Press Story

The report draws on new poll data and in-depth deliberative research, gathering evidence in two very different towns - Reading and Darlington - through discussions with both frontline professionals and service users on the handing over of the design and delivery of public services to ordinary citizens. The research focused on three service areas: education, public safety and social care. Within these areas, the research showed a real willingness to do more, for example:

42 per cent of people were willing to attend a regular meeting with their neighbourhood police team and 18 per cent would be willing to volunteer at a police station
20 per cent of people would be willing to make a regular commitment to mentor a child struggling through the education system and 18 per cent would be willing to become a school governor
46 per cent said they were willing to keep an eye on an elderly neighbour and 33 per cent of people said they would regularly drive an elderly person to the shops.

Commenting on the findings, Dan Burke, director, PwC said:

'There is public appetite for citizens to get much more involved in both the design and delivery of public services within their communities and we have found some great examples of community action that are already improving local outcomes such as the 300-strong network of 'street champions' in Darlington who help the council keep their streets clean.
'However, there are still some strong barriers that affect the demand for greater participation from citizens themselves such as a lack of confidence, time and skills. There are also barriers that result from the way the state is organised and operates public services - for example, rules, professional attitudes and red tape.'

Nick Pearce, ippr Director, said:

'The Big Society idea has been mocked in some quarters, but this research shows the public is keen to get more involved in public services. But its is a mistake as well to think that if only 'big government' gets out of the way, the 'big society' will flourish. In our research we found that very often people wanted more not less help from public agencies in order to give them the skills and confidence to be more active citizens. It's also true that the public have a clear idea that the state is primarily responsible for delivering services. People want to get involved so that they can improve those services, not take over the running of them. For instance, just two per cent of respondents said they'd be willing to set up their own school.'

The research also shows that the barriers to entry can vary across the different sectors. Social care is already undertaken at a high level by family members and friends, but time seems to be a key barrier to volunteers in this area. In education, potential participants expressed frustration at the levels of red-tape that need to be navigated in order to help out and a lack of co-ordinated communication by the professional bodies currently providing these services. Public safety volunteers are perhaps unsurprisingly held back by a simple fear for their own well-being, as well as a fear of opening themselves up to potential litigation should they become involved in preventing a crime from taking place.

In addressing these barriers, the report suggests solutions including incentives such as credits and awards for time spent helping others, introducing time banking (a system whereby citizens are awarded credits that they can exchange elsewhere for the time they spend helping in the community), training champions, and insurance schemes.

Alongside the barriers put up by the citizens themselves, it is clear there needs to be a major shift in the state's role and purpose at all levels. National and local government need to see one of their main tasks as placing people and communities in the driving seat.

There also needs to be a culture change among some professionals. Many of the professionals spoken to were sceptical about handing responsibility over to citizens. Sometimes due to concerns about falling standards if 'amateurs' were to take over, but often because they simply saw certain tasks as being part of their professional territory.

Dan Burke, PwC concluded:

'The shift to citizen-powered public services will not happen on its own. Government needs to enable people and communities so they can help themselves. Government has only just started to tackle the barriers that prevent citizens taking greater power over, and responsibility for, public services. It has an important role to play in supporting people at the start of a journey aimed at changing and renewing the contract between citizens and the state.'

Notes to editors

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Contact

Rick Muir, ippr: 07875 546 155 / r.muir@ippr.org