Sheffield to Pilot Part of £100million National Public Service Innovation Project

[SheffieldForum]

 

Sheffield City Council has welcomed the announcement of the government’s £100 million Innovation Fund, which will deploy test-and-learn teams to tackle public service challenges. Starting in January 2025, one of the first projects will focus on expanding the reach and impact of Sheffield’s Family Hubs as part of a pioneering reform initiative.

 

The fund, part of the government’s Plan for Change, aims to apply innovative methods to address pressing issues in public services, using the “test and learn” approach seen in successful tech companies. Sheffield is among four cities chosen to pilot this approach, alongside Manchester, Essex, and Liverpool.

 

What Are Family Hubs?

Family Hubs in Sheffield offer vital support to families with children aged up to five years old, connecting them to services that address health, education, and wellbeing needs. They aim to reduce barriers to opportunity, ensuring children start life on the right track.

 

Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children’s, and Families Committee, highlighted the importance of the hubs:

“Sheffield’s trailblazing Family Hub network offers vital support to families. By addressing barriers early, we help ensure children achieve their full potential. This new initiative allows us to showcase our work and develop even better ways to support families.”

 

What Will the Sheffield Project Do?

The Sheffield pilot will explore innovative ways to increase the number of disadvantaged families using Family Hub services. By applying the “test and learn” approach, the project team—comprising civil servants, local government representatives, and subject matter experts—will experiment with new outreach strategies, technology solutions, and community engagement methods.

 

Cllr Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, expressed optimism:

“We are thrilled to work with the government on this initiative. Sheffield is committed to being a city where all children can thrive. By testing new approaches, we can ensure more families access the support they need to build brighter futures.”

 

Government’s Vision for Reform

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, described the initiative as a chance to “rewire the state one test at a time.” He explained that empowering teams to experiment and adapt would provide innovative solutions to challenges like family support and temporary accommodation.

 

McFadden said:

“We’re not going to dictate how teams achieve their goals. The central point of these test-and-learns is to set a problem and empower teams to innovate. These small steps could lead to major breakthroughs in public service delivery.”

 

Why Sheffield?

Sheffield was selected for its strong track record in innovative public service delivery, including its Family Hub network, which has already demonstrated significant impact on children’s early development and family wellbeing. The city also has a history of collaborative initiatives through partnerships like the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, which is involved in the project.

 

Next Steps

The Sheffield test-and-learn project will begin in January 2025, with outcomes informing the rollout of similar initiatives across the UK. Early findings will be used to scale successful methods, potentially reshaping how Family Hubs operate nationwide.

 

To learn more about the government’s Innovation Fund, visit gov.uk.

[*_ash_*]

Honestly, SF, I'm not trolling... 

I wondering if I've lost the ability to read English. 

 

I clicked on the word count and that's 503 words and a picture of a chalk slate with a scribble on it, and all I can see is verbal bs, though it's innovative and has lots of hubs. 

[SheffieldForum]

5 minutes ago, *_ash_* said:

Honestly, SF, I'm not trolling... 

I wondering if I've lost the ability to read English. 

 

I clicked on the word count and that's 503 words and a picture of a chalk slate with a scribble on it, and all I can see is verbal bs, though it's innovative and has lots of hubs. 

 

Summary:

 

Sheffield City Council has welcomed its inclusion in the government’s £100 million Innovation Fund, aimed at transforming public services through a "test and learn" approach. Starting January 2025, Sheffield’s project will focus on expanding its Family Hubs, which support families with children aged up to five by addressing health, education, and wellbeing needs. The initiative will experiment with new outreach strategies, tech solutions, and community engagement to ensure more disadvantaged families access these vital services.

 

Chosen alongside Manchester, Essex, and Liverpool, Sheffield was selected for its successful public service track record, particularly its impactful Family Hubs. Leaders such as Cllr Dawn Dale and Cllr Tom Hunt emphasized the importance of early intervention in helping children thrive. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision for reform, encouraging innovation to tackle challenges like family support. The project’s results will shape the future rollout of Family Hubs across the UK.

[Vrsaljko]

7 minutes ago, *_ash_* said:

Honestly, SF, I'm not trolling... 

I wondering if I've lost the ability to read English. 

 

I clicked on the word count and that's 503 words and a picture of a chalk slate with a scribble on it, and all I can see is verbal bs, though it's innovative and has lots of hubs. 

 

It does read like a load of management speak waffle. Essex also seems to have become a city too which is interesting.

[*_ash_*]

1 minute ago, SheffieldForum said:

 

Summary:

 

Sheffield City Council has welcomed its inclusion in the government’s £100 million Innovation Fund, aimed at transforming public services through a "test and learn" approach. Starting January 2025, Sheffield’s project will focus on expanding its Family Hubs, which support families with children aged up to five by addressing health, education, and wellbeing needs. The initiative will experiment with new outreach strategies, tech solutions, and community engagement to ensure more disadvantaged families access these vital services.

 

Chosen alongside Manchester, Essex, and Liverpool, Sheffield was selected for its successful public service track record, particularly its impactful Family Hubs. Leaders such as Cllr Dawn Dale and Cllr Tom Hunt emphasized the importance of early intervention in helping children thrive. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader vision for reform, encouraging innovation to tackle challenges like family support. The project’s results will shape the future rollout of Family Hubs across the UK.

I thought I'd try GPT, it all cut out all the crap.

 

Simplified Rewrite

Here’s how the same message might look in plain English:

Sheffield City Council Partners with Government for Family Hub Pilot
Sheffield City Council will participate in the government’s £100 million Innovation Fund to improve public services. Starting January 2025, Sheffield will test new ways to help disadvantaged families access its Family Hubs—centres offering support for children up to age five.

The project will try different methods, such as using technology and community outreach, to reach more families. Successful strategies will be expanded across the UK.

Council leader Tom Hunt said: “We want all children in Sheffield to thrive. This pilot lets us try new approaches to ensure more families get the support they need.”

 

 

 

 

Chat GPT’s thought’s

This type of writing often feels like it’s designed to sound impressive rather than communicate clearly. It leans heavily on buzzwords and bureaucratic language that can obscure the actual message. Let me break this down into key issues and thoughts:

1. Overuse of Jargon

Terms like “test-and-learn,” “rewire the state,” and “pioneering reform initiative” create a veneer of innovation but provide little substance. They sound more like marketing than a clear explanation of the project.

Words like “impact,” “barriers to opportunity,” and “thrilled to work” are vague. They signal positivity but don’t actually detail what’s being done.

Suggestion: Replace these with concrete, straightforward terms. For example, instead of “test-and-learn approach,” say “we’ll try different methods to see what works best.”

2. Abstract Goals Without Details

The article mentions “innovative outreach strategies” and “technology solutions” without explaining what these are. How will they increase access for disadvantaged families? What’s actually being tested?

Suggestion: Provide specific examples, such as “we’re piloting mobile apps to connect families to services” or “we’ll hold workshops in underrepresented neighborhoods.”

3. Repetition Without Insight

The core idea—that Sheffield will experiment with ways to improve Family Hub reach—could have been communicated in half the space. Instead, it’s padded with repetitive phrases about innovation and opportunity.

Suggestion: Tighten the focus. A single paragraph explaining the problem, the approach, and what success looks like would suffice.

4. Distracting Quotes

The quotes from officials don’t add much beyond restating what’s already been said. They feel like a PR formality rather than genuine insights.

Suggestion: Use quotes to share unique perspectives or specific plans, not just enthusiasm.

 

[*_ash_*]

1 minute ago, Vrsaljko said:

 

It does read like a load of management speak waffle. Essex also seems to have become a city too which is interesting.

good spot!

 

Usually I would spot things like this, but reading this type of ****e in the UK news is seriously affecting my mental health and I'm losing the will to live. 

[RollingJ]

19 minutes ago, *_ash_* said:

I thought I'd try GPT, it all cut out all the crap.

 

Simplified Rewrite

Here’s how the same message might look in plain English:

Sheffield City Council Partners with Government for Family Hub Pilot
Sheffield City Council will participate in the government’s £100 million Innovation Fund to improve public services. Starting January 2025, Sheffield will test new ways to help disadvantaged families access its Family Hubs—centres offering support for children up to age five.

The project will try different methods, such as using technology and community outreach, to reach more families. Successful strategies will be expanded across the UK.

Council leader Tom Hunt said: “We want all children in Sheffield to thrive. This pilot lets us try new approaches to ensure more families get the support they need.”

 

 

 

 

Chat GPT’s thought’s

This type of writing often feels like it’s designed to sound impressive rather than communicate clearly. It leans heavily on buzzwords and bureaucratic language that can obscure the actual message. Let me break this down into key issues and thoughts:

1. Overuse of Jargon

Terms like “test-and-learn,” “rewire the state,” and “pioneering reform initiative” create a veneer of innovation but provide little substance. They sound more like marketing than a clear explanation of the project.

Words like “impact,” “barriers to opportunity,” and “thrilled to work” are vague. They signal positivity but don’t actually detail what’s being done.

Suggestion: Replace these with concrete, straightforward terms. For example, instead of “test-and-learn approach,” say “we’ll try different methods to see what works best.”

2. Abstract Goals Without Details

The article mentions “innovative outreach strategies” and “technology solutions” without explaining what these are. How will they increase access for disadvantaged families? What’s actually being tested?

Suggestion: Provide specific examples, such as “we’re piloting mobile apps to connect families to services” or “we’ll hold workshops in underrepresented neighborhoods.”

3. Repetition Without Insight

The core idea—that Sheffield will experiment with ways to improve Family Hub reach—could have been communicated in half the space. Instead, it’s padded with repetitive phrases about innovation and opportunity.

Suggestion: Tighten the focus. A single paragraph explaining the problem, the approach, and what success looks like would suffice.

4. Distracting Quotes

The quotes from officials don’t add much beyond restating what’s already been said. They feel like a PR formality rather than genuine insights.

Suggestion: Use quotes to share unique perspectives or specific plans, not just enthusiasm.

 

@*_ash_* - but without all the 'waffle' it wouldn't sound half as impressive .😀

[Prettytom]

53 minutes ago, *_ash_* said:

Honestly, SF, I'm not trolling... 

I wondering if I've lost the ability to read English. 

 

I clicked on the word count and that's 503 words and a picture of a chalk slate with a scribble on it, and all I can see is verbal bs, though it's innovative and has lots of hubs. 

It’s a shame that they’ve chosen to put out such a  ridiculously impenetrable press release. This initiative really could make a huge difference to a lot of lives.

 

Early intervention in terms of health and education is a sensible and powerful strategy.  There are load of families out there that could potentially benefit from this.
 

Let’s hope that the project is more successful than the press release. 

[Dudley3]

I suspect all the £100 million will be spent, and not a lot will be achieved, although suggestions will come from the initiative that will require even more money being spent, I also suspect the City (?) of Essex will spend the largest proportion of the £100 million.

[Gormenghast]

I'd  like to copy onto here a post I made a little while ago on another thread about our "ten year plan". Its works equally well here I think...

 

"Posted Thursday at 12:03

Looking at this reminds me of a quote from advertising tycoon David Ogilvy -

 

"Our business is infected by idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon" 

 

Seems its not restricted to advertising.

 

Transformative, inclusive, imaginative, cultural richness, outcomes, metrics,  etc etc etc...

 

Yer in bleedin' Sheffield, not a £100 a seat plum-in-mouth willy waving contest.

 

SAY IT IN PLAIN ENGLISH"

 

I think it works here.