Lessons and practical advice

Brigadier General Rhonda Cornum on Emotional Fitness

Part of the Innovation Catalyst and the Innovation, Justice and Youth Project.

The Big Society has refocused attention on the role for communities in shaping and potentially delivering local public services. In this paper this in detail and sets out a framework for greater community involvement in designing, managing, commissioning and delivering local public services. The paper is based on four years of research and practical work with local authorities, agencies and communities to understand what works in community empowerment and to encourage local social innovation.

The Citizens' University has been developed as a fun way of helping people gain the skills and confidence they need to be more effective citizens. Its aim is catalyse a national citizens' movement that strengthens communities and their capacity to act for themselves.

Interrogating the idea of the 'bottom 2.5 percent' (June 2008)

This paper explores the increasing requirement for leaders to make complex judgements, to rethink and redesign systems, and to find integrative solutions that make sense from several different perspectives.

The British criminal justice system is failing by many measures. Costs are rising as is the prison population. The sheer pressure on the system is making it hard to introduce long overdue reforms.  This paper suggests how a menu of interventions can be made available to a locality, and presents an overview of those structures which could ensure that the system has capacity for this, as well as how to bolster public confidence in innovative approaches, and in a radically reformed system.

Institute of Community Studies Working Paper No.4 - July 2003

Stories of ageing in the community

A briefing on our work to achieve radical improvements in health and care.

This is a review of what is and is not known about neighbourhoods and communities. It starts to analyse the characteristics of neighbourhoods, including how they are defined and the role of the local public realm in bringing them together.

Developing local strategies

The paper looks at the changing facts of ageing as both a challenge and an opportunity.  No society has yet ‘solved' the challenges of ageing, and no past societies have provided comprehensive models to copy. Instead we have no choice but to innovate, experiment and learn fast.

This paper explores social innovation in the current context of public sector spending
cuts and a revitalized drive towards efficiencies in London’s public services.

An introduction to neighbourhood media (July 2009)

Designing a citizens university

This think-piece, the second in a series from the Local 2.0 project, provides local authorities with a simple, practical framework to base their social media activity on.

A project with Neighbourhood Management in King's Lynn, West Norfolk

As a continuation of the Mapping Needs programme, this paper states that policy makers need to understand the importance of psychological needs.

Towards a new research agenda (May 2009)

This paper explores the impact of globalisation on the people, communities and economies of three north-east London boroughs.

New inequalities and the importance of relative position

In June 2011, the Department of Health issued a Call for Evidence and Ideas about how the adoption and diffusion of innovations can be accelerated across the NHS. This was part of the NHS Chief Executive‘s Review of Innovation in the NHS. This report is a summary of the responses submitted to the Call for Evidence which was carried out by the Young Foundation on behalf of the Department of Health.

Young Foundation Working Paper No.1 - October 2005.

Social Impact Bonds can play a vital role in achieving more for less. This paper builds on previous papers on the topic published by the Young Foundation since 2008, and sets out our current thinking on the concept, on SIBs potential, and some of the challenges they face.

This paper summarises the interim findings from our project looking into entrenched deprivation on small estates.

Sustained employment for former offenders is one of the most effective ways to prevent re-offending and reduce harm. This paper is designed to set out our current thinking around this issue and highlight some of the evidence and research.

Institute of Community Studies Working Paper No.1 - June 2002

The Young Foundation researches and tests the potential of digital technology as a tool for social change - showing how digital technology is leading to increasingly creative responses to social issues.

This paper combines two different, but closely intertwined concepts: neighbourliness and belonging.

This paper presents recommendations on how the reform of local public finance in England can reflect the government’s plans for a strengthened tier of neighbourhood governance.

What do people and places need from the Big Society?

This briefing was commissioned by the Communities and Local Government Department.