The Government’s Responsibility Deal: A real commitment to sustainable behaviour change?

The recent post by the Lancet (and my response here) reminded me about the extent to which the Government’s Responsibility Deal remains widely regarded with suspicion by many in public health and the voluntary sector. At its launch many commentators described it as “a mess” that needs to be “more ambitious”. The pledges were felt […]

Sustainable Behaviour Change: Time the world’s leading medical journal had a rethink?

So The Lancet believes behaviour change programmes should be abandoned by the Government and replaced by what in their view ‘works’ – a tax and ban approach. Not exactly radical thinking. This, in spite of clear evidences (for example here and here) that tools like choice architecture and social marketing also work. For an august […]

Engaging communities: Why the power of storytelling really works

Storytelling can play a powerful role in strengthening community engagement activities and enriching people’s lives. As thousands of people across the UK prepare to take part in National Storytelling Week (28 January-4 February 2012), it’s worth considering how you can use effective storytelling to engage, educate and inspire your target audiences. DOWNLOAD A PDF VERSION […]

SO Change: Our top tips to achieving sustainable behaviour change

Traditional methods of generating efficiency savings and meeting the needs of the communities we serve aren’t always adequate to meet the demand on public services. However, understanding how citizens’ motivations drive demand, could transform relationships with communities, build mutual trust and unlock savings. Our SO Change approach brings together tested principles from the world of […]

Workplace Smoking Services: A win-win for employer and employee

It’s a fact that one million working days are lost each year in the UK due to tobacco related conditions, as high levels of ill-health result in absenteeism from work and a shortened working life. Indeed, a report from the National Social Marketing Centre says that supporting staff’s health and wellbeing could potentially “add significantly to […]

Why new ‘internet cookie’ law affects ALL website owners

Website owners now have just a few months to comply with a new law which governs how information can be stored on users’ computers. But with recent research from the Direct Marketing Association revealing that only 21% of UK adults understand how ‘internet cookies’ work, what exactly does this mean for businesses and organisations day-to-day? […]

Changemakers for a better world

Check out our new ‘Changemakers’ video! It provides a flavour of the work we’re doing to help organisations, communities and individuals transform themselves, and pave the way to deliver growth, innovation and increased demand…..