The high walls, clanging bars, key chains, security tags, air locked doors, rows of barbed wire, and yet more security checks, are not the usual start when you head out for lunch on a Tuesday. But then the Clink Prison Restaurant is far from ordinary.
Evidence-based decision making and rigorous evaluation of social policy is vital to developing radical, innovative solutions to the problems facing society today.
As cuts are made and pressure on public services mounts, it is increasingly recognised that charities, voluntary groups and enterprises will be central in creating the public services of the future.
Meaningful community participation can be a powerful way to respond to social challenges and to prompt redesign of public services. With appropriate support, communities can and want to get involved.
Cuts of an unprecedented scale require radical new thinking of the resources available.
Following last week’s Spending Review, it’s likely you will feel under pressure to cut new approaches or those that at first glance appear marginal and low impact. But it is these approaches that will save money and alleviate pressure on public services in the future.
At Nesta we want to take the 'open data' campaign a step further. We are now calling for the creation of a 'Red Book for Evidence'. This would reveal the evidence that's behind policy decisions across social care, education, health, and beyond.
With Global Entrepreneurship week 2012 coming up soon, we wanted to share our informative video for the Creative Enterprise Toolkit which features three creative entrepreneurs who have used Nesta’s Creative Enterprise Toolkit to help plan, build, shape, test, launch and communicate their new creative business.
I have been the Scotland Programme’s Design Intern here at Nesta for a few months now, so I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect on life before Nesta and my experiences in working with the team in Scotland.
I believe we have not yet understood the potential for sharing and so I'm really pleased to be able to contribute to this thread and help hold some of the collaborative consumption strings together. It is a showcase and stimulator for what's happening and, just as importantly, a signpost for where we could go from here.
![Twitter icon [original]](http://admin.nesta.org.uk/library/images/Twitter-button_34x35.jpg "Twitter icon [original]"){kind=small}
Follow our daily updates on Twitter @nesta_uk
![Linked in icon [original]](http://admin.nesta.org.uk/library/images/LinkedIn_button_34x35.jpg "Linked in icon [original]"){kind=small}
Take part in the discussion on our LinkedIn group
![Facebook icon [original]](http://admin.nesta.org.uk/library/images/facebook.jpg "Facebook icon [original]"){kind=small}
Share your views on our Facebook page
Sign up for our regular updates for the latest news and opportunities.
T +44 (0)20 7438 2500
F +44 (0)20 7438 2501
Nesta Operating Company, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 7706036 and charity number 1144091. Registered as a charity in Scotland number SC042833.
