Project summary
One of the challenges facing local government is how to tackle some of the 'wicked' issues by persuading residents to act in different ways. 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? Local authorities are already developing expertise in this area. Local governments' work on behaviour change has been given a boost by the principles outlined in the recent local government white paper.
There is a gap in the evidence base, despite many real life project examples, about what mechanisms and tools work, and how local government can deliver desired outcomes on some behaviours, such as:
- better parental control of children, or more parental help with children's literacy
- people improving their diet and lifestyle, or stopping smoking
- residents behaving considerately to their neighbours, and reporting anti-social behaviour
- people not dropping litter, abandoning cars, or dumping bulky rubbish
- substance misuse, or binge drinking
- people on low incomes avoiding debt and creating savings, or making additional pension contributions
We are advocating the use of cutting edge scientific research methods to help local authorities to design and test policies to respond to difficult or wicked issues. When it is not clear what works, research could help develop smart solutions that are low cost and get the incentives right. IPEG is already working with two North West authorities on projects using experimental methods - to tackle persistent and prolific offending , and to address serious substance misuse .
We now have support to develop new ways to test out how to change behaviours in partnership with North West local authorities, and will now work to take this conversation forward to the next stage.
If you are interested in our invitation to local authorities to work in partnership , please read our invitation to participate and background information about what is involved via the links at the bottom of the page. You can contact Prof Peter John or Liz Richardson if you would like to find out more, be involved, or work with us.
We are proposing two types of experimental research design in relation to a service users' behaviour that local authorities would like to change. These are randomised control trials, and design experiments. There is more information about our work to promote experimental research methodologies is available via the link at the bottom of the page.
Project investigators
Relevant links
- North West Improvement Network (NWIN)
- Prevention of Prolific and Priority Offending in Blackburn
- Wigan Trees Estate Project (coming soon)
- Invitation to participate
- Experiment background information
- Experimental Research Methodologies