Public still in the dark about 'big society'
With the ‘big society’ emerging as a central theme in the coalition government’s approach to public services, new research suggests it’s time they started to tell society exactly what they mean by it.
Although the government launched the big society on 18 May, polling organisation YouGov1 have discovered that the public are still in the dark about what it may actually entail and what it will mean for their communities.
More than half of people surveyed (53 per cent) indicated that they have no, or very little knowledge, of the idea, while 37 per cent had not heard of the big society at all.
When asked whether the proposals to encourage individuals to take more control over their communities and public services were a good idea, 44 per cent supported the concept, but how will the new government make sure enough of the communities they are targeting are aware of the proposals?
On Monday 19 July David Cameron delivered a speech in Liverpool, one of the areas targeted for initial roll out of the scheme, in which he emphasised the importance of devolving power from Whitehall to local communities.
In theory, it sounds like an appealing idea but, as the Liverpool Echo newspaper said after the PM’s visit, the concept is not yet looking to match the realities of the communities it is targeting . And while that is the case, the 44% of people expressing initial support will not necessarily turn in to the same proportion of people prepared to take an active role in the government’s plans.
The Echo pointed out that, ‘people in Liverpool [are] struggling to get their heads around his big society concept when they are struggling to stay in work’. Many, in the public sector especially, facing the prospect of cuts, will empathise with that.
Commenting on the poll, Dr Michael Wagstaff, head of public sector research at YouGov said, ‘The big society idea proved difficult to get across on the doorstep during the election. The survey shows that there is still some way to go before the majority understand what it actually is.’
As Wagstaff points out, it is still early days for the idea. Predictions for its success may be premature at this stage but what is apparent is that a greater understanding of society’s needs may have to come before society gains a better understanding of government’s proposed responses.
1. http://today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Pol-BigSociety-020710.pdf
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