Publications

Our publications and briefings draw deeply from what we have learnt through our discussions and the immense reservoir of experience that exists within our network. Because of this, they have been influential and useful not only for network members but also for many others beyond, including those working in local and national government.

Resetting the relationship between government and civil society

In December 2024, following consultation with our members, including a meeting attended by Stephanie Peacock (the Government Minister with lead responsibility for civil society), we submitted this response to a draft framework prepared by DCMS, NCVO and ACEVO.

Integrated Care Boards - partnership working with people and communities

In October 2023, NHS England commissioned the Better Way to act as a learning partner for 16 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) who were taking action to improve their community engagement. This report, accompanied by podcasts and blogs, describes what they learned and sets out ideas for what can be done to achieve more.

At a Tipping Point?

In December 2022, at our Annual Gathering, we drew together the learning and reflection from more than 40 meetings of the Better Way network throughout the year.

Read the report here.

Building a Bigger We - Insights from our Network

As well as summarising the change we want to see, this collection, published in May 2022, includes 36 remarkable essays written by network members. Each of them illustrates an aspect of our model of change, or illuminates a cross cutting question we want to explore further.

Read the publication, or the individual essays.

 
TfaC_cover_outline.png

Time for a Change, a rallying call for a Better Way

Time for a Change brings together insights and ideas from across our network, distilling them into our 4-part model for a Better Way. It was published in February 2021 by Civil Exchange in partnership with the Carnegie UK Trust, with additional support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the John Ellerman Foundation.

Read the publication in full.

 
BW+July+2020.png

How government can unlock the power of connection and community

In July 2020 founding Better Way member Danny Kruger MP was invited by the Prime Minister to develop proposals to ‘maximise the role of volunteers, community groups, faith groups, charities and social enterprises, and contribute actively to the government’s levelling up agenda’. Here is a 2-page summary of ideas from the Better Way network which we have shared with Danny and which we hope will help to shape national thinking, across the party political spectrum.

 
Call+To+Action+front+cover.jpg

Call to Action for a Better Way

Our Call to Action is a result of three years of discussion within the network and is being published on 29th November 2019.

It sets out steps that can be taken in four areas - sharing power, changing practices, changing organisations and collaborative leadership - and gives examples from across the network of how to do so.

 
Coverwithblack+underline+around+it.jpg

Insights for A Better Way

In July 2018, Civil Exchange in collaboration with the Carnegie Uk Trust, published our collection of essays and stories illustrating our Better Way principles or propositions, Insights for A Better Way.

 
ABW_evidence_thumbnail.png

Evidence for the principles

In 2017 we spent some time looking at the evidence behind each of our principles for a Better Way. Here is a summary of our findings.

 
Screenshot+2019-07-02+at+12.15.32.png

Greater: A Better Way magazine in Bentley

Greater is a magazine published by the local Better Way network in Bentley, a neighbourhood in Doncaster, to showcase what is being done in their community in pursuit of Better Way principles.

You can read it here.

 

 Bulletin Archive

When you become a member, we’ll add you to our bulletin mailing list.

You can explore previous bulletins here: