Walsall Borough Strategic Partnership A Vision for Walsall 2021

Walsall in a Global Context A global dimension to our lives What might the future hold for us?

The Future Is Asia

China: Economic Growth Forecast $trn Overtakes Britain 2005 Overtakes America 2035 Overtakes Germany 2008

China Tomorrow Highly motivated, educated talent pool Growth of knowledge, high-tech sector China corporations in acquisition trail China determines currency rates and world trading patterns

India: Economic Growth Forecast $trn Overtakes Britain 2022 Overtakes Japan 2032 Overtakes US 2050

India: Tomorrow Continuous upgrading in talent pool High tech/knowledge based sector Infrastructure investment Emerging “affluent” consumer market –Opportunities Indian companies in acquisition trail Improved compliance enforcement

India & China 2.5 billion people into the world economy

A Vision for Walsall…in 2021 A vision needs to be both locally strong and globally aware The WBSP wanted to create a longer term vision And, involve the wider community in creating that vision

Vision “Leaders articulate a vision and persuade people that they want to become part of it, so that they willingly, even enthusiastically, accept the distress that accompanies its realisation”.

Vision “Vision is the link between dream and action”. “When people have a vision they are motivated to make it a reality”.

Vision “We each are influenced by our own mental picture of what we are building with our efforts…these mental pictures are visions and they play an important part in what a community becomes.”

Why 2021? The vision for 2008 provided focus, direction and cohesion Pride and confidence have been built around specific objectives Vision 2008 was a shorter term timescale people related to well

Why 2021? A longer term vision is required Connecting here and now to the future Recognising the potential for Walsall Connecting the local to the global

The Vision 2021 Project In late 2005 Oi was asked by WBSP to carry out some preliminary work on a Vision for Walsall in 2021 Aimed to report to the Walsall ‘summit’ in Spring 2006

The Purpose of the 2021 Inquiry To engage partners and stakeholders in a process of discovering what Walsall can be in 2021, in order to: Create a compelling vision for the community. Determine the necessary components and milestones to achieve the vision.

The Purpose of the 2021 Inquiry Generate relevant and meaningful insights related to the physical, technological, sociological and organisational design of Walsall. Create a positive transition to the new Walsall by building understanding, support and buy-in for the change (and all that the change implies). We are using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) techniques to engage people.

What Is Appreciative Inquiry? “Ap-pre’-ci-ate, v.” …to value or admire highly; to judge with heightened understanding; to recognize with gratitude “In-quire, v.” …to search into, investigate; to seek for information by questioning

AI… Focuses organisations and communities on their most positive qualities. Leverages those qualities to enhance the organisation or community. Appreciative Inquiry is the study of what works well

Why use AI ? AI is a way of seeing things in the world, i.e. problems and solutions are not separate but part of a whole, made of wishes for and paths to the future Our current models tend to be ‘deficit based’, placing high value on the machine metaphor, i.e. take it apart, fix it and return to some ideal state

What’s Different About AI? Purposefully positive Builds on past successes ‘Grass roots’ and ‘top down’ Highly participative Nurtures a positive inner dialogue Stimulates vision and creativity Accelerates change

The ‘4-D’ Model Discovery Appreciate “What is” Dream Imagine “What might be” Delivery Create “What will be” Design Determine “What should be” Affirmative Topic Choice

The Four Appreciative Propositions People want to live in Walsall Walsall has excellent education and employment opportunities There are lots of things for everyone to do in Walsall Walsall is a friendly place where people get along well

The Story So Far First round of over 50 organisations, identified for conversations Completed the conversations early in 2006 Now on the second round of conversations Keen to increase the ‘team’ of interviewers and the number of conversations we hold

Round One Synthesis A skilled workforce for the 21 st century A more flexible curriculum for children and young people A 21 st century transport infra structure A town centre offer – live arts and performance centre, café culture and great shopping

What we heard… “….every place has a time that’s theirs, where things happen. I believe that this is Walsall’s time now, if we can grab it and make it our time” “Change needs to be vibrant and people need to be energised by their surrounding” “There are huge opportunities for Walsall to establish itself at the leading edge of a renaissance for the Black Country and the Birmingham region.” “Investment in young people repays itself’ “…Walsall is positive about its diversity…moving forward because diversity brings wealth – through individual enterprise, through cultural exchange and through the trade and investment that can follow communities with strong links to foreign countries.”

Round Two Emerging Themes The 4 main themes from Round One came out strongly again Strong cross sector partnerships for long term planning and investment Safety in neighbourhoods and town centre Community cohesion – celebrating and building more understanding Preserving and improving green spaces in and around Walsall

Consulting the Citizen’s Panel 715 Panel members replied to a questionnaire in the Autumn of 2006 Some questions were based on the positive elements designed for the AI Conversations A different methodology to AI Not the same sort of creative information – did not allow for the “dream” element! But….showing some similar priorities, desires and hopes

Vision 2021 in 2007 Bruce Gilbert, Chairperson of the WBSP

Vision Appreciative Inquiry - Part 2 Remember Appreciative Inquiry is deliberately positive People naturally move towards the positive and what works well So, discovering what works well is part of the AI process

Discovering What Works Well for You… Without being modest, what do you most value about yourself and your capacity to produce and contribute to your team, your organisation and community? What are the main things that support and encourage high levels of success and satisfaction in your team, organisation and community?

In Closing How can Vision 2021 help your community, group or organisation to have appreciative conversations? We would like you to contribute to Vision 2021 in 2007.