Common Vision Director’s report 2023
1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Common Vision is an independent think tank specialising in deliberative dialogue, community listening and civic imagination. Our mission is to inspire collaborative action and catalyse collective agency through knowledge, learning and connection. We work with a range of different communities of place, practice, interest and identity, bringing them together to listen and learn from each other, and helping them find common goals and solutions to work towards together.
The Company’s objects (the Objects) are:
1) to promote education for the public benefit regarding social, economic and public policy matters and to undertake research, discussion and publication in furtherance of such objects;
2) in pursuance of all its objects the Company will be non-partisan, politically unaligned and dedicated to discerning the common good.
2. REVIEW OF THIS YEAR’S ACHIEVEMENTS
This annual report sets out our achievements during the financial year ending 30th June 2023 and later developments towards the end of 2023.
The past year has been another year of disruption. Whilst in previous years, the unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic came as an unexpected and extreme shock, ongoing disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis means that risk and fragility are now ever-present features of our social and economic systems.
In this difficult context, Common Vision’s work has sought to explore what a more positive and resilient future could look like. We have continued to undertake a number of projects which bring people and communities together to share their experiences and aspirations for the future. We work with a range of communities of interest, identity, place, and practice, including civil society and business leaders, arts and culture practitioners, young people, local community leaders, public bodies, and charitable funders.
In a time of national and global political turbulence, we’ve been exploring community resilience and power. Our recent playbook on community resilience looks at the role which local communities play in our energy, health, food, education and digital systems. Meanwhile, our participatory research on a housing estate in North London has explored new ways to empower young people in place-making and regeneration processes.
Voluntary and community groups are under pressure, not least due to rising energy costs, stretched volunteer capacity and fewer donations coupled with higher demand from the communities they support. Earlier this year we completed research on civil society infrastructure - the shared services and networks which individual charities, social enterprises and community organisations draw on for support - and how resourcing infrastructure can help civil society to be impactful, resilient and adaptive in the future. We've also been working with 15 citizen researchers around the country to explore how younger generations are engaging in social impact and what civil society can do to support and engage more young people. This year we also completed our work with Arts Council England capturing the community engagement approaches used by cultural organisations to spark creativity in their communities and keep people feeling connected and supported over the course of the pandemic.
Heatwaves and winter fuel crises are stark reminders of the risks of climate change and the prospect of many more disruptions to our lives to come. It is normal to feel worried, fearful and angry in response - but harnessed properly, our emotions can also propel us to take determined action. In 2022 we designed and launched an interactive self-guided digital tool exploring emotional responses to climate change, informed by a co-design exercise with young people and insights from climate psychology, environmental science and narrative change theory. We are now exploring ways to take this model to other demographics by creating resources which can be used in different community settings. This year we also conducted a nationwide research project exploring the links between personal and planetary health through qualitative research on young people’s perceptions of sustainable food.
3. STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCIAL POSITION
The disruption caused by the pandemic to our business model continues to result in financial pressures on the organisation. The cost-of-living crisis is also affecting staff recruitment and retention, and this has resulted in lower fundraising capacity impacting revenue in the last financial year. However, over the last three years we have significantly expanded our portfolio and developed a strong track record in qualitative and participatory research, and we are hopeful that this will be reflected in fundraising and securing new projects. Building the brand and reaching new audiences is a strategic goal for the next year.