WWS and SCDC collaborating on review of community councils in Scotland

What Works Scotland and the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) are carrying out participatory research with community councillors, support officers and key local and national stakeholders to identify how community councils can have greater relevance and explore what opportunities exist for them to make a difference in the areas they represent.

Sharing our findings from new approach to police-community engagement

What Works Scotland is sharing its findings from a trial of a ‘mini-public’ process to enable communities and public services to interact more meaningfully. What Works Scotland joined forces with police, fire and council services in the North East of Scotland to experiment with a citizens’ jury .

Book launch – The People’s Verdict: Adding Informed Citizen Voices to Public Decision-Making

Claudia Chwalisz will present the key findings in The People’s Verdict, a study of 50 long-form deliberative processes, where randomly selected citizens have played key roles in decision-making.The session will include opportunities for participants to discuss the book’s findings and the role that Scotland can play in advancing democratic innovation.

Learning from a theatre group that provides food with dignity – research published

Research findings about a dignified food provision programme operated by Centrestage, a community arts and theatre organisation, started as a result of the organisation’s commitment to fostering individual and community wellbeing. What Works Scotland research report highlights the key lessons from the Centrestage example that are valuable for developing future public services.