Kathryn Cook
Natalie
Megan 
Kathryn says...
I have a keen interest in developments in marketing and communicating. How will social media and other techy developments impact on this? What can the sector learn? I manage this website as well, so any thoughts you have about it - let me know!
Linked to this, I've just come across an interesting example of how digital impacts/is impacting on the process of writing books - the process used by Nina Simon to write the Participatory Museum. It began life as a closed wiki - she wrote chapters, they went through edits from other museum types. Then she turned it into an ordinary book that anyone can buy:
http://www.participatorymuseum.org/ and also as a free online document.
(This was brought to my attention by Kate Smith).
This is a guest blog post by Karen Martin, who also blogs for bookleteer. You can connect on our site with Giles Lane, director of Proboscis who developed the bookleeter app.
<>Digitisation of a product often brings about a shift from the tangible to the immaterial. For example, exchanging music used to be about swapping CDs. Now we email MP3 files. This change has implications for how these products are shared and exchanged as we no longer have to give away an item to be able to share....This is a guest blog post by Hazem Tagiuri, who also blogs for bookleteer. You can connect on our site with Giles Lane, director of Proboscis who developed the bookleeter app.
‘Zines’: will they survive the digital?
<>Recently I've been looking at ‘zines’, independent publications with small circulations, and how the way they are created and read is changing with the digital age.What happens to the hand-made aesthetic of zines when publication goes digital? And how much will this affect the...Understanding how our drivers work
I found this diagram really helpful in understanding how our drivers relate, to each other and to any given organisation.
<>Your organisation sits within an 'operating environment' where changes are occuring which can clearly and directly impact on your work (eg shifts in funding, or government policies related to your field). Outside this is the wider 'external environment', a world of trends and events in the political, economic, social and technological...And I have another little gem from Stanford Social Innovation review! It's short so I've reproduced it here in full:
I Gain and You Gain: The Emergence of “Smart Power” Strategies in the Nonprofit Sector by Jean Butzen
<><>I am often asked: Why is it important to learn how to collaborate with other nonprofits? My responses often have to do with the microeconomic changes that influence our sector, such as the pressure to raise unrestricted funding to pay for back office services. But recently I saw...I came across this presentation the other day on LinkedIn.
It was written in Autumn last year, so quite a lot has changed since then. But I thought it was a good presentation of how you can take different factors into consideration...and how you end up with strategic analysis thinking.
<>And given it was written over a year ago, it presages many of today's current concerns such as Big Society engagement and the changing relationship between consumers and the state. It also has interesting...I completely agree with your notes John. What kind of support exists in your area for this?
Hi Caro
That does sound really interesting. Maybe for those of us out there that don't use this terminology daily - could you outline what you mean by Third Age Participants? You may find the University of the Third Age have some useful information or Sandwell Third Age arts.
I look forward to reading your thoughts!
Welcome to NCVO Foresight's roundup of information and thinking on the spending review.
What might it mean for you?
This page has
- Headline details of the cuts
- Responses from the sector
- Our key drivers to help you plan strategically
- External support
Some thoughts on the spending review
This page has NCVO Sustainable Funding team's pithy analysis of what the spending review might mean for you.
I thought this was a rather readable and useful piece from my colleagues over in the Sustainable Funding team. So with their permission, I have reproduced it here.
Overview
<>The long-awaited spending review is out and at a first glance the picture looks as opaque as ever, with front-line decisions still to be announced now the top-level budgets have been allocated. We’ve taken a look at the spending review and digested the main points and suggestions for action. We’ve tried not to duplicate...This is a guest blog post by Karen Martin, who also blogs for bookleteer. You can connect on our site with Giles Lane, director of Proboscis who developed the bookleeter app.
Kathryn, manager of this website, invited me to write about the current shift in publishing from paper books to eReaders. I’m going to suggest there are three ways of interacting with books and that the shift from paper to pixels has implications for each of them.
<><>Making:What is the effect on authors, designers and...I’ve been incubating this blog post idea for a good while now, ever since hearing about land sharing. NESTAs collaborative consumption event has prompted it to finally take shape on your screens.
The “current socio-economic zeitgeist”
The key speaker at the event was Rachel Botsman who authored "What's mine is yours".
Although an early start to the day, it was a great start. Why? Not just the enthusiasm and passion of the speakers but the focus of the event.
<>Did you know 80% of what we own is...Did you know, this week (25 October - 29 October) is the first Trustee's week. Jointly launched by the Charity Commission, Getting on Board, Reach Volunteering, NCVO, Charity Trustee Networks and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (phew!) aims to get people more involved in trusteeship.
Did you know that the average age of trustees in England and Wales is 57, two thirds are aged 50 and over? What implications might the ageing population have for trusteeship then?
<>Will ...We've brought you the top lines and pointers on how to ride the wave of the comprehensive spending review.
Other support to help you through
Spending Review
20 October 2010
Among the details announced were:
<><>£470m over the next four years will go towards building the voluntary sector's capacity so that it can deliver the government's Big Society agenda. This will provide 5,000 new community organisers, and a pilot for the National...This is a great article from the folks over at Mashable HQ: Why social media is reinventing activism aka why Malcolm Gladwell is wrong. They present their case compellingly, but the most interesting parts for me were the case studies they used.
And remember, if you're interested in this, join us online on the afternoon of the 28th October to talk about the future of campaigning.
Visioning the future
Another way of getting people in a Foresight Frame of mind is to use images. Often people deal with so much text in their day to day work that pictures can be quite powerful. (and no, I won't mention that oft-used phrase about a picture being worth....)
<>With that in mind, have a look at the Metro's London Futures photo competition. Each photo up there at the moment explores the impact on the city of various scenarios. There's a tropical garden at the Hilton, and wind power ...This thread has all been about social return on investment...Whilst the debate around the best way for charities to demonstrate their impact is key, and ongoing, I also wanted to flag something up here which has a slightly different emphasis.
<>Just recently, Nottingham CVS commissioned research into the impact the voluntary and community sector has on the life of the city of Nottingham. The research has looked at some interesting ways of putting a value on the contribution of the sector,...This is part 2 of Chris Church's discussion paper (read the first half here).
Transparent and fair decision-making
The Big Society talks of
Making local decisions a normal part of everyday life, giving people more say, choice and ownership of their local facilities and services.
Some people will want this, but equally others with busy lives may simply want services that work and deliver.
<>If this programme is to deliver fairness and environmental quality, and ensure that local action plays its...This is a guest post from Chris Church, Director of Community Environment Associates (CEA) and Chair of the UK Low Carbon Communities Network.
It is the first half of his paper (reproduced here with his kind permission), so grab yourself a cuppa before you settle in to read. And then have a look at the concluding part of his paper.
Introduction
<>‘Think Global, Act Local’ has been a core tenet of much environmental thinking for four decades. With that in mind new moves to localism and more...So, lets not ignore the latest from Malcolm Gladwell, social media guru and author of The Tipping Point. Those of you with half an ear to the social media ground have probably been aware of the shockwaves he set off with his New Yorker article. The blogosphere is practically vibrating with responses, many of them twittering furiously to undermine Gladwell’s argument.
<>What provoked this? His opinion piece Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted posits that social media is not the...Hi Lesley
Thanks for this. It's a really interesting piece, sparking off thinking about how technology and work are impacting on each other.
If you have some time to listen, there's a good open data podcast from DavePress (a blog about the impact that social technology has on organisations, with a particular slant on the public sector). He interviews Tim Davies of Practical Participation about open data. It's quite long - 20 minutes - but does well in exploring how open data can link in with other buzz movements of the moment such as co-production, production of public services and community engagement.
Hi Jennie You make a really good point! I think a lot of the impetus behind Big Society equally requires people to have the will to act. As with any concept or policy, not everyone will agree. But there are things you can do!Examining the implications of all it might mean for your organisation can help people see whether there are benefits or not. Have you had a look at our localism driver? The localism agenda also has implications for public service delivery.
A quick roundup of some of the most interesting links I've followed today. Should be something in there for everyone - some equality, some finance, some big society, community responsibility and technology!
A bit of equality
<>So today is the day that the Equalities Act goes live. The Government equalities office have a handy little guide which talks about what it means for voluntary and community organisations. If you want to think a bit longer-term about it (and let’s face it, if you’re...On Monday 11 October, we're running training in Cambridge. Aimed at those who plan for the future of their organisations (CEOs and the like), Making sense of your environment will help you in these turbulent times.
10 am - 1pm, at the Eastern Leadership Centre, Pampisford.
It will help you to:
<>Thanks for this Kevin. You highlight an important point, which has been overlooked. McKinsey Quarterly have also understood the need to consider your workforce in tight financial times, with their article Retaining key employees in time of change. Their article is very much aimed at the private sector, with talk of ‘targeted retention measures’, not to mention the language used!
But this is where your piece comes in Kevin – it has tips which can be practically applied by people in the VCS.
<>The ...Recent research from Counsel and Care has revealed some potentially worrying trends. In particular, that
<>could be storing up issues for the future. The move towards a market for care, such as identified in this driver and others (see personalisation of care for example) pushes the focus onto economic issues. So for over half the population to have not given it a thought, there could be trouble ahead.What can organisations do...64% said they had not even thought about how to fund their own care
If you want to see how this trend fits into your life outside the world of work (gasp, surely that doesn't exist!), have a look at the Free Love trend briefing from Trendwatching.com
[1]If you're an infrastructure facing these issues, have you had a look at our infrastructure resource pages? We offer training - to be running in East Anglia, North West and London; a training pack and bulk copies of our future focus for free.
Have a look as well at the NCVO pages on this.
The Pathways through Participation project has flagged up on their website a bit of research from the JRF. The research looks at how residents on two traditionally white estates participate within their communities. I'd be interested in hearing how you think the findings of this report (I won't spoil it for you by telling you them!) impact on this driver, around attitudes towards community responsibility?
Hi Hugh Thanks for letting us know about this project. Have you also had a look at our participation driver and the one on community responsibility? How do you think they might play out with citizen-led online networks going on?
Useful bit from the Guardian website which looks at some of the implications for the VCS of a 30% cut in a local authority's - Rotherham's - budget. The borough council's chief executive emphasised what he sees as opportunity for the voluntary sector in the face of these cuts: the efficiency drive could be positive for charities who currently provide public services. And although this taps into the 'purpose of a charity' debate, it could be a small ray of sunshine.
<>He also mentioned that they ...Having long been an avid reader, a report on ‘the future of books’ was bound to catch my eye. As I’m sure you can guess, it talks about the emergence of ebooks and their implications for the older relative: the hardcopy book.
It’s a fascinating read, which covers six key drivers:
<>See this blog which also talks about this, by one of our members, Giles.
An interesting piece I've just come across: A short history of the social rights myth. The author talks about how the contemporary view of rights has developed. Originally 'securities against misrule' - ie a form of protection against what a state could do to a citizen, Patterson writes that 'rights' are now seen as what the government 'must do for an individual'. Would you agree?
Hi Paddy!
The only details remaining that we intended to add to this driver were under the Further Reading section. This is where we signpost to other resources and articles that continue the debate, as it were.
You'll see that I've added one about indices of deprivation, but we're always keen to use the wisdom of crowds for these! So links such as the one you point out there Paddy from Child Poverty Action Group are great.
<>To maximise the value for our website users, of for example...Hi Kevin Welcome to 3s4!
Have a look at our list of members: there may be some who work in these areas that you could collaborate with.
You may also be interested in looking at the work Voice 4 Change England did with us on trends for BME organisations: http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/categories/bme-third-sector and also work we did with Age Concern http://www.3s4.org.uk/drivers/categories/older-people
[1]:
Hi George, Thanks for your comment. It's always interesting to hear what other people think!
The futures headlines exercise is one we use to get people 'in the foresight mind'. We encourage people to think outside the box quite a lot - you only have to think 'Would someone in the 90s have been able to imagine texting?' to realise how some changes require abandoning a sense of today's restrictions. I say this so that you realise this doesn't represent Disability Lib's concrete policies!
<>Anyway,...The first Big Society Network event
Last night I was at the first Big Society Network open night. There were over 100 people crammed into a small room at CLG, from organisations such as shared intelligence, envision, networked neighbourhoods; other charities, neighbourhood associations, local government, community regeneration organisations … I could go on.
<>There was a real buzz in the room – everyone was enthusiastic about the term Big Society and what it could mean. The event broke up into...Headlines from the future is a common futures activity. It helps get you thinking about how the future might be different, and the reasons why (which then leads neatly onto what you can do about it!). It's also that perfect time to let out the tabloid journalist within us all!
<>We recently ran this exercise with our training partners. It's an exercise that we run as part of the training we offer for infrastructure organisations, so it's great if our partners have already done it and have a...In their most recent Consumer Attitudes Audit, the Future Laboratory found that a quarter of people were linking social status and environmental awareness. In other words - you gain social kudos by being green. I'd be interested to know if this is something environmental organisations are going to try and tap into.
Everyone seemed to think the recession would put ethical consumerism on the back burner, but there are signs (like this) that that isn't the case. What's your views on this?
Hi David,
Thanks for the link to your wiki. I think that's a really good way of pulling together the thinking about this, as it reflects the way the thinking is quite disparate at the mo.will be keeping an eye with interest!
Launched this week, http://www.letstalkcentral.com/ from Central Bedfordshire council is worth keeping an eye on to see how it takes off. I think it's a great initiative to engage the public, using web 2.0
How will the world of work change this year? Interesting thoughts from Tammy Erickson (Harvard Business Review) on tomorrowtoday, about how she thinks the workplace might change this year. Read about 'communities of adults', and 'competition for discretionary energy'. How do you see this playing out in your organisation?
<>Such an apocalyptic view, from the mouth of a rather respected gentleman, has set many scientists, agriculture experts and others atwitter. For me it’s been a rather worrying thought, but one that I’ve trusted ‘the experts’ to sort out. Head in the sand approach maybe, but I don’t think I’d be alone in this. Similarly, there are many who see climate change and other environmental issues as...If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left.
Foresight from the past
<>I came across this report from the Policy Studies Institute the other day, which made for a fascinating read. Written in 1991, it was an in-depth study where PSI experts devoted their efforts to suggesting what a future in 2010 was most likely to look like. They bill it as ‘painstaking research on what is happening now in the different areas of the project's field of enquiry and how that has been changing; and making <>informed judgements of the likely changes in the...Carnegie report launch
<>Making Good Society (the final report of the Carnegie Trust’s Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society) thinks about the role of civil society moving forward. They focus on four key areas that they think civil society can play a key role in developing for a ‘better’ society. Their report positions itself almost as a manifesto – their aspirations for the future. To what extent do you think civil society can take up their challenges and turn them into...At NCVO's annual conference, Foresight ran a session looking at the Future of Wellbeing.
Great session, stimulating and engaging topic, interactive session with a good balance between academic input and practitioner experience.
Speaker 1
Professor Allister McGregor (from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex) kicked off with his thoughts on 'Does Wellbeing have a future?'
Speaker 2
<>Nic Marks, founder of the centre for wellbeing at NEF. Download his presentation on the...We want the support we're offering infrastructure organisations to be as widespread as possible so we're working with a range of partners in various ways.
Training partners
These are infrastructure organisations that we work with to deliver our tailored training for those who work for infrastructure - the training for leaders 'Making sense of your environment' and the training for devleopment workers and those who support the frontline 'Understanding the external environment'.
<><>Who are we...Interested in this? Have a look at the Future of Wellbeing seminar taking place on 23 February
It’s the turn of the decade and predictions abound. The Evening Standard recently produced its version: what impact will technology be having on our lives in 2020 ? You’ll be able to control the TV with your mind, play games telepathically, and even have your fridge make your shopping list for you. Sounds like this will all make for a great weekend, but how is it also relevant for your working week?
The Power of your mind
<>How can using the power of your mind to control machines help you...There is an interesting discussion taking place on the blog for the upcoming NCVO Campaigns Conference around social media and its role in how people organise themselves. Specifically the people talking on this site are looking at it through the lens of politics and how social media can facilitate engagement with government; but I thought it was relevant to the discussion here around self-organising and how social media facilitates that.
As someone with a long interest in language and how it is used, I am often fascinated by how changes of terminology take place. Suddenly people are using a new term, sometimes to refer to a new concept or approach, but sometimes the new term simply replaces an old one. Well-being is not a new term or even a new concept, but it is certainly being used much more these days, and in different ways too.
<>I am a great believer in the idea of ‘confluence theory’, the notion that significant changes...From debates on wellbeing as a political goal, to positive psychology 'wellbeing' is being used more and more. But what does this term mean? And more importantly, perhaps, what does it mean to civil society organisations?
Many charities have wellbeing at the heart of what they do, even if they don't realise it. The sector can play a vital role in this directing this issue to shape society into a good society.
<>Join us on 23 February for the Future of Wellbeing seminar (PM4) at <>NCVO's annual..."Not all content is created equal"
<>Picking up on Barney's point about advertising, I have been reading a precis of some recent Nielsen surveying around how much people will pay for online content. I will talk about that in a sec, but an interesting side point is that a high percent would be willing to put up with more adverts in order to still get their content for free. Intriguingly, the 'western world' is the least willing to put up with this, no doubt due to our already high level of...December 2009 saw the release of the latest results from the Charity Forecast survey. One of the key points is that, not surprisingly the main confidence index has mirrored the worsening global economic situation and the confidence of the business sector and general public. The eighth survey, written by Jenny Wilton and Jenny Clark, is out now - it's free for NCVO members and can be found on the NCVO research pages.
The ageing population was a key driver mentioned several times at Intelligence Squared's event The World in 2050. Picked up by both Professor Sarah Harper and Dr Ian Goldin.
Threat of climate change highlighted by Director of Oxford University's James Martin 21st Century School
At an Intelligence Squared event recently, (which yours truly was prevented from attending by the winter lurgy) one of the key speakers, Director Ian Goldin, stated his belief
risks will continue to come from nature... The biggest threat is climate change
Find out more about the event 'The World in 2050'.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams - Eleanor Roosevelt
The Dawn of a New Age?
<>According to recent research from TrendsSpotting when we emerge, blinking, from the recession we will have become a whole new type of consumer. Their findings evidence the consumer behaviour you might expect in a downturn. What I find particularly interesting is their thesis that this behaviour will become embedded and we will continue to act like that, even if and when the economy recovers. The sceptic in me suspects it actually won't be long before the lessons...Just a quick note that our next lot of training on strategic analysis is now open for booking! Making sense of the environment: training for leaders and Understanding the external environment: supporting the frontline are being run with Voice 4 Change England, with a BME focus.
When are they? Starting in November, so book your place soon! Read more about it here and book a place here and have a look at our pages about it as well
If you want to grill Guy in person on these and other trends in the technology arena, then book a place on our seminar on 8 December. An afternoon of interaction and thinking, Changing ICT:what will it mean for your organisation?, will be a valuable chance to get to grips with this ever-changing topic.
Read more about the seminar here: (free for Foresight network members!)
What are the other implications of changing information and communications technology, of changing IT for the sector? We think it's vital that organisations put some time aside to think this through so we're holding our next (free) seminar to do just that.
<>Changing ICT and what it might mean for your organisation is an interactive session where you'll get be able to share ideas and experiences, and come away with some concrete thoughts to feed into your organisational plans.Read more about...The latest findings from the Legacy Foresight’s Legacy Monitor service have been released. This survey benchmarks 38 of the UK’s leading charities, who together account for 44% of the legacies market. Their quarterly benchmarking helps set the scene around legacies and how they are being affected by, for example the recession.
Megan reported on the last quarter, ending that Legacy Foresight expected to see legacy incomes decline by up to 10%.
<>Well we're not quite at that trough yet! Compared...If you're interested in this topic, it's worth having a look at http://www.mobilevoter.org/ which
seeks to facilitate the process of civic participation via web and mobile technologies.
You can also hear what he's got to say in a podcast on Netsquared (Sun 27 July)
Interested in knowing more about how this driver could affect your organisation? Have a look at the latest in our Future Focus series: What will the UK population be like in 5 years' time?
We want you to be able to read and use our website as easily as possible. With this in mind, we are continually improving the accessibility and usability of the website.
How do we define and measure accessibility?
We refer to the guidelines drafted by a working group at the Web Accessibility Initiative part of the international body that runs the web, the W3C.
Colours
<>Our website is currently working towards the guidelines for colour which say that the contrast ratio between "normal" foreground...Coming together
Hear from your peers who've done strategic analysis
Find out what they thought were the benefits and challenges. Get a feel for how you could do it yourself.
Richard Boyd from Disability Essex talks about the benefits of undertaking strategic analysis for his organisation. Listen here (password: foresight)
Watch the video:
<>Robert Boyd of Disability Essex, a Foresight network member, talks about how his organisation has benefited from...Interested in this topic? Have a look at our Future Focus publication What will our volunteers be like in five years' time? How might the changing faces of volunteering, and approaches to volunteering affect your workforce? The voluntary and community sector is heavily dependent on volunteers; what might any shifts in this pool of people mean?
<>Future Focus 6 on what the UK population will look like in 5 years' time also has some really relevant thoughts. Among other trends, this booklet looks ...Why bother?
It's a question which pops into all our heads at some point, in relation to a range of things! The answers above hopefully whet your appetite for strategic analysis. If you're wondering how to start, then the cunningly named 'how to' or 'start' sections of this website are useful, but if you like to get your hands on something tangible then have a look at our newly relaunched publication: Looking Out: A practical guide to planning for a changing environment
<>The focus of Looking...These are all great suggestions - thanks Rachael and Dominic. You may be aware that our 6th Future Focus has been released into the wider world. Have a look at it here. It's on demographics and developments in population. Let us know your thoughts!
Very interesting: http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/socialbrain/nudge-nudge-think-think/
Like a ship in troubled waters
<>The 5th Charity Forecast survey results have been released by NCVO. The survey is a ‘confidence/trends’ survey. This survey looks at the opinions of charity leaders - chief executives and trustees - on a variety of topics, particularly looking at finances, staffing, campaigning and other issues in their own organisations and their opinions on wider issues such as the state of the sector and its relationship with government. This particular survey was conducted...
Helping leaders in the front line to respond to the challenges of the recession
New resource for infrastructure organisations
A recession is an acid test of leadership ability. As NCVO's Ben Kernighan says, ' ... leaders have to be realists and optimists. A recession is a great test of ability to balance these skills'.
You can now have a free pack for running a workshop designed to help you support frontline organisations to respond most effectively to the recession.
<>
Email us at:...
Is new technology undermining the authorial voice and its position of authority? Is media becoming truly democratised? Let’s look at this in the light of a project which exemplifies the latest developments in technology and how works are created.
<>Jules Peck and Robert Phillips are working on what they call their online Wiki book: *Citizen Renaissance*. A great example of many of the features talked about in this driver: collaborative working, online information as well as the role of the...There is debate raging over the ‘eco-town’ concept. Matthew Taylor’s article on St Austell’s eco-town on this page is a positive view of a specific eco-town proposal. To my eyes it’s refreshing to read about what an eco-town can bring to a community.
What could they mean for the VCS? It would differ for each town but there are wide ranging opportunities for how the sector could get involved.
<>For example, with St Austell Matthew talks about ‘Literally replacing pits and waste mountains with...I’m excited to announce that we’ve been revising Looking Out. Making sure it’s as relevant as ever, we’ve also been looking at the design and layout to make it easier to use.
Have you got a copy? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the old one and then, when it’s been released, the new one!
If you want to get a copy of this new edition on the day it’s released, you can enter a prize draw to win a copy if you book a place at our conference: www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/exchange2009
Scenarios are one aspect of ‘future-proofing’ your organisation. We’ve got a key expert in this at our annual conference – Richard Walsh comes from SAMI Consulting, whose lifeblood is helping organisations understand the barriers to developing future thinking and exploring how to overcome these.
Book a place at our conference for a chance to speak to Richard (among many other experts!): www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/exchange2009
Strong words Carolyn! Do you think this means that we may see people coming back to work who thought they’d retired? Or working for longer before they retire?
On another topic… I read with interest about The Spirit Level, published last month. In it, the authors argue that it’s not just the poor that suffer from inequality but also the rich. They analyse data to demonstrate that inequality negatively affects rich and poor alike – it is an issue that cuts across income to affect all.
<>I think we ...In my experience, caring for someone with dementia is a full time job. I think however flexible an employer is, it is hard for an individual to carry out any level of care for someone with dementia and have a job.
Perhaps an effective way of dealing with this is sabbaticals?
Interested in seeing one of their videos – to decide for yourself? See it on youtube
If you look past some of the more reactionary and inflammatory comments (that you nearly always find in online comments!), there is an interesting dichotomy of viewpoints presented by Leo Hickman (a Guardian journalist/editor) and Peter Melchett (policy director of the Soil Association) on whether or not society is getting engaged with the environmental agenda and what can be done going forward.
(keep an eye out for yours truly on there as well!)
This article is quite long, and focussed on US brands, but raises some interesting points about how companies are using twitter, the benefits and the challenges as well!
External environment training
Infrastructure resource bank
This is a one-stop-shop for you to access documents and tools that support the training we are running. You can download the documents and use them with the organisations that you support, to better develop their understanding of the external environment.
Making sense of your environment: training for leaders
<>Counter-terrorism and civil society
Book now to reserve your place!
Date: 6 March 2009, 12.00 to 2.15 (lunch will be available from 12.00 to 12.30)
Venue: NCVO, London
What are the implications of the 'War on Terror' for civil society? The counter-terrorism measures introduced in many countries can be seen to skate close to civil liberty infringement. How might these pan out in the future?
The changing economic landscape
14 March 2005
This seminar looked at the impact of economic trends on citizens, consumers and VCOs and discussed the outlook for the public finances after the 2005 election
Changing regulation and perceptions of risk
29 September 2005
This seminar looked at how the avoidance of blame shapes regulation and risk management and VCS attitudes and experiences of regulation.
Strategy renewal during periods of growth
17 October 2005 - with the Performance Hub
This strategy seminar discussed strategy renewal or the evolution of an organisation during periods or growth.
The implications of local government reform for the VCS
6 September 2006
This seminar explored the implications of local government reform for the voluntary sector.
Compete or collaborate? A strategic choice
16 October 2006 - with the Performance Hub
This seminar explored how VCOs make strategic decisions about their relationships. It also looked at the ethics and perceptions of competition and collaboration in the VCS.
Picture this: Foresight and scenario planning in practice
23 January 2007 - with the Performance Hub
This seminar explored the challenges and benefits of scenario planning and other future visioning exercises in practice.
From scanning to planning
21 February 2007 - at the NCVO Annual conference
This session explored the skills and processes involved in scanning the external environment, analysing the impact of external trends and constructing future scenarios.
Futures for civil society: ideas, implications and action
17 July 2007 - Third Sector Foresight annual conference
This event discussed possible futures for civil society and identified actions we can take to diminish possible future threats and take advantage of emerging opportunities.
The impact of new technologies on the VCS
15 November 2007
This seminar featured a series of short presentations from a panel of ‘experts’ followed by delegate discussion on the implications of new technologies in key areas for VCOs such as: fundraising; membership; campaigning; and public service delivery.
The future of citizenship
17 January 2008
The seminar explored how notions and definitions of citizenship might change in the future. A presentation by the Henley Centre Headlight Vision based on a report produced for the DCA on the future of citizenship in 2026 provided the background to the seminar. The report also contains four potential scenarios for how notions of citizenship in the UK might change in 2026; these were the subject of our discussion.
<>The impact of an economic slowdown on the VCS
22 July 2008
<>With the credit crunch the topic on the edge of everyone’s lips, we decided that the next in our series of Foresight seminars would look at the impact of an economic slowdown on the VCS. The seminar aimed to help VCOs explore some of the challenges that this would present for their organisation, as well as the opportunities (yes there are some!). The emphasis of the seminar was on preparing for changes ahead through better, more...To drift or set anchor? Long term strategies to steer you through the funding environment
6 July 2006 - with the Performance Hub
This seminar explored how voluntary and community organisations can be strategic in spite of a challenging funding environment.
The implications of the Pensions Commission report for the voluntary and community sector
27 January 2006
This event looked at the demographic challenge facing the UK, the recommendations of the Pensions Commission and the implications of pensions' reform for VCOs.
Blended value and social investment - new approaches to VCS funding
3 April 2006
This event explored the blended value proposition – the idea that all organisations produce a blend of economic, social and environmental value, in relation to VCOs and social investment.
Whose strategy is it anyway? The costs and benefits of involving stakeholders
15 May 2006 - with the Performance Hub
This seminar debated the value, benefits, costs and risks of involving stakeholders in developing strategy.
What's the future for the VCS with the cloud of climate change looming? Are there opportunities as well as threats?
On 5 March 2009, Stephen Hale, Director of Green Alliance 
and Dr Nicholas Watts from London Metropolitan University 
led an interesting debate on what climate change means and how this may impact on the voluntary and community sector (VCS).
<>There were delegates from an interesting mixture of organisations, not just environmental organisations, from London Funders to Bassac. If...Alive and Kicking: creating successful strategies
11 December 2008
I hadn't been to one of these conferences before but will definitely come again.
If you're responsible for stategic decisions within your organisation, this event was for you! An inspiring, hands-on day, it gave the range of delegates the opportunity to get their organisations fit for the future, arm themselves with tips and planning tools and discover new ideas to revitalise their strategy.
<>A special Foresight member benefit was ...Climate change is a complex issue which can seem overwhelming and possibly irrelevant to voluntary and community sector organisations. However it does have implications that could affect your organisation.
Have you thought about how it may impact on your organisation or those who use your services?
<><>Climate change will shift global population movements. Increasing numbers of ‘environmental refugees’ could change the demographics in communities as well as lead to greater demand on services....“The millennials, along with everything else happening around them, represent a seismic shift in values and behaviour that is less about a narrowly defined demographic and more to do with abolishing the notion of the traditional consumer. They are creating a new kind of economic force.” I like this idea of an ‘economic force’: something positive to ...
That we have entered a UK recession is a certainty, but that doesn’t make it easy to plan for because there remains a great deal of uncertainty about the shape that the downturn will take, as explored in this article in the McKinsey Quarterly (free registration required).
<><>Uncertainty surrounds not only the downturn’s depth and duration—though these are decidedly big unknowns—but also the very future of a global economic order until recently characterized by free-flowing capital and trade and...The Pre-Budget report published by the Treasury last Monday outlines a number of changes to try and kick-start the economy, and provide a buffer from further misfortune. You can read various reations to the pre-budget report here:
How small businesses have benefitted
What the Pre-Budget means for your region
<>And a bit of a green tint on it: policy think tank Green Alliance’s response has some interesting comments on the...Each month for our bulletin we ask a member for their insight into challenges and opportunities facing the VCS (voluntary and community sector).
As a Christmas treat, we thought we'd turn the tables a bit this month and give you insights into us!
<>Unless you've come on training or events we've organised, chances are you won't have met any of the Foresight team. For the last month or so we've had a member of another organisation sitting with us as part of our work with subsectoral organisations. ...Here’s a tip about some more support for you…
If you’ve been on our training that we’ve been running in Yorkshire and the Humber then you will already know about this site. And you’ll know that if you do come on the training we offer, you get access to your own special section of the website for even more tailored and interactive support!
Richard, we’ve started putting our thoughts together on this in our driver on the ‘Changing nature of community leadership’ – have you had a look at that? You can add your comments or findings on this to the driver.
One is that Rhoda’s comment brings up that age-old debate over whether centralisation of services is a good thing. In any sphere, pooling resources and knowledge can strengthen the services provided and widen the reach and efficacy of the both the services and the providers. But, it reduces competition, and it reduces choice. In a worst-case scenario this has the obvious and undesirable effect of reducing the quality of service provided.
It places the power ...
The Pre-Budget report published by the Treasury yesterday outlines a number of changes to try and kick-start the economy, and provide a buffer from further misfortune. To find out more about these and how they might impact on the economy and on your organisation, have a look at the following links:
<>And a bit of a green tint on it: policy think tank...NCVO / Carnegie UK Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society
‘Bridging’ Social Capital Free Seminar Series
Intergenerational connections
Date: 20 October 2008
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Venue: NCVO, London
Strategic planning tips competition
This website is all about sharing ideas and knowledge – adding your comments and thoughts on all elements of strategic analysis. Now you’ve got the chance to do this and win a prize!
Do you have a top tip for strategic analysis? Share it with us and win a free second place at the Alive and Kicking conference!
<>Book your own place before Friday 10 October and email foresight@ncvo-vol.org.uk your top strategic planning tip along with your booking form or a copy...See what charity leaders think about the economic climate (among other issues). NCVO’s third Charity Forecast report will be launched on 6th October. It is based on a survey of over 200 charity leaders – Chief Executives and Trustees – and shows their plans and confidence for the next 12 months.
(The report costs £100 (£25 for NCVO members) and you can also buy a subscription to four issues of the report for £200, or £50 for NCVO members).
Date: Tuesday 18 November 2008
Time: 2:00 – 5:00pm
Venue: Room 1, NCVO, Regent’s Wharf, 8 All Saint’s Street, London, N1 9RL
NCVO’s Conference Suite is fully wheelchair accessible. Teas and coffees on arrival
Date: 29 September 2008
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 pm
Venue: NCVO, London
Véronique has added details of the third seminar in the 'Bridging Social Capital' series to our driver on multiculturalism and social cohesion policies. To get a feel for this series and the engaging discussions that have taken place at the events, have a look at the report for the first seminar on building bridges.
<>Run by NCVO and the Carnegie UK Trust Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK & Ireland, the free seminar...Date: 9 October 2008
Time: 12:00 - 2:15pm
Venue: NCVO, London
Véronique has added details to our driver on public participation in decision making about a forthcoming event on this issue. The lunchtime seminar is the second in a series organised by NCVO and the ESRC NGPA programme to stimulate discussion and debate, drawing together knowledge and promote learning on civil society.
<>This seminar is looking at shifts in governance and how voluntary and community organisations and other civil...Want your organisation to stay ahead of the game?
Need help to work out what you want to do?
Come to our conference!
Alive and Kicking: Creating successful strategies
Date: 11 December 2008, 10:00 - 17:00
This conference will help you lead your organisation confidently into the future, more on-mission and proactive.
<>If you’re responsible for strategic decisions within your organisation, sign up for our conference to spend an inspiring, hands-on day. You’ll have the opportunity to get fit for the...Our NCVO Third Sector Foresight seminar on 18 November will be looking at one aspect of this – the workforce. Speakers including Jo Causon (director of marketing and corporate affairs at the Chartered Management Institute) and Richard Worsley (co-director of the Tomorrow Project) will be putting forward their thoughts about elements of age and workforce, the implications of different generations and what they bring to the world of work.
<>The interaction between technology and work is another...Intergenerational attitudes are changing. Older generations see some young people as a threat to their safety. This is driven by anti-social behaviour (tolerance of which is in decline), negative press coverage of young people and public behaviour, usually in groups, which looks intimidating.
<>On the flip side, youth attitudes to older generations may also be hardening. The ageing population means that a larger share of national income will be required to pay for pensions and healthcare,...Second part of two training sessions for chief executive officers and chairs of infrastructure organisations. Run by NCVO Third Sector Foresight as part of Capacitybuilders Improving Support programme with partners the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Cass Business School and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Forum.
Date: 30 October 2008
Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue: Danum Hotel,Doncaster High Street
Bogged down in day to day problems with no time to look ahead?
<>Need help working out what's...First part of two training sessions for chief executive officers and chairs of infrastructure organisations.
Run by NCVO Third Sector Foresight as part of Capacitybuilders Improving Support programme with partners the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Cass Business School and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Forum.
Date: Wednesday 8 October 2008
Time: 8.00am-10.00am
Venue: Danum Hotel,Doncaster High Street
Bogged down in day to day problems with no time to look ahead?
<>Need help working out...Local services to the public in the 21st century
The LGA and the Government Horizon Scanning Centre have started a wiki inviting contributions on how local services can meet the needs of the public in the 21st century. Keep an eye on this as it promises to be a rich resource, pulling together knowledge and ideas from those involved in both futures work and local and public services.
<>Their hopes for this website may well look familiar with those of you who use the NCVO Third Sector Foresight...CES National performance programme strategic planning courses
6/7 October Birmingham
6/7 November York
25/26 November Cambridge
<>For an organisation an important element of analysing and being fit for the future is strategic planning. It is the 'now what' step of responding to environmental change. The Charities Evaluation Service are running courses on strategic planning, for development workers in infrastructure organisations. Read the thoughts of one of our Foresight Officers, Caroline, who...Achieving together
Date: 22 October 2008, 10:00 - 16:00
Venue: Hamilton House, London
<>This conference looks at the strengths of collaborative working as well as what this means in reality. How can your organisation work effectively with others? Speakers such as Dr Siv Vangen, Senior Lecturer in Management from the Open University could shed light on this issue for you. Of particular interest for Foresight network members may be the session on Web 2.0 technologies as tools to build...An independent and thriving voluntary and community sector
Date: 7 November 2008, 10:15 - 18:30
Venue: Midland Hotel, Manchester
This is the first national NCVO/GMCVO Autumn Conference and it will be a celebration of the strengths and roles of the Voluntary and Community Sector in society. It offers a wide range of interesting workshops where you will be able to contribute your views, hear from others and network as well as the chance to hear sector experts speak.
A taster of the workshops:
<><><>On...Date: Monday 6 October 2008
Time: 09.30 to 17.00
Venue:The Brewery London
Date: 9-10 September 2008
Venue: University of Warwick
This conference runs over two-days providing academics, researchers and practitioners within voluntary and community organisations with a unique opportunity to share and discuss ideas. The conference will include thought-provoking plenary lectures and a wide-ranging set of parallel sessions to allow maximum opportunity for debate and learning.
This year’s conference will be exploring a wide range of topics such as:
<><>the voluntary sector’s..."Congratulations on your excellent publication ‘Future Focus 1’, which communicated a potentially complex subject with impressive clarity."
Future Focus is a series of introductory pocket guides to help organisations understand important trends that may impact on them in the future.
They are aimed at small and medium sized VCOs, but should provide a useful analysis for all VCOs interested in their external environment.
There are eight guides within this series:
<>NCVO Third Sector Foresight produces a range of free and paid for resources which analyse the drivers (trends and forces) shaping the future of the VCS and help VCOs to develop effective strategies in response.
Latest publications
Voluntary Sector Strategic Analysis 09/10
For all resources around specific themes visit:
<>"It's good to see technology foresight starting from social benefits rather than latest tools"
How can your organisation take advantage of the strategic opportunities that ICT presents? How will it face the challenges? Our ICT Foresight reports help you answer these questions.
Come to our seminar on changing ICT and what it means for the sector and get the chance to hear some experts speak, share your thoughts, and ask questions!
Public Services
Published: April 2008.
<>
This report looks at...
We have published a series of three practical guides. They include case studies, tips and templates for strategic planners.
You can find step-by-step support on our website, too, in the "How To" section
Tools for Tomorrow: a practical guide to strategic planning for voluntary organisations
Published: July 2004. Revised December 2008
<>
Strategic planning and marketing have become more and more important in helping voluntary organisations fulfil their...
This driver has been archived
ICT usage generates, aggregates and stores data. Consequently many personal and non-personal aspects of our day to day activities are stored as data by organisations and the government. The amount of information that others hold on us is growing, and many are concerned about what they see as a dangerous lack of awareness or concern about this amongst the general public.
<>Organisations now have the technical ability to create in-depth individual profiles based on online behavior and the data...