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Annual Review 2008
- Our 2008 Annual Review is now available. It illustrates the policy areas and sectors in which we are involved, sets out some examples of how we work with clients and communities, and describes our activities to promote debate about current ideas and latest practices.
Public service futures report – Volumes 1 & 2 now available
- The first volume of the report from our Public Service Futures programme brings together leading-edge thinking about the principles, models and issues relevant to future public service provision.
The second volume brings together the views of opinion formers from a wide range of backgrounds to consider the future of communities. - Volume 1 – Future of Service Provision [PDF 1.3MB]
- Volume 2 – Community Futures [PDF 1.6MB]
- Read a short article about the conference
- Read more about the project
Reducing our carbon footprint
- Since 2006, Carbon Smart has been assessing and validating OPM’s carbon footprint annually. In 2008, we exceeded expectations by reducing our total energy spend by 30% and our carbon footprint by over 25%. Read Carbon Smart's assessment on their website www.carbonsmart.co.uk.
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OPM provides innovative services in consultancy, people development, research and specialist support. Our own public interest activities keep us at the leading edge of research and analysis.
Challenges for Local Area Agreements and Local Strategic Partnerships
Research has concluded that LAAs have made partnership working more focused and embedded. But what still needs to be done? Gillian Gillanders looks at the impact of Local Area Agreements.
Young Muslim Advisors
The Young Muslims Advisory Group – supported by OPM – will enable the government to engage with young Muslim people. At our residential action-planning event, one OPM researcher asked YMAG member Ali-Abbas Khimji about his hopes for the group.
Motivation and professionalism in public services
by Sarah McDonnell
With politicians facing calls to put more trust in doctors and teachers, the question of what motivates public servants has never been more important. Sarah McDonnell examines public service ethos in light of discussions at an OPM public interest seminar.
Doing it virtually: Web 2.0 and involving service users in research
Web 2.0 is focused on creating user generated content. Chloe Cook looks at it as a platform for enabling service user and community participation and involvement.
The creative quest – more, different and better
In the current public service environment, creative approaches are essential to organisational success. Richard Field looks at how to use creative techniques effectively.
Challenges for public service delivery in rural England
For people who are disabled or amongst the growing ageing population, accessing services can mean relying on the goodwill and time of friends or neighbours. Diane Beddoes describes OPM’s work with the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) in which we looked at some of the challenges facing people using and providing public services in rural areas.
Muscat adventures: leadership learning in a Gulf state
OPM fellow Stefan Cantore was invited to run sessions on leadership by a large company in Oman. The sessions were well received and also allowed Stefan to learn more about how good leadership can contribute to social results in a context far from his home.
The need for both evaluators and commissioners to engage effectively with stakeholders
With the setting up of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the previous Disability Rights Commission (DRC) ceased to exist. Its Senior Management Team and commissioners decided to evaluate how far the DRC had had an impact in the areas identified in its Strategy, and whether there were any lessons that were transferable to the EHRC and other disability organisations.
How can OPM be a good public interest company?
Public interest companies (PICs) exist to provide a specific public benefit. But what does it mean to be one and how can they succeed in this aim? OPM’s recent examination of its own work as a public interest company has revealed how projects can have a greater social impact. It has also demonstrated how working as a PIC can improve social outcomes.
Leading and Managing Mergers: learning from experience
Shropshire Council and OPM. This paper provides a brief overview of learning from both public and private sectors about the factors that influence the success of mergers. We also draw upon some of the lessons from related experiences of large scale change.
Download a copy of Leading and managing mergers
Disabled people’s experiences of targeted violence and hostility
This report draws on our extensive literature review, qualitative interviews with disabled people and stakeholder interviews to examine disabled people’s experiences of targeted violence and hostility. In this report we examine the risk, prevalence and nature of targeted violence and hostility experienced by disabled people; the experiences of individuals; the impact on disabled people, family, carers and wider society; and issues of reporting,
recording and redress. The wider policy implications are also outlined.
Download a copy of this report from the Equality and Human Rights Commmission website
Evaluation of the joint review of commissioning services and support for people with learning disabilities and complex needs.
At the end of 2008, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Healthcare Commission and the Mental Health Act Commission conducted a joint review of commissioning of services and support for people with learning disabilities and complex needs in nine local authority areas. We were commissioned to evaluate the review on behalf of the commissions. This report details the findings of our evaluation and suggests learning for any future reviews undertaken by the new regulator, the Care Quality Commission. Download the report, Evaluation of the joint review of commissioning services and support for people with learning disabilities and complex needs [PDF untagged, 715Kb]
Community Cohesion
The Academy for Sustainable Communities asked us to explore the concept of community cohesion with a view to helping professionals and community leaders understand cohesion issues better and develop their role in promoting cohesive communities. We produced learning materials for professionals and community leaders and wrote the report, 'Cohesion for Sustainable Communities', which you can download here.
National LSCB Challenge and Improvement Tool
OPM was commissioned to develop a tool to support the future development of LSCBs and to provide them with guidance on measuring effectiveness. This tool has now been published and is complemented by supporting products: 13 case study examples of effective local practice, covering a range of areas which LSCBs identified as needing further information and support; and eight case studies focusing firstly, on how the child protection system can intervene successfully to safeguard the siblings of gang members; and secondly, on how local services identify and and safeguard sexually exploited young people. Find the National LSCB Challenge and Improvement Tool on the 'every child matters' website.
in a similar vein ...
Reviewing Childcare Sufficiency Assessments (May 08) [download PDF, 554KB]: Our report to DCSF examined whether local authorities had completed their childcare sufficiency assessments in a consistent and valid way which satisfied the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006; and to identify key findings in relation to gaps between supply and demand for childcare.
Going forward with good governance: we have revisited our Good Governance Standard three years after its first publication. This report summarises what we know about how the Standard has been used, the new challenges arising from the changing policy context for governance, and how good governance might be taken forward in the public interest. Download 'Going Forward with Good Governance'
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