15 November 2018

Continuing to learn from international experiences of participatory budgeting


Carlos Menchaca (New York), Marta Osòrio (Cascais, Portugal), Coryn Barclay (Fife, Scotland) share their experiences of participatory budgeting with host Gilles Pradeau (University of Westminster)

Coryn Barclay, research consultant at Fife Council, took part in an international learning visit to Paris in December 2016, supported by what Works Scotland, to consider how Scotland could learn about participatory budgeting and public sector reform.

Two years on, she was invited to participate in an international round table discussion at the Third National Meeting of Participatory Budgeting, hosted by the City of Montreuil on 8/9 November 2018, again in Paris. Here she shares the experience.


18 July 2018

Community social enterprises: innovators in public service reform?

Building from the recently published research report on community anchor organisations, What Works Scotland is exploring further the crucial relationship between the community sector on the one hand, and public services partnerships and public service reform on the other. 

Here Aidan Pia, Director of Senscot (Social Entrepreneurs Network Scotland), considers the potential of community social enterprise to innovate, lead and contribute in complex ways to the Christie Commission agenda of partnership, participation and prevention.

Exploring community anchors, public service reform... and the wider local community sector

What Works Scotland has recently published a research report and policy and practice briefing about community anchor organisations and public service reform. But what happen next? 

In this blog post research associate James Henderson introduces some of the key learning from the research and highlights the ongoing discussion of the developing role of the community sector across society in Scotland. 

18 June 2018

Third sector leadership – the promise of collective accounts of leadership

James Rees, Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Vita Terry 
James Rees, Carol Jacklin-Jarvis and Vita Terry from the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership have provided this guest blog. 

They examine the challenges and opportunities offered by adopting collective leadership practices in third and voluntary sector organisations.

24 May 2018

Knowing how: Putting research into practice

cardboard figures piece together a jigsaw What Works Scotland and community planning partners in Fife have worked together on collaborative action research projects for the past three years.

Here, Coryn Barclay, Research Consultant at Fife Council, blogs about how research is the 'secret weapon in public service reform'.

9 April 2018

Changing alcohol culture: developing our LOIP priority and what we’ve learnt about partnership working


Changing Aberdeenshire’s relationship with alcohol is a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) priority for Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership. 
Head and shoulders photo of Wayne Gault

In this blog post, Wayne Gault, Lead Officer with the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, reflects on how the Partnership approached the priority, what they have learnt from the experience, and what it means for practice.

29 March 2018

Mapping the frontiers of collaborative governance

James Henderson and Nick Bland from What Works Scotland worked with Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership and partners from spring 2015 until early 2017 to develop action research projects and activities, with 2017 providing opportunities for further reflective work within the CPP. 

Here, James discusses the latest (but not the final) report generated by this work together, and which explores emerging multi-layered preventative partnership working, as per the Christie Commission agenda.

1 February 2018