By 28 Shares

Supported by Fusion 21 and Selwood Housing, ResPublica is hosting a half-day conference which will explore the challenges currently faced by social enterprises, local charities and civic organisations in bidding for public services and new opportunities for partnership between civic organisations, local authorities, private businesses and the wider community.

The event will offer a forum to discuss how the Coalition’s proposals for public service reform engender huge opportunities for the stimulation of ‘social growth’, and how we can now shape truly transformative services and deliver a more localised social economy. Whilst cost efficiency is to a certain extent necessary for the improvement of public services, it is their social value that must be recognised and appreciated within the commissioning process. Delivering additional social benefits reaches beyond narrow targets, boosting communities’ and service users’ resilience and generating associational models of support. 

The event agenda is confirmed, with two excellent sessions hosting an array of expert speakers:

13.30 - 13.45 - Conference begins and welcoming remarks

• Phillip Blond, Director, ResPublica 
• Dave Neilson, Chief Executive, Fusion 21

13.45 – 15.10 - How can ‘social value’ be effectively integrated into public service commissioning?

• Jon Trickett MP, Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
• Rebecca O'Neil, Head of Communications and Marketing, Selwood Housing
• Lord Adebowale, Chief Executive, Turning Point
• Caroline Julian, Senior Researcher and Project Manager, ResPublica (Chair)

15.10 – 15.30 - Coffee break

15.30 – 16.50 - How should we measure or demonstrate ‘social value’ at a local level?

• Chris White MP, Sponsor of the Public Services (Social Value) Bill
• Dave Neilson, Chief Executive, Fusion 21
• David Tyler, Chief Executive, Community Matters
• Sarah McCoy, Senior Researcher, SROI Network
• Jane Dudman, Editor, Guardian's Public Leaders Network (chair)

16.50 – 17.00 - Closing remarks

• Chris White MP, Sponsor of the Public Services (Social Value) Bill

17.00 - Conference ends

The event will be held on Thursday 28th June 2012. This event will emerge as an output from our Models and Partnerships for Social Prosperity workstream, one of the three core workstreams of the ResPublica Trust.

For further information or to request an invitation, please do not hesitate to contact Annalisa Plachesi, Events and Partnerships Co-Ordinator, at annalisa.plachesi@respublica.org.uk.

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