Duncan O'Leary
Duncan works on projects looking at public services, skills and work.
- total public services And wasn?t one of the great football teams was the Dutch team which famously played ?total football?? This is a system where positions are very fluid and everyone covers everyone else. As the BBC describes it, ?if a defender wants to go on a mazy run towards goal, a midfielder will fill in for him at the back - and stay there?So, would teams be more successful if footballer?s bonuses reflected how much defending Alan Shearer does, or how much attacking the defenders do, in addition to their... continue reading on 3rd January 2006
- It's all about me Great picture over on Councillor Andrew Brown's blog... continue reading on 21st December 2005
- War of the Wards There will be the inevitable cries for government to ?do something?, which it probably will (and returning to the election, you might also remember that one of the Tories? five election pledges was ?Cleaner hospitals?). But if anyone has learnt anything from that question time dilemma, then perhaps people will listen to Nigel Edwards, the policy director of the NHS confederation, and his point that "very high pressure" by a "very large push" to take care of other priorities. "If you're short... continue reading on 21st December 2005
- He's right you know I've come accross a bizarre set of statistics over on the Guardian Newsblog - apparently the British Household Panel Survey has thrown up a link between female offspring and a propensity to support Labour or the Lib Dems.Prof Oswald and Dr Powdthavee explain the findings by explaining that "through subconscious concern for their daughters, [parents] become sympathetic to the 'female' desire for more public spending and thus a steeper income tax schedule. Similarly, a mother with many sons... continue reading on 20th December 2005
- What qualifies you for work? The answer's not as obvious as you'd think, apparently. A couple of stats from today's Edge/YouGov poll: - 67% of employers believed schools were not equipping young people with vital work skills such as team working, communication and time keeping. - 71% of employers would consider hiring young people with poor exam grades who had completed a large amount of work experience. continue reading on 19th December 2005
- Are you being served? All of which reminds me of a speech I saw Alan Johnson make on regulation about a month ago. He reminded the audience that, when employed effectively, regulation can be used to increase competition between providers, adding dynamism to the market rather than reducing it. Which is generally good news if you?re a consumer. So you might have guessed by now that I?m edging towards admissions policies and competition, and regulation in the White Paper. This is personal view ? and I?m prepared to be... continue reading on 19th December 2005
- Enterprisingly numerate and literate problem-solving citizenship studies... The interesting thing about it seems to be that there is no predetermined answer that the young people on each project are working towards (and that the teacher knows and they don't) - because they are tackling genuine problems. The way in which the projects are set up also mean that those involved need to develop and draw upon a whole range of skills - building relationships, working as a team, solving problems, recording and communicating findings to partners etc etc.But perhaps the most... continue reading on 15th December 2005
- You decide... This will be interesting if it happens.People who are not members of the Conservative Party may help to select its candidates...There could also be American-style primary elections in which registered Tory supporters - or even ordinary voters who are not Tories - could vote on a shortlist of candidates drawn up by the local association.We've been having a few conversations (ok, arguments) at Demos recently about the role of political parties in renewing local Democracy, so it would be good to... continue reading on 13th December 2005
- The Leadership Imperative Our report on leadership in children's serives is out today (download it here). After much scratching of heads we called it The Leadership Imperative; we argue that the greatest challenge facing children's services is to change professional cultures, and whilst central government can help support this, it certainly can't 'deliver' it.The report's received some coverage in the last week or so. Hannah has a peice on the Guardian online; there is a report in the TES this week looking at our... continue reading on 7th December 2005
- The votes are in... There have been weeks of deliberation. Of point scoring. Of drama. Of tears. Of trials. The candidates have answered searching questions. The cult of celebrity, in the age of 24 hour news, has pushed them to the edge. The voters have had their say, eliminating one by one.And the results? A victory for Thatcherism... continue reading on 6th December 2005