We support public sector leaders to do things differently. They come to us with a challenge and we work with them to build understanding, change their ways of working and develop creative and sustainable new services and ventures.

Our track record includes work with national governments in four continents, over 50 UK local authorities, all 10 Strategic Health Authorities and local commissioners.

Why we're different

We are a mission driven, not-for-profit organisation committed to using social innovation to solve deeply entrenched social issues. For more than 50 years we have been bringing unheard voices to the fore and using these insights to redesign services, influence policy and create ventures. Our particular interest is in approaches that help to boost social growth as well as economic growth, and that realise the full potential of individuals and communities.

What we can offer you?

We offer bespoke support for innovators according to the nature of your challenge, but we draw on a number of common methods:

• Understanding new perspectives: using research to unearth the best new ideas and hear the voices of users, providers and commissioners in redesigning services. Like our work in Lewisham using insights from ethnography with teenage parents.
  

• Connecting people and creative thinking: creating spaces for leaders to think creatively, taking inspiration from unusual sources across sectors (public, private, community and ventures) and across the globe. Like convening London Chief Executives to think about the future of the city and embedding social entrepreneurs  in health authorities and universities.

• Testing new models: developing new ideas turning them into sustainable services, systems and ventures. Taking ideas from conception to market testing and prototyping, like Studio Schools, new academies for 14 to 19 year olds based on work based learning which are now running in six locations around the UK.

• Maximising impact: scaling up the most effective solutions and managing innovation portfolios. Like our work advising the 10 Strategic Health Authorities on maximising the impact of their Regional Innovation Funds or our work across the country on Social Impact Bonds and other designs for payment by results models.

For more information please contact the practice leader Vicki Sellick vicki.sellick@youngfoundation.org

Key reading:

• Public Services and Civil Society working together: Promising ideas for effective local partnerships (March 2010). The report gives anecdotal and empirical evidence to suggest outcomes are improved when public services and civil society work hand in hand, and develops five new ways to do just that - from community entrepreneurs to asset sharing, new performance measures to community dividends.

• The Young Foundation - A source of insight & advice for innovators in public services