Big Society

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Comment by Laurence Howe on July 17, 2010 at 6:21

What Big Society needs to do is to change attitudes and expectations right down to the individual level. There is a danger that it could be railroaded by government (at all levels) in the same way that the environmental debate has been swamped by big business, with most organisations asserting their environmental friendliness as a means of promoting their products and services, but without any real commitment. BS must stimulate a sense of belonging to communities, not necessarily geographically based, but counter to the recent trends of isolation which may be associated with the growth of individual assertiveness. Defining and identifying with communities may be an essential step on the road to BS.

Comment by Michael Coughlin on July 16, 2010 at 21:04

'Big Society' is being used surely as shorthand for the antithesis to the big state? It's a phrase, a soundbite, an outcome, a destination and a descriptor of an ideal. It defies tight definition, as to do so limits it's potential to drive and motivate action. Much of what I see discussed and debated appears to relate to the more difficult matter of the process of getting us from where we are to the Big Society as a state (sic) of much, much greater individual, family and community self-reliance and co-production (and pro-social capital) . A great start has been made by the RSA and others, but capacity building across many more communities through a vast multitude of activities over the longer term, is going to be essential. It's a quantaum leap from what we are doing now, I suggest.

Comment by Natasha van Bentum on July 16, 2010 at 16:01

Just joining today.

Comment by Jane Mason on July 16, 2010 at 15:49

I dunno, Julian and Charlotte, I think the social change battle needs to be fought on many levels simply because individual people respond to different things. Government and governmental policies have a key role to play, as do people who are trying to lobby the government, as do leaders of organisations who have the opportunity to lead and influence their members, as do people who are playing at the level of the individual/community trying to influence change in a more personal way. Similarly, people who are genuinely interested in social change will be more suited to/interested in working at different levels. For some, the real skill is at the macro level and for others it is at the coal face. As long as there is broad agreement about the direction in which we want to go (now there is an understatement), surely we need to work on multiple levels?

Comment by Daniel Snell on July 16, 2010 at 15:45

hello all *wave* i was at Downing Street for the launch and also at an interesting debate last night at the Institute for Government that i'll blog on later. I also spoke to Matthew today and we both agreed that the devil will be in the detail

Comment by Mark David Hatwood on July 16, 2010 at 15:40

I guess The CoBRA Scheme, which I started in 2007, is "The Big Society" in actual terms - teams of volunteers throughout the country collecting hazardous waste and getting it to recycling centres to be dealt with responsibly on behalf of their communities and councils alike. How lovely the politicians have at last given a name to what I've been undertaking!
Pity that I had to adapt the scheme massively - and quickly - when Politicians themselves decided to legislate on how this should be done in the UK, almost calling an end to the only working example of this kind of "Big Society" they were intending to nurture... Oh, bless. You gotta love 'em!

Comment by Charlotte Britton on July 16, 2010 at 15:36

I agree with Julian on this one - it's up to civil society to set up and make a difference rather than government being instructive on what society should be.

Comment by David Dickinson on July 16, 2010 at 15:21

Vivs L-F, David Oliver and I are very much looking forward to attending the Big Society in the North event Julian. A while ago David O coined the phrase "societising not privatising" which I find quite helpful. And no minister, societising doesn't just mean volunteering either.

Comment by Julian Dobson on July 16, 2010 at 15:08

Glad this is up and running. My view is that big society needs to be defined by people's actions rather than used to prescribe a set of policies. That's why we're creating an independent (but complementary) Big Society in the North.

Comment by John McMullan on July 16, 2010 at 15:07

Ben's comments reminds of an interesting dinner discussion with social partners (private & public) a year or two ago, where they were bemoaning their many problems with the voluntary sector - it's too big, too diverse, unco-ordinated,etc. My simple input was what part of voluntary do you not understand. You dont get to decide, model or structure it's real value is that people do things because they feel they need to, thats whats most exciting about it and that's how society makes progress.

Friday afternoon and I'm preaching must go home!!

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