Watch now: Relational by Default: Sustaining the Impact of Changing Futures

How do we make relational, person-centred approaches the norm - not the exception - in public services?

The government’s current public service reform agenda is clear: move away from top-down, one-size-fits-all solutions and instead empower local areas to test, learn and grow. 

The Changing Futures Programme is a powerful example of this in action. With a £91.8 million investment, 15 local partnerships across England have been supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage through relational approaches and embedding a culture of learning and iteration.

But with national funding confirmed only until March 2026, the challenge is clear: How do we avoid this becoming a ‘cult project’ - innovative but isolated - and ensure this important work doesn't end when the funding does? Too often, public money is lost “between the silos” of fragmented services. Relational approaches offer a way to unlock these hidden resources, reducing duplication and enabling more effective, joined-up support. 

In this webinar, Mutual Ventures' Andrew Laird was joined by Collette Le Van-Gilroy, SRO for Changing Futures Surrey, and Mark Smith, Visiting Professor of Public Service Innovation at Manchester Metropolitan University and Former SRO for Changing Futures Northumbria, to explore: 

• Why relational approaches work for people, but still remain the exception in public services

• What role does Test, Learn and Grow play in supporting relational public services 

• What’s needed to create the enabling and sensemaking environments that make these approaches possible and sustainable