A new civil society group aiming to “bring expert insight into the heart of government” has launched.
Today, the Future Governance Forum (FGF), a think tank, unveiled the Social Insights Panel, a group of civil society leaders led by Shelter’s former chief executive Polly Neate.
The group will work with the Cabinet Office to influence its Test, Learn and Grow programme, a £100m initiative aiming to bring the centre of government out of Whitehall and into communities.
Neate, who was appointed as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords this month, previously described the Social Insights Panel as a “new way for civil society organisations to work with the government, testing out the Civil Society Covenant in practice”.
She said: “There’s huge potential for the Civil Society Covenant and the Test, Learn and Grow programme to harness the very best of civil society.
“FGF’s Social Insights Panel will help ensure that happens.”
Enhancing government decision-making
The Social Insights Panel brings together voices from the civil society sector, including Mike Adamson, former chief executive of the British Red Cross and recently appointed interim CEO of the City & Guilds Foundation.
FGF said the panel’s members “will use their expertise and experience of complex challenges facing individuals, families and communities to enhance government decision-making”.
In its launch phase, the panel will feed insights from civil society into the Test, Learn and Grow programme, focusing on prevention and three themes (violence against women and girls, transitions to adulthood and integrated family support).
Commenting on its launch, Neate said: “To reform public services or set policy direction on some of our most intractable societal challenges without the wisdom of civil society would be a dangerous error.
“Civil society leaders nationally and in communities hold a wealth of knowledge and experience about why these challenges arise and how to address them.
“But often their views aren’t sought outside of the silos of government departmental priorities.”
Neate added that the panel “will create a space where that knowledge can be brought into government decision-making at an early stage, so cross-cutting policy is shaped by lived experience, best practice and systemic understanding”.
The key role of philanthropy
Anand Shukla, CEO of the Henry Smith Foundation and member of the Social Insights Panel, said: “We believe lasting social impact comes from funding and creating space for meaningful collaboration.
“That’s why the Henry Smith Foundation is pleased to support the Social Insights Panel, which will connect civil society expertise directly with government.
“Philanthropy has a key role in enabling this kind of structured partnership between civil society, government and other key decision-makers, and I look forward to seeing the panel bring the knowledge and expertise of civil society into the heart of government policymaking.”
Adamson said: “The UK’s civil society sectors have long been at the forefront of innovation and systems change.
“The Social Insights Panel is a chance to make sure that innovation informs national policy.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson told Civil Society: “We’re committed to reforming the state to deliver for working people. We work with a range of stakeholders across civil society to inform our approach.”
Other members of the panel include RECLAIM founder Ruth Ibegbuna, RIVA director Becky Rogerson, Better Way Network co-founder Caroline Slocock, former Catch22 CEO Chris Wright and Two Magpies Fund CEO Kirsten Westlake.
