This analysis of the services and support for young people, published by the Centre for Social and Economic Inclusion, reveals substantial fragmentation with 33 funding streams.

The fragmentation is compounded by complexity, confusion and duplication across funding streams. The learning and skills provision spans all ages from 13-24. There are learning grants for those aged 16 or over, but employment support and benefits tend to be focused on those aged over 18.

Read more on HIDDEN TALENTS…

Sarah Lewis brings the fields of positive psychology and appreciative inquiry together to provide leaders and change agents with a powerful new approach to organizational excellence. She describes how positive leadership and appreciative inquiry can create inspiring organisations.

Read more on POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK…

Senior NHS managers will be spared the pay cut that will face their colleagues as market facing pay is introduced in April 2013. This will result in a widening of the pay differential by up to 10 per cent.

Read more on MARKET FACING PUBLIC SECTOR PAY WILL WIDEN GAP BETWEEN TOP AND BOTTOM…

More than 70 per cent of homeless people are being discharged from hospital back onto the streets, damaging their health and costing the NHS money. This is a key finding from a report from Homeless Link and St Mungo’s.

Read more on HOSPITALS DISCHARGING HOMELESS PEOPLE ONTO THE STREET…

Social tenants in rural areas are more likely than those in urban areas to have to move house as a consequence of reductions in housing benefit.

Research by the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning found that reductions in benefits for those who live in social-rented properties with more bedrooms than they need will have a greater impact on people living in rural areas than urban areas. This may force people to choose between losing benefit and moving away from their friends and community in search of smaller properties in towns. There is an acute shortage of one-bedroom properties in many rural districts.,

Read more on BENEFIT CHANGES WILL HIT CLAIMANTS IN RURAL AREAS HARDER…

Lord Andrew Adonis argues that public sector procurement can deliver more efficiency and reduce costs further. In this article he describes the changes that are taking place and he points the way to transforming the procurement process across the board.

Read more on THE FUTURE OF PROCUREMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR…

This document calls for the adoption of a tougher approach to tackle fraud against local councils organised around the three themes of Acknowledge, Prevent and Pursue. The approach demands a new partnership between central and local government. Local government must recognise the cross boundary nature of fraud and adopt the best practice identified throughout this document to tackle the highest fraud risks by sharing data and by conducting a review of the use of powers by councils.

Read more on LOCAL GOVERNMENT FRAUD STRATEGY…

Russell Ackoff’s witty and subversive “F/laws of Management” have become well known and widely loved by managers and business students around the world. They cover areas like hierarchy, teams, innovation, motivation and management. The f/laws contradict assumptions often held by managers.

Read more on ACKOFF’S F/LAWS: THE CAKE…

Public sector staff who survive the cuts are taking on additional roles which require new skills. Because training budgets have been cut this extra training need is being met by learning from colleagues and independent research.

Read more on LIFE BEYOND THE CUTS: NEW ROLES – NEW SKILLS – TIGHTER TRAINING BUDGETS…

In this article Graham Jones characterises two styles of public service leadership: the ‘safe’ and the ‘real’. He explores the effect of the two styles on organisations and suggests what can be done to create a beneficial leadership culture.

Read more on ENSURING THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS THROUGH REAL LEADERSHIP…