Latest thinking

Teach me what to ask for: literacy, numeracy, design!

Blog

13 Mar 2009

We went down to Cornwall last week to meet a number of people. The prompt was the Design Council's next public engagement exercise, Dott Cornwall, which shares the spirit our own hypothesis: that if you give people design, they become more self-reliant. 

Celebrating innovation

Blog

13 Mar 2009

I am quietly reassured when I read things in the media like this courtesy of Eric Allison. This week, Timpson, the shoe people, announced a new Academy at Liverpool prison to train up prisoners with a view to employ them on release. Yet another example of some of the fantastic initiatives in this sector. Bravo Timpson!

Stern changes predictions: says now we have to contemplate six degrees

Blog

12 Mar 2009

Today at Copenhagen, Nicholas Stern admits his 2006 Stern Report underestimated the gravity of the problem - not so much the economics of it, or in terms of the more recent data coming in, but the stunning lack of political response:

Children's education and welfare - no going back

Blog

12 Mar 2009

Directors of Children's Services have the 'job from hell' since the merger of local authorities' education and children's services, according to John Dunford of the ASCL. His argument is that a remit that makes one person accountable for the overall welfare and outcomes of all children in the borough will inevitably lead directors to prioritise avoidance of extreme abuse and neglect,  and make it difficult for schools to claim attention. His warning comes in the run up to the publication of Lord Laming's review into the changes.

1906 SF earthquake "a hoax"

Blog

12 Mar 2009

Touching on denialism in that earlier post, there's a piece on The Guardian website today about the deniers' conference held this week in New York, Global warming - Was it ever a crisis?

The 'realities' of the miners' strike

Blog

12 Mar 2009

Matthew Taylor

I am really looking forward to today’s RSA Thursday. Lord Kinnock and former Conservative Minister for Coal, Lord Hunt, will be responding to David Hencke and Francis Beckett’s new history of the miners’ strike.  

Do we need a Charter for Rehabilitation?

Blog

12 Mar 2009

What would it do, what would it mean?

A bit of self promotion (and nepotism too for good measure)

Blog

11 Mar 2009

Matthew Taylor

One of our Fellows, Tim Hood, founder of Yoosk.com has invited me to take part in a large scale public engagement exercise in the build up to the G20.   It would be great if readers and Fellows would submit questions – you can do so here.   We are filming the answers on Friday, with another of our Fellows, David Wilcox, I hope, asking the questions.  It should be fun – I’m looking forward to it.

Centre - local relations: an RSA perspective

Blog

11 Mar 2009

Matthew Taylor

As someone who has banged on for years about central local relations, and generally been on the side of the localists it is an interesting test when I face the same issues as Chief Executive of the RSA.