Recent News and Blogs

Monday 8 March 2010 10:00 by Mark Butler

Exposing the real deficit - Shiny new ideas display old behaviours

Recent attempts to promote new ways to access key data (Eg One Place) and to hold local public services to account risk a tit-for-tat on legitimacy or fail to grasp the involvement opportunity (and necessity). And its because old behaviours still underpin 'new' ideas...

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Monday 1 March 2010 10:00 by Graham English

Mid-Staffordshire Hospitals, Francis Report – A wasted opportunity

Writing in the week the Francis report on Mid-Staffordshire was published I wondered whether I was alone in seeing a glaring hole in the report's conclusions and recommendations? Or alone at being both angry and saddened as a result? The Francis Report fails to grasp the opportunity to promote measures that will generate renewed trust in local service by local people, giving us only more of the same - more professionalisation and more regulation.

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Monday 22 February 2010 13:05 by Mark Butler

Hearts Vs Minds?

The evidence-base for involvement is weak, but is the hunt for evidence a distraction, used by those with power and authority to maintain the status quo, when we need to secure hearts, as much as minds?

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Monday 15 February 2010 09:05 by Graham English

What does Marcus the lamb tell us about Involvement?

Yesterday a head-teacher resigned months into a campaign heralded in the media, despite wide local support and a positive OFSTED report about a school she had taken out of special measures. The campaign follows her decision to send a lamb reared by the school children to slaughter. Is this an example of Involvement not working? Doesn't this illustrate why so many professionals resist Involvement in their decision-making?

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Monday 15 February 2010 09:00 by Graham English

Is 'Co-Production' the way forward?

Co-production promises major gains in efficiency and effectiveness of services, says NESTA.

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Welcome to Fontis
Fontis screen logo

We aim to transform the quality of public services, public life and well-being in the UK by improving the practice of involvement, engagement and participation.

We will do this by
  • leadership and advocacy for involvement at all levels across the public domain
  • a membership network connecting people who share our aims Click here
  • an innovative resource centre providing an authoritative and comprehensive guide to practice
  • investment, with others, in effective ways of enabling more people to be involved in decisions that affect them
  • capacity development for individuals and organisations
  • support and challenge to thinking on policy and delivery
Making a Difference

We believe these different components, brought together with passion and expertise, will make a difference that isn’t otherwise possible.

Our aim is to be flexible and diverse, adopting different structures and ways of working appropriate to what needs to be done –- a new model of operating which grows, challenges, supports, campaigns, and creates new bridges which support involvement and active participation.

We’d like you to join us - to show your support for our objectives to find out more about how we work to help us get there!

To register click here

To find out more about each of the work areas, simply click on the topic above