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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 12h

Interesting, thanks, didn’t know about this!

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 12h

It’s amazing how often this happens. tbf O2 did a good job setting up giffgaff. Likewise Octopus with Kracken. But so many of them kill their own attempts to innovate.

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 12h

Done!

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 12h

Oh that’s great to hear. Lots of useful links in this reply to this thread. I’d be happy to chat whenever you get to this issue.

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Reposted by James Plunkett

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

A Civic AI Tech Fund! 50% of the AI use cases I see are not AI anyway.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

This seems to have got worse in the last 10-15 years - a reversal of the early efforts of the Digital Marketplace. Commissioning/procurement frameworks are harder to access, and senior officials have so little discretion. NB: @kinship.works is doing some thinking on procurement to help with this 2/2

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

My general issue with this kind of funding (and central govt funding generally) is that it has become unfathomably hard to get small amounts and to support nascent initiatives. If I want <£100k these days it seems foundations and local govt are the only viable route… 1/2

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

This is *very* interesting, thanks. Sounds like a viable route. Do you know if they have funded much civic tech work so far / if this fits the intention/scope? cc @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social @stianwestlake.bsky.social

explore.cc

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

I thought you meant I had become such a parody that I have surely been replaced by an LLM. Or maybe you do?!

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

Nice, yes absolutely. I also wonder how to do the core funding in a way that stays porous and doesn’t just build a few centres. Maybe there are ways to fund stable cores but that have flows of people in and out.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 15h

Nice. I think we can help with the influencing / money side of it. It is *so* relevant to the neighbourhoods agenda, which is getting £bns. It would be insane not to also support the civic tech ecosystem that could make all neighbourhood work quicker, better, and easier.

James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 16h

I like that. I guess tech for a healthier democracy is a big part of what’s needed. The mechanism sounds smart too. Definifely need to avoid this being a classic government grant programme.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 17h

@platformplaces.bsky.social @nickplumb.bsky.social maybe you know if there’s any live work happening to push for this/develop a proposal.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

I also wonder if NLCF would back something like this. They do fantastic work supporting grassroots community initiatives, but surely investing in the civic tech that these initiatives need would be a huge enabler, and money well spent. 4/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

I wonder if the model is a build on the CLG Local Digital Fund, but more networked and social. Maybe there’s a smallish central team - govt funded but arms length - that does user needs research and builds key infrastructure. Plus funding people can bid for. And some network-building.
3/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

@rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social I’m sure you will know! I’m wondering if @kinship.works can be helpful by making the case and co-developing a proposal.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

Feels timely with Pride in Place and the growing recognition that a lot of the answer lies in revitalizing civic life, neighbourhood-level activity, etc. Supporting the tech that enables this.

Maybe it’s not a fund, or only partly a fund. Also a network, investment in convening people, etc. 2/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 18h

Are there any live proposals to get DSIT (and/or CLG?) to create a Civic Tech Fund? An initiative to support the UK’s civic tech movement (pro-social platforms like Library of Things, Olio, Park Run, etc) and shared infrastructure for community organising. 1/n

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

Aha. Must do more Salvia next year. Has flowered for about six months nonstop!

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

💯 We did a study trip to a big bank once to learn from their digital teams, and the main thing we learned was that they have a horror show of legacy tech

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

Also, how wonderful are these rain gardens Hackney keeps building.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

Is it an unusually warm autumn? Doesn’t feel that way, but cornflowers and cosmos in the community garden are still flowering. Also, these last two, which I never know the names of.

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

The waves being:
1. Parsons and structural functionalism
2. 1960s cybernetics
3. Late-1980s/1990s complexity theory (Santa Fe institute, etc).
(Although tbf I’m not sure we ever got close to integrating the lessons from the first two! And arguably cybernetics is now spreading alongside wave 3.)
2/2

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James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · 2d

This is fascinating although I must admit is not a beach read. It makes me think that one of the big trends we’re seeing in government/public policy is the spread of third wave systems theory (into theories of statecraft, PSR, leadership training, etc). 1/2

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