London councils’ chance to redesign public services

The Design in the Public Sector programme, run by Design Council and fully funded and supported by the Local Government Association (LGA), has officially started its call for London councils and partner organisations to be part of its next cohort.

Over the last three years, Design in the Public Sector has been delivered in eight regions across England. Having visited every corner of the country, it is now London’s turn to benefit from this innovative course of training and coaching. If your organisation is London-based with a service or policy challenge requiring a fresh approach, this is your opportunity to benefit from recognised and innovative training that is supported and fully funded by the LGA.

Applications are now open, download the application form.

As councils' finances get tighter, we want to enable them to come up with radically different solutions to challenges faced so they can continue to provide excellent services to their communities

Councillor William Nunn, LGA Chairman

What does it involve?

Based on a learn-by-doing approach, participants bring live, real-world challenges to work on in project teams, supported by design specialists. Teams from different organisations work together over a 120-day period, with programme support in five full-day workshops plus additional remote support.

The training includes key design principles, methods and tools such as understanding service users’ needs, prototyping, visual techniques and working collaboratively. Most importantly, it will help show how these can be applied to service, system and digital challenges in the public sector.

Who is it for?

To date, more than 49 project teams in eight regions have benefited from this fully-funded programme. While the participants learn new skills and real-life projects see direct benefit immediately, organisations involved in previous cohorts of the programme report that it also encourages positive transformational change to wider organisational culture.

Local government and partner organisation staff in London who are selected to take part in the programme will learn how strategic design approaches can deliver impact and improvement to the services they deliver to their communities.

If your organisation is London-based with a service or policy challenge requiring a fresh approach, this is your opportunity.

Apply now

The programme has enabled numerous local authorities to deliver impact for their organisations on issues ranging from reducing obesity, preventing diabetes and improving children’s services, to dealing with fuel poverty and improving adult social care services.

Councillor William Nunn, Chairman of the LGA Improvement and Innovation Board, said: "We recognise that there is a growing movement of design thinking and innovation in public services and the LGA is keen to equip more councils with the necessary tools and knowledge. As council's finances get tighter, we want to enable them to come up with radically different solutions to challenges faced so they can continue to provide excellent services to their communities.”

Places on the programme are strictly limited, with a maximum of seven teams selected to take part. If you are a local authority officer or partner organisation responsible for the review and commissioning of services, you can download the application form and apply now.

Deadline for applications is midday on 3 February 2017. For further information and to apply, download the application form. 

Programme details

• Closing date for applications: Midday 3 February 2017
• Shortlist interviews: 17 February 2017
• The five programme workshops then run from March to July 2017.

For further information please email us at leadership@designcouncil.org.uk or call us on 020 7420 5200