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Meet the menders: If our social fabric is frayed, who’s fixing it?

Good soil analogy from Fin, too, about the need to take the time (and deploy resources) to create the right nurturing environment - you can't just plant community power Was lucky enough to speak to Fin about intoBodmin for menders.kinship.works

menders.kinship.works

A Discussion Paper by Kinship Works for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the fifteen disciplines of civic renewal and the architecture that supports them.

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What's next for communities policy? ask @powertochange.org.uk, Coop Party, Park Street Partners of @nickplumb.bsky.social @joplatt.bsky.social @florenceeshalomi.bsky.social, Fin Irwin Lots on empowerment, doing with & not to communities; Nick on devo agenda needing to go the final mile to postcodes

Panel (left to right): Nick Plumb, Jo Platt MP, Fin Irwin, Florence Eshalomi MP

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And now 'How can we prepare workers for the age of AI?' from @resolutionfoundation.org @learnworkuk.bsky.social & the Rigby Foundation, on a new report by @emilyishness.bsky.social & others (learningandwork.org.uk/building-an-...) & more Inc KN on the importance of involving workers early in design

Panel (left to right): Steve Rigby, Kanishka Narayan MP, Ruth Curtice, Kate Bell, Emily Andrews

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Really strong case for the BBC made by creative industries minister, @ianmurraymp.bsky.social, at a @moreincommonuk.bsky.social @reset.tech event on The Future of the BBC (and interesting MiC polling on public attitudes which I can't currently find online)

Panel of (left to right) Luke Tryl, Polly Curtis, Dylan Sparks, Megan McElroy, Ian Murray MP, Rupa Huq MP

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Also says it's vital that communities feel and see what technology can do for them

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My first Labour conference event, and it's minister for AI (not AI minister, 'I've run my speech through Pangram') Kanishka Narayan MP @thefabians.bsky.social Says key question is whether we shape latest technological wave to British values, or are shaped by it

Minister for AI speaks at a lectern, pictured through a crowd

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Good morning! For anyone at Labour Conference in Liverpool 👇 #Lab #LabConf #LPC26

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And of course all the brilliant people we got to interview and meet for the report. I really hope it avoids the problems of over-thinking, over-professionalising and forcing them into boxes (we talk a lot in the report about that!) and provides recognition of their work, and a useful way forward

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I think a lot about the 'civic ethic' versus the bureaucratic one - there are understandable reasons why the state ends up doing things the way it does, but the state of the future has to do more to recognise/support other ways of working & the people doing it menders.kinship.works/part-2/civic...

Screenshot from 'Meeting the Menders':

As we pulled together our notes from visits and interviews, and began to develop our typology of disciplines and practices, we noticed that a certain ethic or disposition ran through all of the work we were seeing. We noticed something similar when working on an earlier Kinship Works report, Civic Rewilding. There we described a ‘community instinct’ that was distinct from, and in almost direct contrast to, the more bureaucratic instincts of a traditional public service.

We concluded that it would be helpful to name this civic ethic, because it so clearly departs from the mentality that currently dominates most large public institutions. As an example, people working on the ground in communities tend to see a person in their social context, and not as an individual, or a symptom or a problem to be solved. They relate to people, often face-to-face, as rounded human beings, as opposed to defining people by siloes (e.g. a patient, or a job-seeker). They take time to get to know the person and their community, listening deeply – and the strength of their work comes in part from this depth of understanding. They focus on strengths, not weaknesses. And they often seek to empower the person, unlocking their agency, quite unlike the often disempowering effects of bureaucracy.

Screenshot from Meeting the Menders:

We could articulate this civic disposition through a series of principles:

- Seeing the person as a human being first and foremost, as opposed to the abstract categories of bureaucracy (job-seeker, pupil, patient)

- Seeing the structure behind the situation. Understanding the root causes of people’s challenges, and the ways in which these might be changed.

- Strengths before deficits. Looking for what is there – capacities, assets, relationships, stories – before seeing what is missing or broken.

- Relationships as the work, not an afterthought. Recognising that a deep and authentic human connection is often the way in which change is achieved.

- Continuity and long-termism. Not ‘discharging’ people once a single problem is solved, but staying with a person, sometimes for years.

- A non-anxious disposition. Being willing to sit with ambiguity, to deal with the anxiety of not intervening, and to give people space to grow, and even to make mistakes.

- Centring agency. Prioritising the work of rekindling a person’s, or a community’s, capacity to shape the circumstances of their own lives.

- Blurring personal and professional boundaries. Recognising that public servants are human beings too, driven by purpose and informed by their own experiences.

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As someone who thinks a lot about public sector reform (esp data/tech) it was *so* valuable to visit people working for their communities on the ground. When we talk about rewiring the state/devolving power, we need to value this work & the people doing it, and devolve power to them too

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I really enjoyed working on the early stages of this (and seeing the refinement brought by the rest of the team since!) - speaking to people working on civic renewal and community work in Hartlepool, Doncaster, Leeds, Bodmin, Cardiff, Wrexham, Blaenau Ffestiniog & elsewhere was *really* inspiring

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Our social fabric is frayed, so who’s fixing it?

Some weekend reading for you: Meet the Menders: Our social fabric is frayed, so who’s fixing it? Summary by @jamestplunkett.bsky.social endstate.substack.com/p/meet-the-m... Full @kinship.works report supported by @jrf-uk.bsky.social menders.kinship.works

endstate.substack.com

Meet the menders

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Party conferences 2026: data, digital, AI, tech and public sector reform events

Anyway, if any of you are going to be in Liverpool and fancy a coffee/drink, drop me a line And maybe see you at one of these docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

docs.google.com

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I have never stayed at this Airbnb. I have never visited this Airbnb. I know exactly which Airbnb James is talking about

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Now includes me chairing an @noc.ac.uk event, 'From Research to Global Influence: Science as a Diplomatic Asset', with: - Prof Penny Holliday (NOC) - Emily Thornberry MP - Rod Downie (WWF-UK) - Hon. Cheryl Roberts (Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly) Mon 28 Sep, 1030-1130, Albert Suite 3, Hilton

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Party conferences 2026: data, digital, AI, tech and public sector reform events

A reminder ahead of Labour Conference that @sotf.org.uk has pulled together as many data, digital, AI, public sector reform etc events as we can find Please add any we've missed! docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

docs.google.com

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Reposted by Gavin Freeguard

State of the Future @sotf.org.uk · 24/09/2026

We're delighted to announce that DATA BITES IS BACK! We're thrilled to be working with @thinkdigitalptns.bsky.social on three events to the end of the year (NEW START TIME OF 5.30PM): - Weds 21 October thinkdigitalpartner.zohobackstage.eu/DataBitesOct... - Weds 11 November - Weds 2 December

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Reposted by Gavin Freeguard

Think Digital Partners @thinkdigitalptns.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Can't wait! Excited to be working with you too @gavinfreeguard.com

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Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Very excited that #DataBites is back after a short hiatus with @sotf.org.uk & the team @thinkdigitalptns.bsky.social! Some exciting speakers already lined up - but get in touch if you're public sector & would like to speak/know someone who should, or you're private sector & would like to sponsor

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Reposted by Gavin Freeguard

Exciting things afoot at @sotf.org.uk- check back soon...

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Alice Lilly @aliceolilly.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

How can you be sure you're talking to me and not a bot right now?

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Reposted by Gavin Freeguard

This is absolutely spot-on. I’m increasingly convinced that our revealed sense of what we expect MPs to do (be good legislators, scrutineers, and deal with ever-increasing amounts of casework and correspondence) is, with current resources, unsustainable.

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Thank you! Glad somebody noticed... 🤣

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mean? bsky.app/profile/sotf...

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