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Working together for impact

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In Plymouth, and nationally, we face intersecting crises and the situation that led to the 2011 unrest in other parts of the country, is still present here in Plymouth. Furthermore, the climate emergency, social inequality, and health disparities continue to have an impact on social, financial and environmental deprivation. Significantly, the last decade’s agenda of austerity; Brexit and extractive profit, combined with the impact of Covid, have not improved life for the majority of Plymothians. Our public services are reporting burn out and huge, detrimental pressures impact our NHS services. A high proportion of the demand is driven, not by medical issues, but by social determinants such as social isolation and loneliness. Plymouth experiences high levels of deprivation (top 1%). 

The country lacks a sense of how to make a broad, collaborative vision of community flourishing a reality. So much effort and resources are exhausted on achieving impact from individual projects or services but the overall trends all still flow in the wrong direction.

POP Tweet

Within POP, we believe this is largely because we’re lacking the structures, ways of working and thinking needed to better understand and address the issues. We are a proponent of Human Learning Systems, an alternative approach to planning, designing and delivering public services. This is just one of many challenges to a dysfunctional status quo.[1] Powerfully, alternatives are springing up out of the very medical thinking that often holds change back. For example, the Power Threat Meaning Framework[2] is an attempt to outline an alternative to the diagnostic model of distress and unusual experiences. (i.e., mental health ‘illnesses’). These new frameworks share a common feature – power needs to shift.  We believe they require radically different ways of working. And this is what makes POP different. 

We are not business as usual. We are not content to recycle governance structures, decision making, organisational hierarchies, grant making practices, organising principles that lock disparities of power into the fabric of our work. We look to uncover that hidden wiring, and to experiment with new ways of working, thinking and acting.

People and thinking we're inspired and challenged by

[1] 

  • #BeyondtheRules – Dark Matter (darkmatterlabs.org)
  • A Better Way
  • Join the Losing Control in Funding Network
  • Emerging futures | JRF
  • Learning how to be wrong (lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk)
  • Home – New Local
  • Wealth for all: building new local economies | CLES
  • CTRLshift – Catalysing a movement of organisations and networks for positive change

[2] Power Threat Meaning Framework – The British Psychological Society (bps.org.uk)

And so much more: New frontiers in funding, philanthropy and investment (notion.site)

Our impact & learning

All
Annual reports & accounts
Blogs
Mini-systems
Reports
SIMPL
Reports
POP ideas KPI reports
24 January, 2023
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Annual reports & accounts
Annual Report & Accounts 2021-22
18 January, 2023
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Kumu relationships
Blogs
Networks = anti-establishment?
14 December, 2022
Recently we’ve taken time to reflect on where we are in Plymouth and POP with...
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belong in plymouth logo
Blogs
Learning about partnering - method to the madness?
29 November, 2022
These are some reflections from Matt, our CEO on the Belong in Plymouth programme....
Read More
minisystemslogo
Blogs Mini-systems
MINI SYSTEMS 3: Guardians of the Good Enough
10 November, 2022
By Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion The first two blogs on the POP ‘Mini System’...
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Sector survey screnshot
Reports Sector surveys & reports
Plymouth sector surveys
02 November, 2022
Sector surveys Sector survey April 2020 Sector survey...
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Reports
Plymouth Octopus Impact November 2022
01 November, 2022
https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Our-Impact-Plymouth-Octopus-2022.pdf Powered...
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Pink Quotes Instagram Post
Mini-systems
Mini Systems Blog 2: Time and Chance Happen to Them All
03 October, 2022
Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion The first blog of this series on the POP...
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Pink Quotes Instagram Post (1)
Mini-systems
Mini Systems Blog 1: We Did a Democratic Lottery
14 September, 2022
By Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion In the past five years, part of POP’s...
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Pink Quotes Instagram Post (3)
Mini-systems
The second mini systems draw
04 August, 2022
We’re back! Alongside the larger £40,000 award we had four £5,000 awards to...
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1 2 3 4 5

Our blogs - old and new thoughts

We regularly write about our work, reflecting on what we are observing and what we are learning. 

minisystemslogo
Blogs Mini-systems
MINI SYSTEMS 3: Guardians of the Good Enough
By Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion The first two blogs on the POP ‘Mini System’...
Read More
Pink Quotes Instagram Post
Mini-systems
Mini Systems Blog 2: Time and Chance Happen to Them All
Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion The first blog of this series on the POP...
Read More
Pink Quotes Instagram Post (1)
Mini-systems
Mini Systems Blog 1: We Did a Democratic Lottery
By Simon Travers, POP Learning Champion In the past five years, part of POP’s...
Read More
Pink Quotes Instagram Post (3)
Mini-systems
The second mini systems draw
We’re back! Alongside the larger £40,000 award we had four £5,000 awards to...
Read More
Pink Quotes Instagram Post (2)
Mini-systems
Mini systems draw has been made!
It’s been an exciting time and we have made the draw! Group submissions
Read More
POP Blogs
Mini-systems
Open Space to Closed Collective
A quick thought after we have started to invite the group to contribute ideas (being...
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POP Blogs (1)
Mini-systems
Mini systems - themes emerging
Notes on conversations about collaboration: People recognise it’s important, but...
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POP Blogs (2)
Mini-systems
Progress update 14/6/22
We had 38 initial sign ups, 5 do not wish to participate anymore, 8 have been in...
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No posts found

CEO blogs from across the years...

  • Morally outrageous | Human Learning Systems
  • Inclusion: it’s a bit of a mindbender isn’t it? | Human Learning Systems
  • My own Human Learning Systems journey | LinkedIn
  • Funders’ short-term focus on Covid-19 is creating a problem – IVAR
  • Accountability: An unhelpful concept? (ox.ac.uk)
  • Collaborate has a resolution for 2019: to be bold about the future we want to create. | by Collaborate CIC | Collaborate
  • #NextStageRadicals (4) | Easier Inc
  • A new approach to funding & learning? | LinkedIn
  • Simple, unsexy processes + knitters = trust | LinkedIn
  • Can listening solve inequality? | LinkedIn

Inspired? Work with us

Some questions & resources that should challenge and inspire

Is using an expert panel really the best way?
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Does the democratic process of selection result in poorer governance, decision making and inclusion?
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Does the way we plan, deliver services and then involve people just result in the issues people face not being seen and addressed?
Read More
Does collaboration reduce diversity and innovation?
Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective Kenneth O. Stanley, Associate Professor, University...
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Further Reading

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The Beckly Centre – A Beacon for Families

10 March 2023
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Barrow Cadbury Trust
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Phone: 01752 395131 / Email: info@plymouthoctopus.org
Address: POP+ Devonport Guildhall Ker St Plymouth PL1 4EL / Registered Charity Number: 1167515