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Smart solutions to the 'wicked' issues - a seminar on experimental designs

9 February 2007, 10.00am - 1.00pm
Conference Suite, Harold Hankins Building

The Institute for Political and Economic Governance (IPEG) within the Centre for Local Governance (CfLG) invites you to a seminar about ways that local government can try to change residents' behaviour. The event is aimed at practitioners, policy makers and researchers working within local government.

One of the challenges facing local government is how to tackle some of the 'wicked' issues by persuading residents to act in different ways. These issues include things like alcohol and substance misuse, care for the environment, and anti-social behaviour. But it is difficult for local authorities to change the behaviour of individuals and families. Citizens need to be involved in defining problems, and their response is often essential to the delivery of solutions to these problems. How can local government make a difference and know for certain what can work?

One approach is to use cutting edge scientific research to design better policies that respond to the 'wicked issues'. We are already working with two authorities in the North West to test out innovative preventative approaches to problem behaviours, and speakers will offer evidence of experiments in action.

The seminar is designed to provide more information to practitioners about what experimental designs entail, the benefits, as well as the challenges and implementation issues. Workshops will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss what sorts of behaviour experiments could be applied in their local authority areas. We have support to develop new experimental projects in partnership with local government.

As part of its role within the Centre for Local Governance (CfLG), IPEG has been commissioned by the North West Improvement Network (NWIN) to deliver a three year knowledge creation programme working in partnership with North West Authorities. For more information on the knowledge creation programe and the individual projects, please visit our research pages.

Papers, presentations and event report

Papers, presentations and report from this event are available for download via the links below:

• Event report
  
  
• Sarah Henry - Design Experiment in Anchor / Birchall Estates
  
  
• Nicola Yates - Experimenting with Drugs - A design experiment approach to tackling drugs as part of “narrowing the gap”
  
  
• Peter John - What makes experimental designs different to other research?
  
  
• Ian Treasure - Evidence Based Practice in Alcohol Harm Reduction
  
  
• What are Experimental Designs?

 

Programme

• Chair: Joyce Redfearn, Chief Executive, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
  
  
• 09:45am - 10:00am Arrival and refreshments
  
  
• 10:00am - 10:10am Chair's welcome
  • Chair: Joyce Redfearn, Chief Executive, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
    
    
• 10:00am - 10:50am Experiments in Action
  
  
  • Preventing persistent and prolific offending in young people - Darwen's 3 pronged approach
  • Speaker: Sarah Henry, Corporate Research Manager, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
    
    
  • Drugs treatment on the Trees estate - On the intensive in Wigan
  • Speaker: Nicola Yates, Drugs Business Manager, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
    
    
• 10:50am - 11:10am What makes experimental designs different to other research?
  • Speaker: Professor Peter John, Director, IPEG
    
    
• 11:10am - 11:25am Refreshments
  
  
• 11:25am - 11:45am Reducing alcohol misuse - an evidence based approach in Blackpool
  • Speaker: Ian Treasure, Alcohol Harm Reduction Policy Officer, Blackpool Primary Care Trust
    
    
• 11:50am - 12:40pm Workshops: sharing experiences and gaining understanding
  
  
• 12:40pm - 1:00pm Where next?
  
  
  • CfLG knowledge creation programme and options for future partnerships
    
    
• 1:00pm Lunch and networking

An attendance fee is payable for this event and is as follows:

• £35 - Representatives of NWIN (North West Improvement Network) member organisations
• £45 - Representatives of non-NWIN organisations

To book a place at this event please use our on-line booking form. Alternatively you can use the booking form contained in the promotional flyer.

A map showing the location of the Harold Hankins building is available for download here.

Maps of the university campus are available for download here.

For more information please contact:

• Aubrey Scully
  Web, Information and Events Officer
  IPEG
  Room 3.42b, Williamson Building
  The University of Manchester
  Oxford Road
  Manchester, M13 9PL
  
  Tel: 0161 275 8080
  Fax: 0161 275 0793
  Email: aubrey.scully@manchester.ac.uk