Embedding

Assets-Based Approaches
into Public Service Reform
Using Personas to Illustrate Reform in AcEon
Tony Roberts
June 2016

Embedding Asset Approaches into Public Sector Reform

Introduc)on
In order to meet the many challenges facing public service organisaEons, the
way services are organised needs to change. It is imperaEve that services are
more connected, both with each other and with the people they serve.
The Public Service Reform agenda is looking into ways of joining services
beMer tobe more responsive to local need and to achieve beMer outcomes
for everyone. However, much Public Service Reform takes place at a high
level, and it is dicult to appreciate what these changes could look like on a
day-to-day, pracEcal level.
Taken collecEvely and in sequence, these personas tell a narraEve of how
public service sta could work collaboraEvely with partners, communiEes
and ciEzens to achieve posiEve outcomes. To avoid comparisons with real
places, the seRng is the semi-cEonalised low-income estate of Ribble
Brook in North Ribble
There are seven personas. Four are County Council sta an Engineer,
Customer Contact Worker, Social Worker and Finance Ocer. Three are from
the local community and partners to illustrate the dierence that council
sta can make by taking an asset-based approach.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

Page 2

Locality Engineer
County Council

Dave
Its all about people and the way that people use
roads, paths, and the local environment.

Photo

Im responsible for all the

highways related work in
north Ribble, including
roads, verges, trees, lights,
crossings etc.

First Tuesday of the month is Ribble Brook day. The local community
group do monthly street audits for us, taking pictures and marking out
potenEal issues on maps. Theyre really well placed to idenEfy problems
before they arise, so we can prevent the need for a big spend in the
future.

ConsulEng the community is

about so much more than
asking them what they think
about a parEcular proposal.

This month, were looking at the environment around an area of the

estate that is mainly older adults. The community group have set up a
coee morning with the residents, the guys from the district council
streets team and myself to chat about what its like geRng around.

Its about a constant dialogue,

about working with them to
understand how they use
local roads, paths etc and how
their daily lives can be
improved with a beMer
environment.

Many of the older people use wheeled walking frames, but there are no
dropped kerbs nearby, they walk slowly and so struggle crossing the busy
road and some of the street lights are out, which makes them feel
unsafe, especially now the nights are drawing in.
One of the residents, Edna, is a worry because shes not been out of the
at in 3 months. She says there is lots to do, but she cant get around.
This coee morning is the rst proper thing shes done in months. Shes
really frail, so I asked her if she minded me seeing if theres anything else
we can do for her. She was delighted, so Ill call Customer Contact Centre
later today.
In the next couple of weeks, Ill draw up and cost a local improvement
plan and bring it back next month to see what people think.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

There will always be things

that need xing, but by
working with local residents,
we can idenEfy them earlier,
and do the job quicker,
cheaper and more eecEvely

Page 3

Resident
Ribble Brook

Edna
GeAng older shouldnt mean theres nothing leB to look
forward to. Its about giving something back.

Photo

Ive always liked living around here, but these last few months, Ive not
been so good, so I cant get out and about much. Its scary outside now
Im on my own and struggling with my back and my legs arent what they
were.
I think that, unless you have these problems, its hard to understand
what its like. Its the liMle things, like worrying if that car will slow down
in Eme for me to cross the road. Funny how things change 20 years
ago, I was running the local library and my husband was a reEring from
40 years as a postman.

Ive lived around here for

over 40 years. My kids live
all over the place and most
of the people I knew have
either moved away or died.

This morning, a nice man from the Council came down for a coee
morning with us residents. He got out these maps of the area and we
showed him where we cross the road and why its dicult to see what
trac is coming.

I look around this estate and

see so many young people
who have no aspiraEons, no
vision for a beMer future.
But there are also lots of
people who have something
to give skills and knowledge
that are siRng around inside
peoples houses.

A`erwards, he oered to make some phone calls to see what extra

support I can get, which was nice of him. No sooner had I got back to my
at, than the phone rang. It was a man called Ali, who said he worked for
the council and wanted to know more about me. I told him that Id be
happy to just be able to get out and about and socialising again, but my
back hurts all the Eme.

I think that we could do more

to learn from each other and
share what we have. Id love
to teach young people to love
reading, to get them to want
to learn.

He asked about the at, which I told him is cold and a bit damp, but I
cant aord the heaEng. He really listened to me and said hed contact
social services, the housing people and some community groups to see
about geRng me back on my feet again.

If I could get around beMer

then Id love to run some
classes for the youngsters.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

Page 4

Customer Contact Worker

County Council

Ali
I feel like a harbour-master, guiding enquiries to the right
place and making sure everything works and runs smoothly.

Photo

Got a call this a`ernoon from Dave the Engineer in North Ribble about a
lady called Edna. Hes worried that shes not geRng out and about and
that her health might suer as a result.
I gave her a ring and she told me about being a librarian for 40 years,
about her husband dying, about her damp at and how shes now
struggling to get out because of the local area and her mobility.
I asked her how things would be if they were beMer and she said that
shed love to run a reading group with young children and help adults to
read and write. She said that literacy in Ribble Brook is quite poor, which
aects peoples life chances.

In an organisa)on as diverse
as this, its important to have
people who are well
connected and know the
breadth of what we do

I suggested that I could put her in touch with the local community group
in Ribble Brook and the primary school about the reading; and that I
could refer her to our social worker and to the housing ocer at the
district council for an assessment of her at and her social needs.
Made some calls the local social worker, Joe, is going to arrange a joint
visit with the housing ocer. Sarah at the community group is going to
pop out to see Edna on Thursday and arrange to go with her to the
primary school.
I popped all this in an email and circulated it round everyone - Dave,
Sarah, the housing ocer and the school - so everyone is aware of
whats happening.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

The Customer Contact Centre

is the hub of the County
Council. Every member of
sta in the council is, in eect,
a customer contact point,
regardless of their normal job.
So, engineers are trained to
spot social care issues, social
workers to spot engineering
issues, etc.
Our job in the Contact Centre
is to make sure that these
things not only get properly
signposted, but also to think
about other services both in
and out of the council that
need to be involved. Its all
about making the right
connecEons.

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Community Worker
Ribble Brook

Sarah
I love bringing together people who have lived near each
other for years but not even said hello.

Photo

I rst met Dave the Engineer about a couple of years ago at a community
safety event on the estate. The residents really laid into him, saying you
havent done this, or that drain needs xing or why is that street light not
working. It wasnt pleasant.
A`erwards we sat down and looked at how we could work beMer
together, idenEfying problems early and looking at good soluEons. He
was really up for it and really understood the impact that roads,
crossings, lighEng and such have on peoples lives.

The community doesnt

want services parachu)ng
in to x things for us. We
want to learn how to do it
ourselves.

So he trained us in how to do Street Audits. We basically go round the

estate taking pictures, measuring things, and talking to local residents
about any problems or worries relaEng to the environment parEcularly
footpaths and walkways. Dave gave us a helpful checklist of things to
look for. We do a few streets each month, so everywhere on the estate
gets audited at least one a year, and weve got over a dozen residents
who help out, so it only takes us a couple of days to do each audit.
We then meet him and some guys from the district council each month
to look at the latest audit and come up with a managed plan to improve
the area.
This month, we focused on the area where there are lots of older
people. I brought some of the residents down to talk to Dave about the
impact that the lighEng and roads have on their lives It was a really good
session. No promises, but certainly an understanding of the issues. Its
great to be able to work alongside people like Dave, rather than feeling
like we have to bang on the door to get things done.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

We struggle as a small
community group. Were
really keen to run acEviEes
that bring the community
together. Wed love to do
more but we dont know the
rst thing about nance or
estates or business planning.
So it has been really useful to
have a relaEonship with
Simone in the County
Councils nance department.
She comes down for an
a`ernoon every few months
to give us Eps on keeping the
books. Its a liMle thing, but it
makes all the dierence.

Page 6

Social Worker
County Council

Joe
Theres nothing beLer than being able to discharge
someone because theyve regained their independence

Photo

A new referral came in from Ali in the Customer Contact Centre for a lady
in Ribble Brook. Poor housing, limited mobility and health issues are
impacEng on her independence and her desire to make a dierence in
the local community.
First, I needed to nd out whos involved already. Ali had done a great
summary email which helped get me started. First call was to Denise, the
district housing ocer, to see if Edna is known to them and if we can go
out and see her together. Next was the GP and the Integrated
Neighbourhood Team.

Its my job to nd sustainable

solu)ons that will enable
people to maintain their
independence. Its not always
about services. Its about
friends, family, community
and a sense of purpose.

Denise was happy to come out with me on Friday morning. GP hasnt

seen Edna for 4 months and the INT has no records of her. Agreed to
raise at next MDT meeEng a`er the assessment.
In the assessment, it was clear that Edna is very frustrated at not being
able to go out and meet new people. But its equally clear that she has
got a lot to oer. She loved the visit to the school yesterday and is going
to do two lunchEmes a week for now, possibly more a`er a few weeks.
Denise is going to get onto the landlord about the state of the house and
see about geRng aids and adaptaEons. Edna said shed like a smart
phone or a tablet to do online shopping and chaRng with friends whove
moved away. Shes heard about some health apps that she would like to
try, but she doesnt know the rst thing about these devices. Shed also
like a wheeled walking frame. Ill see if she could use a personal budget
for it.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

Weve got really good

relaEonships with other local
services like housing, NHS,
GPs and community groups.
We get together regularly to
explore common issues,
discuss referrals and see how
we can best share data and
intelligence.
We all operate a lead
professional role, whereby
one person is always at the
centre of an individuals care,
coordinaEng things and
keeping the right agencies
involved. The aim is
prevenEon keeping people
away from the sharp end of
services.

Page 7

Finance Ocer
County Council

Simone
Its all about results. Whats the outcome? How much will
things improve?

Photo

I had an interesEng request for a personal budget this morning from Joe,
the social worker in North Ribble. Edna wants to stay in touch with her
friends and family and to be more acEve on the estate, but shes
struggling with her health and mobility.
In the past, we would only have come across people like Edna a`er
theyd gone into crisis, and I can see that if we dont do a liMle something
now, shes will be a prime candidate for needing a signicant amount of
help in the near future probably a residenEal home so its important
that we keep her independent and acEve.

I organise payments for

care packages that help
people to become more
independent. I dont care
what Im paying for, I care
about what it achieves.

A smart phone or tablet will certainly help her stay in touch with friends,
as well as give her beMer access to informaEon, online services and
health apps. Ill also look at our digital inclusion strategy to see how that
could help.
I know from the community group that there is a Time Credit scheme in
the local area. She can get recogniEon for any Eme she spends with
young people, which she can then trade for pampering sessions, courses,
handyman Eme, Eckets to events, all sorts of things. Ill suggest it to Joe.
I also know that we recently put some investment into a community
learning scheme in the area, where local people share skills and train
each other. The aim is to get local people on the path to learning and into
employment. Its had great results and weve seen the impact it has had
on the local economy. It sounds like Edna would be a great asset for that
scheme.

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

Every three or four months, I

spend an a`ernoon with the
Community Group in Ribble
Brook. Most of us in Finance
do this with dierent groups
across the District.
There are some amazing
people doing great work to
improve their communiEes.
Seeing what they do gives me
a much beMer idea of how to
prioriEse investment of how
much can be achieved by
passionate people with a bit
of investment and support.
Our services can achieve so
much more by working with
communiEes, rather than
doing to communiEes.

Page 8

Learning Facilitator
North Ribble Skills Agency

Claire
It pains me to see peoples skills siAng idly in their houses,
when they could be making the world a beLer place.

Photo

I had a phone call from a lady in Ribble Brook this morning, called Edna.
Shes been given my details by her social worker, who has been helping
her get more involved in the local community.
Edna is really passionate about sharing knowledge and skills and shes
got a lot to oer, having been a librarian for 40 years. Shes been doing
some reading groups in the local primary school for a few weeks and now
she wants to do more.

I meet people in the

community, nd out what
theyre good at and what
theyd like to be able to do..
I then connect them with
other people and support
them to develop their own
development plan.

We talked about running some funcEonal and life skills courses in the
local community centre budgeEng, IT, reading, CV wriEng and cooking,
that kind of thing. She said that there is a group of reEred local residents
who would love to contribute something to the community.
In return, theyd like to know more about new technology, like social
media, Skype, smart phones and such. I talked to Sarah at the
Community Group, who loves the idea. She is condent that she can get
some young adults together who would be interested in learning some
old-school budgeEng tricks and who would show Edna and her friends
how to use digital technology. We can use the Time Credit scheme to
acknowledge their Eme and I will look through the curriculum to see how
we can accredit their learning.
Ill also contact Economic Development at County Hall to see if there are
any upcoming iniEaEves that we can hook into. A while back we ran a
child-care scheme with young mums, who went on to set up a creche for
people working at a big new call centre in town. We wouldnt have done
it without that intelligence from Economic Development

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

We set up North Ribble Skills

as a social enterprise a couple
of years ago to get local
people sharing their skills with
each other.
There are a lot of people who
have been out of work for
some Eme and they lose hope
that can achieve anything.
We have great links with
Economic Development, who
help us to understand the
labour market and tailor what
we do to the jobs that are
available. We also run
accredited courses in
community venues.

Page 9

Making the Shi` to Assets

There are four main areas of business in which sta can make a signicant
dierence to fully becoming an asset-based organisa)on
Iden)ca)on

Assessment

IdenEfying issues early, before crisis point

Using community-led intelligence
Every member of sta is a customer contact point
Sta working locally, thinking corporately
Understanding what resources, skills and assets exist
in the community

Assessing strengths and assets as well as needs

Understanding how ciEzens and communiEes are
aected by issues
Exploring how ciEzens can be best involved in change
Bringing together the assets of a community to look at
possible soluEons

Delivery and Monitoring

Planning and Commissioning

CoordinaEon of statutory and community services

Involving ciEzens as agents of delivery
Monitoring change and outcomes at individual,
community and organisaEonal level.
CelebraEng and sustaining the eorts of local people

Commissioning for outcomes, rather than acEvity

CollecEvely planning with ciEzens, partners and
communiEes
Pooled, community-oriented budgeEng
Shared ownership and decision-making

Embedding Asset-Based Approaches in Public Sector Reform HypotheEcal personas

Page 10