Vicki Savage

Vicki is a Programme Leader in the Local Innovation team, she joined the Young Foundation in January 2006.

Vicki leads the Young Foundation's work on local government innovation, helping to build an understanding of what drives and stimulates innovation at a local level and develop resources to support public sector agencies with new approaches to service delivery.

This includes the Recovery Network, a new consortium for leading local authorities responding to the recession in bold new ways; work to introduce innovation methods to local government and develop new ideas for example on youth crime through the Innovation Catalyst or schemes to tackle worklessness through the London Collabortive; and a steady flow of interviews and focus groups with residents to inform the work - for example she led research into the lives of teenage parents commissioned by the London Borough of Lewisham.

Vicki has also worked with national government departments including a series of think pieces for the Cabinet office on working with civil society; advice for the Australian Goverment on world leading unemployment and education intervations; and authoring guidance for the Department of Communities and Local Government on how to develop a local charter (or community contract).

Previously Vicki worked with communities on tackling entrenched conflicts (Neighbourhood Taskforces) and carried out research into neighbourhood structures and community empowerment in 15+ UK local authorities as part of Transforming Neighbourhoods and the Neighbourhood Action Network.

Before joining the Young Foundation Vicki worked in regeneration at Sheffield City Council and in policy and representation at the University of Sheffield.

Publications

Tackling youth unemployment - a think piece for DEEWR, Australia (January 2010)
Public services and civil society working together: an initial think piece (November 2009)
Incentive cards and behaviour change (November 2009)
Innovating in tough times (October 2009)
Meet the Parents: stories of teenage pregnancy and parenthood in Lewisham (March 2009)
Innovation methods for local government (April 2009)
Collaborative projects on youth crime, Innovation Catalyst (March 2009)
Catalysing Innovation - the role of intermediaries (January 2009)
Neighbourhood Taskforces - A tool for dealing with conflict in Communities, (October 2008)
Cutting through the Tension, New Start (July 2008)
How to develop a local charter: A guide for local authorities (January 2008)
Empowering elected members in Hackney (November 2007)
The member experience of locality working in Surrey (October 2007)
The power of an apology - improving the accountability of public services in Transforming Neighbourhoods: A collection of stories about community empowerment (October 2007)
Transforming Neighbourhoods: Lessons from local work in fifteen areas (October 2007)
Why involve and what are the outcomes? The Duty to Involve for best value authorities (June 2007)
Aiding members to work effectively in localities in Haringey (April 2007)
Tools to support frontline councillors in Wiltshire (March 2007)
Developing neighbourhood structures and charters in Liverpool (February 2007)
Developing community involvement in public services in Suffolk (February 2007)
Neighbourhood and district involvement in devolved local area agreements In Birmingham (September 2006)
Using community forums and elected members to engage Newham residents in the Olympics (June, 2006)
Developing a neighbourhood partnership in Kings Cross, Camden (May, 2006)
Maximising town and parish council involvement in community planning, Wiltshire (May 2006)