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Big Society

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Big Society

A conversation about how people are interpreting the concept of Big Society and does it need tightening as Matthew Taylor suggests, or might a 'baggy' concept be a strength and help more people get involved?

Members: 178
Latest Activity: May 9

Exploring the idea

There has been *a lot* of discussion on Big Society over the last couple of weeks. An event, a meeting at Downing Street, a rather poorly regarded piece on Newsnight (to view here), Matthew Taylor has been blogging here and here and David Wilcox has been mapping the potential and social reporting here.

What do you think of the potential and the constraints? How does it differ from what many RSA Fellows and Social Innovators are doing already? How could we connect and develop ideas around this?

Discussion Forum

Ad Hoc Enquiries - First Series Starts 3rd April

The first series of the Ad…Continue

Started by Tessy Britton Mar 25.

Beyond the Big Society Report 9 Replies

In case you haven't seen the RSA's latest report on Big Society written by the Social Brain team let…Continue

Started by Tessy Britton. Last reply by Martin Gilbraith Feb 14.

Making the Big Society a practical reality

I have spent the past three years trying to develop a website which would actually enable communities to turn what is a great concept, the Big Society into some practical and real action within the…Continue

Started by Paul Ettinger Jan 13.

Creating capability for young adult leaders in Northern Ireland 2 Replies

I've scribbled a few words about a positive experience of 'bettering society' through voluntary efforts, based on an enjoyable experience in the Share Centre, Co Fermanagh yesterday. It's not…Continue

Started by Denis Stewart. Last reply by Denis Stewart Oct 3, 2011.

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Comment by David Floyd on May 9, 2012 at 9:42

Blog post on making the sums add up in the Big Society: http://beanbagsandbullsh1t.com/2012/05/08/making-the-sums-add-up/

Comment by David Floyd on April 26, 2012 at 9:06

Blog post on Henry Hemming's Together and politicians in search of community:

http://beanbagsandbullsh1t.com/2012/04/25/the-quest-for-community/

Comment by David Floyd on January 16, 2012 at 13:39

Blog based thoughts on the RSA's recent Big Society report: http://beanbagsandbullsh1t.com/2012/01/16/complex-analysis/

Comment by David Floyd on October 7, 2011 at 15:01
Some thoughts on Phillip Blond's concerns about lack of progress on Big Society: http://beanbagsandbullsh1t.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/big-society-won...
Comment by Adrian Ashton on August 30, 2011 at 8:02
it was surely only a matter of time... "Big Society - The Musical!" http://bit.ly/qIdqXh
Comment by Adrian Ashton on August 4, 2011 at 7:18
how the Big Society will lead to Anarchy! (but that's a good thing...) http://bit.ly/pDS4Kx
Comment by Adrian Ashton on July 22, 2011 at 9:04

lots of people tweeting about my lastest blog on why the Big Society isn't the Big Society (but something else) http://thirdsectorexpert.blogspot.com/2011/07/when-is-big-society-n...

 

be interested to know group member's thoughts about if I've struck a chord or started to drift off track...

Comment by David Floyd on June 29, 2011 at 14:26
Thought you might be interested in this interview with Jess Steele of Locality on the community organisers programme:
Comment by Ian Lewis on April 30, 2011 at 18:20

A small think-tank looked at what might change through a Big Society evolution a couple of years back.  The 24 changes are listed below. 

What seems significant is the lack of consumerism and a clear push back towards self-/community- responsibility, realisation of potential, healthy risk-taking, enjoying and being inspired by new experiences and no one spuriously making money just to make money/get rich & run/more-me-now; there is much 'well-being' in this list, too.

  1. More people getting closer to achieving their potential

  2. Everyone knows their future is in their own hands

  3. Every young person has experience of Adventure & Enterprise.

  4. When people go travelling they don’t get the guidebook out

  5. Increase in trespass in the countryside [eco-conscious pioneering].

  6. Decrease in TV/Video/computer games

  7. National survey shows a belief in doing adventurous things

  8. People do something new every day

  9. UK is in the top 3 of adventurous societies [Adventure Olympics?]

  10. Index of adventure – use existing statistics – is created and monitored

  11. Young offenders’ institutes close – no need to commit crime to get a thrill, or status

  12. Groups writing their own prescriptions for adventure

  13. A groundswell of popular opinion exists that balances the culture of fear

  14. No adverts re suing people

  15. Hospital occupancy drops by 50% - due to greater health, judgement & responsibility.

  16. Councils stop identifying risks that don’t exist/start balancing risks

  17. Increase in unsupervised use of playgrounds

  18. More children walking to school by themselves

  19. Regular power-cuts enthuse real creativity in the home and are thus not a problem

  20. More start-up businesses, particularly more staying solvent beyond 3 yrs

  21. Re-introduction of wolves/beevers into remote parts of UK – the positive side of diversity is fully seen

  22. Communities [not councils/quangos] feel in control of their local economy

  23. Peoples’ lives are more adventurous overall, with higher self esteem evident

  24. Old people are more adventurous – life into years puts years onto life.

Comment by John Elliott on April 30, 2011 at 14:22

 

How does the notion of the 'Big Society' differ in meaning from the 'Consumer Society' or the 'Good Society'? Is it not simply being used to mask the difference between these last two notions?

 

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