30 September 2024 - Place Based Design - learning from local insight

Executive Summary 

The idea of Place Based Design is applying the concept and values of Organisation Design to a place. Organisation Design is the process of identifying how specific desired outcomes can be achieved, and who and what is needed to do so.

Onepeterfour, an Organisation Development & Design practice, sponsored the OD award at Liverpool Hope Business School Insight into Business Awards in May 2024, the prize being to work on this research project in partnership with the Brett Institute. We were both delighted to be nominated and awarded this opportunity.

The Brett Institute is a research hub at the University of Liverpool Management School. It focuses on entrepreneurship research, theory, policy, and practice centred around three main pillars: research, education and impact.

In July 2024 Richard Leighton, the Brett Institute, invited Onepeterfour to a Local Entrepreneurs Challenge Event at Kings Leadership Academy Hawthorns, with the following challenge for the students,

If you could do one thing to improve the lives of young people in Bootle, what would it be?

The students pitched their ideas, benefits and challenges.

During our research we accessed the findings of Hilary Cottam in her book, Radical Help, How we can remake the relationships between us, and revolutionise the welfare state.

We noted the close alignment of the six principles described in her book, to what we were discovering,

We identified three key findings.

1.Idea generation

2. Political disconnection

3. Permission based culture

Recommendations

Our research experience led us to complete agreement with Hilary Cottam,

“these challenges require a broader range of skills including the ability to collaborate, create and think laterally. A different model is required.”

This work requires courageous leadership and many ordinary conversations.

We know what to do, don't let's wait for permission from someone else.

James Newell & Siobhan Nicholson. Liverpool Hope Business School,

October 2024

Background

Place Based Design

The idea of Place Based Design is applying the concept and values of Organisation Design to a place. Organisation Design is the process of identifying how specific desired outcomes can be achieved, and who and what is needed to do so. There are three key foundations recognised for Organisation Design:

• Intentional - a specific purpose kept in mind.
• Intelligent - using available knowledge, data and sources.
• Inclusive - a focus on gaining all perspectives and building relationships.

The engagement of all public services in a place is important so no areas are left behind in achieving desired social outcomes. Previous research conducted by Onepeterfour identified using this “whole system approach” to deliver outcomes efficiently and effectively. Copies of the two earlier research findings, (Haycox and Athena) are available on request, https://www.1peter4.co.uk/contact.

The vision of Place is applied on a local and national level. The Liverpool City Region Corporate Plan for 2024-2028 outlines their plans for economic growth through improvement, innovation and investment (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, n.d.). The plan includes five priority areas:

1. growing the Liverpool City Region’s economy,
2. a focus on people,
3. a place-based approach to face challenges such as access to quality housing,
4. increasing the transport connections across the region and
5. a focus on digital infrastructure (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, n.d.).

Our research

Onepeterfour, an Organisation Development & Design practice, sponsored the OD award at Liverpool Hope Business School Insight into Business Awards in May 2024, the prize being to work on this research project in partnership with the Brett Institute We were both delighted to be nominated and awarded this opportunity.

The Brett Institute

The Brett Institute, led by Professor Robert Blackburn, is a research hub at the University of Liverpool Management School. It focuses on entrepreneurship research, theory, policy, and practice. The centre directly works with academics, policymakers, and practitioners.

With this they aim to boost entrepreneurial culture in the Liverpool City Region and beyond. To support their mission activities are centred around three main pillars: research, education and impact.

The Invitation

In July 2024 Richard Leighton, the Brett Institute, invited Onepeterfour to a Local Entrepreneurs Challenge Event at King’s Leadership Academy Hawthorns.

The students from Year 8 (12-13 years of age) were to be given a local challenge, being able to work on it collectively in a group to create a solution.

The challenge we provided was,

If you could do one thing to improve the lives of your people in Bootle, what would it be?

How would you make it happen?

Each team of students were given 30 minutes to work on the question and then deliver a 5-minute pitch of their ideas.

The Idea

The winning pitch was built on the idea of joining up and co-ordinating the different youth services in the area to provide students with a directory of what was available, when and where. This would act as a signpost of the options for young people and help organisers co-ordinate their offer.

The Benefits

The students identified the following benefits:

1. Healthier people - The ideas having a focus on ways to improve physical and mental health was a priority for the students.

2. Keep students safe from harmful products.

3. Meet people and improve mental wellbeing.

The Challenges

We then asked the students how they would make it happen and noted the challenges they encountered.

1. Cost - The students thought that the ideas could be costly to implement. This is something that the students thought could ‘get in the way’ of their plans.

2. Don’t know who to go to - a lack of knowledge within the group about how to express their ideas to improve their local area and who to approach with their ideas. The students knew that they would have to approach the “government” but generally were unsure about which department to approach specifically and what this process could look like. The students did not know who their local MP was and the roles that they have.

3. Finding people who would be able and willing to work on their plans.The students thought that finding people to work on their plans would be a challenge. They recognised that their ideas would require volunteers or workers to organise and co-ordinate these activities.

4. Accessibility - The location and accessibility of the plans were common issues raised by the students. The students wanted the facilities to be in easily accessible locations, for example, being located close to where they go to school, which would open the opportunity for more people to get involved in the local community.

Further Research – Radical Help

During our research we accessed the findings of Hilary Cottam in her book, Radical Help, How we can remake the relationships between us, and revolutionise the welfare state.

We noted the alignment of the six principles described her book, to what we were discovering,

1.Grow the good life – a guiding vision

This was introduced with our invitation to the students.

2.Develop capability – being and doing

The students have the ideas, they simply need help to make it happen, growing capability and not dependency.

3.Above all, relationships - simple human bonds between us

This was at the core of their idea, building human connections in the community.

4.Connect multiple forms of resource - what resources do we have?

It was interesting that the first challenge identified was cost. Other forms of resources are available through local partnerships.

5.Create possibility – what can we do together

The excitement of the possible was evident during the pitch from the students.

6.Open – We take care of everyone

The students and those providing services, indeed the whole community would benefit.

Findings

We have identified three key findings.

1.Idea generation

There is no shortage of enthusiasm and ideas within the community to address local issues.

2. Political disconnection

Students are not connected with the institution of local government, nor do they know how to connect.

3. Permission based culture

There is the assumption that to make any changes locally, permission is required from the institution.

Recommendations

Our research experience led us to complete agreement with Hilary Cottam that:

“these challenges require a broader range of skills including the ability to collaborate create and think laterally. A different model is required.”

Each of the experiments within her book started with an invitation: would you like to work with us, would you like to try another way?

There are several things we can do now.

1. Identify existing initiatives and experiments that are true to the principles described.
2. Continue to grow our practise and practitioners.
3. Prioritise funding for those models that are being run according to the core principles of Radical Help. Politicians must lead this change, and State must take a role in funding new practise and setting the frameworks.

This work requires courageous leadership and many ordinary conversations.

Devolution of power to local regions and communities could create the possibility for new models. Here is an invitation to join in this tradition of help that is rooted in our history and our modern-day experience. We know what to do, don't let's wait for permission from someone else.

https://www.hilarycottam.com/radical-help/

James Newell & Siobhan Nicholson. Liverpool Hope Business School,

October 2024

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Liverpool Hope Business School for allowing us to have this opportunity, especially Lyndsey Burket for making the Business Awards happen.

Thank you to Peter Lawrence, Director at Onepeterfour for inviting us to contribute to his research and guiding us through it.

We would also like to thank King's Leadership Academy Hawthorns and their students for cooperating with our research

Finally, a special thanks to Richard Leighton at the Brett Institute for creating this amazing opportunity.

References

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (n.d.) Corporate Plan [online]. Available at: <https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/corporate-plan> [accessed 20 August 2024].

Liverpool.ac.uk. (2021). Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship - Management School - University of Liverpool. [online] Available at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/management/research/centres/brett-entrepreneurship/ [Accessed 16 Sep. 2024].

Hilary Cottam, Radical Help, How we can remake the relationships between us, and revolutionise the welfare state. https://www.hilarycottam.com/radical-help/