The UK’s Big Society, Citizen Centered Solutions

This past week I was in London for the International Association of Volunteer Efforts’ Global Corporate Volunteer Council meeting.  While there, I had an opportunity to meet with the architects of Prime Minister David Cameron’s Big Society program, including a meeting at 10 Downing Street.  I am impressed with the core tenet of the program, really about individual citizens taking back responsibility.  Responsibility on so many levels.  After years of government providing so much, in the new world order, that simply is not an option for the UK.  The PM says that this is a “serious reform agenda to take power away from the politicians and give it to the people.  That’s because we know instinctively that the state is often too inhuman, monolithic and clumsy to tackle our deepest social problems.”  He goes on to say that the best ideas come from the ground up.  A very citizen centered solution concept that is part of what we focus on at JH&A.  Their big challenge, and on what much of my discussions centered, is how to take the concept and not only put them it in practice but to take them to scale in a way that is truly is impactful.  http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/407789/building-big-society.pdf