For the last 10 years we’ve been experimenting with a people-powered approach to public services - that plugs the power of citizens back into our places, institutions and democracies, to create better solutions to the big challenges we face. Our work calls for a more human, personal and connected society as an organising principle for government and public services, enabled by a shift in power, alongside the conditions that best support citizens and communities.

To go alongside our report, The People-Powered Shift, we’ve brought together a range of voices to discuss and demonstrate how compassion, connection, and our collective power can take forward the next stage of people-powered public services.

In this collection, we hear from people reflecting on the future of people-powered public services and members of the community sharing their experiences of people-powered approaches. Each one touches on a key area for the future of people power - whether that’s the transformative effect of social connections and relationships, the role of civic and social infrastructure in enabling people power, the power of collective action to drive change, or new democratic models that enable citizens to participate in decision-making in new ways.

From citizens who are using their voices, knowledge and skills to make their communities fairer, kinder, and more connected, to radical thinkers who share their views on what needs to happen next, we hope this series provides inspiration and adds to the debate on how we take forward the people-powered shift.