Strong themes emerge

The relational state was the topic that put the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) on my travel agenda.  Whilst at the ALP roundtable on youth unemployment comments were made about the importance of relationships and connections in getting work for young people.  Our own research with young people had recently changed name from "Young People in Transition" to"Being A/part" to recognise the same thing.

The relational state concept then, being developed by the IPPR as an antidote to the "New Public Management" seen in the UK under Labour and then the austerity agenda driven by the current government, www.ippr.org.seemed to offer some genuine way between the big and small government agenda.

We at Anglicare Australia have previously noted (in State of the Family report 2013 "Paying Attention" and in recent writings on Civil Society that real change occurs for people in relationship with others.  These themes are seen in the IPPR literature too.

"Tough love", being it it for the long haul, radical fundamental change in people's lives emerged as success factors for change in IPPR's reckoning.  It was ironic that these were the findings of our last two State of the Family reports.

Another unrelated theme coming thorough from my visits is the importance of a diversity of funding for the think tank organisations I am visiting.  Under cuts and deteriorated relationships with government they are surviving on private donations, commercial activities (that still underpin their mission) and the private ownership of their premises.

On a seemingly lighter note IPPR support the cutting of payment of rates for pubs recognising them as contributing between 20,000 to 120,000 pounds to their community each year.  Let's drink to that!
www.ippr.org