings in our report at the event. After launching our report we will be hosting a set of round-table discussions based on themes emerging from the research. Overall, the event will: 

• share insights from the brand-new research
• provide a forum for practitioners to explore how they can apply this learning to their own challenges 
• gather input to help shape future research and learning. 

We have invited a group of senior and experienced practitioners and leading thinkers to share their learning on the day. Places will be limited so that everyone can participate.

The event is free of charge. Please feel free to pass on details to other local authority, NHS or voluntary sector leaders you believe would benefit from attendance. For any enquiries regarding the event, you can contact us at golab@bsg.ox.ac.uk.

10.00    Arrival, registration and coffee

10.30    Welcome - short introduction to the GO Lab and Future State work

Nigel Ball, Deputy Director, GO Lab 

10.45    Key note address - why collaborate?

Donna Hall, Chief Executive, Wigan Council (incoming Chair of New Local Government Network) 

11.00    The findings - presentation of findings from the Rallying Together project, followed by 15 minutes Q&A

GO Lab Team 

11.45    Break 

12.00    Break-out panel sessions 

1. Best interests of the individual - what are challenges in empowering practitioners and providers to work in the best interests of the individual?

Jamie Anderson, Chief Executive, Age UK Wirral

Lynn Mumford, Director of Development, Mayday Trust

Gary Wallace, Public Health Specialist, Office of the Director of Public Health, Plymouth Council 

A conversation about how collaboration is changing the way practitioners and providers deliver services:

• Achieving collective consensus on best interest across different practitioners and organisations
• What does it mean for short term and longer term spend?
• How frontline practitioners are empowered in practice – how is this framed and enabled?
• What does this wrap around approach mean for the development of practice in health and social work? Where does professional expertise start and stop?

2. Accountability without control – how to constitute relationships in a collaborative system of delivery that enables public authorities to perform their duty to deliver effective public services, whilst ceding or sharing control.

Jane Forrest, Assistant Director Public Service Reform, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

Kathy Evans, CEO, Children England

Jacqui McKinley, CEO, Centre for Public Scrutiny 

Jenny North, Deputy Director, Dartington Social Research Unit

A conversation about how collaboration is changing the role of local government and local government leaders:

• Measurement
• Scrutiny
• Data and reporting
• Assurance and audit

1.00    Lunch 

1.45    Intro to the afternoon - building a movement for collaboration 

Dawn Plimmer, Head of Practice, Collaborate CIC

Toby Lowe, Senior Research Associate, Newcastle Business School

2.00    Workshop sessions: What next for developing collaborative working?

Workshop sessions: What next for developing collaborative working? What needs to happen to better equip people to work in collaborative ways? What is the role of different parties – commissioners, providers, charitable funders? Participants to discuss on their six tables, facilitated by GO Lab.

2.45    Coffee 

3.00    'It started here' - making collaboration mainstream 

Despite increasing interest, collaborative approaches to service delivery remain unusual. What needs to be done to take the best elements of these approaches and make them part of ‘standard practice’?

Henry Kippin, Head of Public Service Reform, West Midlands Combined Authority

Martin Pratt, Executive Director of Supporting People, London Borough of Camden

Pamela Dow, Chief Reform Officer, Catch-22

4.00    Close and networking