Evidence suggests social action is changing lives. We don’t think this is a periphery activity, we think it’s at the heart of public service reform helping to improve outcomes and save money.

But what would public services look like if they were able to mobilise the latent talents and energy of the local community to solve problems? And what needs to happen to make the most of social action in the future?

The day included panel and plenary sessions in the main hall, a ‘meet the innovator’ showcase and 8 interactive workshops featuring entrepreneurs, national and international speakers:

• Commissioning social action in practice: overcoming the risks and challenge
• The most promising models for scaling social action
• Why peer support is the future of healthcare
• Transforming tutoring: how social action is helping children excel
• Pathways from volunteering to work: what’s really working?
• Evidencing the impact volunteers make on outcomes
• A service year – the new gap year or retirement plan?
• New models of community action

The event attracted a mixture of policy makers, public service managers, commissioners and innovators in charities and social enterprises.

View the speaker presentations

Anne-Marie Hamilton

Vicki Sellick

Bobby Duffy

Workshop 1: The most promising models for scaling social action

Workshop 2: Commissioning social action in practice

Workshop 3: New approaches to volunteering and employment

Workshop 4: Power in the Community - transformative models of community action

Workshop 5: Patient Power - learning about Peer-to-Peer healthcare

Workshop 6: Evidencing the impact of social action - making evidence practical

Workshop 7: Transforming tutoring and mentoring - how social action is helping children