HomeCommunityNewsPeer Learning Groups: Update on where they are and future plans
Peer Learning Groups: Update on where they are and future plans
Posted:
6 Mar 2020, 1 p.m.
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Peer learning
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Throughout 2019 the GO Lab supported efforts to launch
a network of UK regional knowledge clubs for public organisations and service
providers that are interested in outcome-based approaches. It has been exciting
to see how each of these groups has taken on its own character, reflecting the
knowledge and experiences of practitioners in the region.
The response to these peer learning groups has been unanimously
positive, therefore the GO Lab has given thought to how we can expand the reach
of these peer learning groups both geographically (including international
perspectives) and thematically. For example, peer learning groups for the
Greater London Region and procurement have been launched recently. We continue
to explore the appetite for new peer learning groups across a number of other
contexts. To keep up to date with the latest news on peer learning please refer
to our community
page. In the coming weeks and months
we will be adding new features and functions to the community page in order to
maintain ongoing conversations, and leverage the experience and knowledge
of the global community of practice.
It has been a great start to 2020
for peer learning, below is a brief outline of the current state of play for
each of the launched groups.
London
The London peer learning group met for the first time in February
2020. Prior to the inaugural meeting, an online survey was administered to
identify what were the pressing issues people wanted to discuss within this
group. Many of the requested discussion topics will sound familiar to you
regardless of your context: outcome
measurement, procurement and evaluation. The
group also held a discussion around the Pan
London Positive Families Partnership SIB, the session was led by the group’s
local champion Lucy Pennie, Sutton Council. Group membership represents a
balance of commissioners and service providers across Greater London, it also
includes a London based global service provider.
The Northern
Peer Learning Group met twice in 2019. The unique feature of this group is that
these meetings are convened under the Chatham House Rule, meaning that items
can be reported but not attributed to an individual or organisation. This
allows an open and frank discussion of the challenges that people may be
facing. The next Northern Peer learning group will be hosted by Kirklees Council
– date to be confirmed. For this meeting the group members have set the agenda
to discuss the Kirklees SIB and special purpose vehicle structures.
This
group met in February 2020 for the first time with colleagues from two live Commissioning
Better Outcome (CBO) SIBs and from Life Chances Fund and CBO SIBs that didn’t
progress to launch. The group discussed headlines from Ecorys’ report for Department
for Digital Culture Media and Sport on replicating SIBs and explored the GO Lab projects database. Colleagues shared what
‘fascinated and frustrated’ them most about SIBs, added new insights to the ‘triumphs and treacle graphic’ from the GO Lab knowledge club
page, tested a framework for the roles of capital in SIBs and, generated ideas
for improving SIB development and design. More on those ideas in a blog to
follow! The next group meeting will be in June via video conference.
Driven by the interests of the membership the East of England group has taken a unique focus, previous sessions have had the goal of articulating what a good social outcome-based commissioning ecosystem in the East of England would look like. We are looking forward to seeing how this ecosystem vision of cross-sector collaboration and consensus building across key stakeholders evolves throughout 2020.
The Procurement of Government Outcomes or “POGO” Club is a
knowledge sharing initiative that is open to anyone interested in capacity
building in public procurement and in collaboration to improve social outcomes.
We host monthly calls, maintain an email list, have a LinkedIn Group, and share
other resources. Participants come from many different disciplines,
sectors, and countries. Our chair is Anne Davies, Dean of
the Oxford Law Faculty and Professor of Law and Public Policy. Ruairi Macdonald of the
GO Lab provides coordinating support. Regular participants include local
government procurement professionals, legal academics, practicing lawyers, and
other technical advisors from around the globe. So far in 2020, we have
been exploring procurement professionals’ discretion and pre-procurement market
engagement. Notes and agendas are available here. Our
next monthly call is on the 31st of March. Join us!