News

The work of the Commission of Inquiry has been recently referred to in an article published on one of the leading online current affairs websites.

Opening yesterday's House of Lords debate on social policy, the Lord Bishop of Leicester pointed to the findings of the Inquiry Commission as published in the report, Making Good Society. Echoing the words of the Commission, the Bishop highlighted the momentous opportunity we have at present of moving from an age of ‘me’ to an age of ‘we’.

Two further papers written to inform the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society are now available to download from our website.

Jim Stewart's paper on mutuals and alternative banking looks at the financial crisis in Ireland and the state’s responses. It considers the role of civil society institutions operating in the financial sector in Ireland, and how their role might be expanded. To read more click here.

Natalie Fenton, one of the lead researchers on the Inquiry's work on democratising media, will be speaking at next month's Future of News Media seminar being held by the Westminster Media Forum.

Natalie, whose research with Goldsmiths University helped inform the Commission's findings and recommendations, will be speaking on an esteemed panel about alternative ways to finance and restructure news media in the UK. To read Goldsmith's research click here.

A new website, 'Click on Wales' (www.clickonwales.org), has welcomed the Commission’s final report, 'Making good society', heralding the findings as being particularly pertinent to Wales.

In the article, Geraint Talfan Davies identifies relevance for Wales in each of the Commission’s major areas of challenge and opportunity for civil society, paying particular attention to the Inquiry Commission’s recommendations in relation to the media, where he has a specific interest.

The news platform, Click on Wales, is extremely new itself, launched only last month. It was set up and is managed by the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA), an independent, membership-based think tank, of which Geraint is Chair.

The final report of the Commission of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society will be launched today. The report, Making good society, articulates the importance of civil society in all spheres of life, and identifies four critical areas in which civil society activity is necessary to make good society: growing a more civil economy; enabling a rapid and just transition to a low carbon economy; democratising media ownership and content; and growing participatory and deliberative democracy.

The report will be launced at an event being held at the St Etehlburga's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, in London. The event will be hosted by Geoff Mulgan, Chair of the Inquiry, and civil society leaders from key sectors will be responding to the Commission's findings. Guest respondents include:

The Guardian has today published an article on the Commission of Inquiry's work around democratising media. The feature picks up on the Commission's call for a more pluralist media landscape and highlights the potential for alternative media ownership models to develop through new funding streams.

To read the article click here. 

There are now limited places available for the Edinburgh launch event for the final report of the Commission of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society. If you would like to attend this event please contact info@carnegieuk.org by Monday 15 March.

Commissioners, Joyce McMIllan, Philomena de Lima, Richard Atkinson and Anna Nicholl will be attending the event hosted at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Thursday 18 March.

Guest speakers at the event will include:

• Martin Johnstone, Faith in Community Scotland
• Martin Sime, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
• Antonia Swinson, Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition

For more information about this event contact: Morven Masterton

The launch of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland, Making good society, will take place at events in March, April and May 2010. To book a place at launch events (London - 15 March, Edinburgh - 18 March, Cardiff - 22 March) or to order a free copy of the Commission report e-mail catherine@carnegieuk.org

Geoff Mulgan, Chair of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, gave a speech to a packed audience at this year’s Financial Services Research Forum autumn seminar, ‘After the Crunch: What Has Been Learned?’. Whilst other speakers focused on the responsibility of government, the financial regulators, and the functioning of the market, Geoff’s speech reflected on the role of civil society in relation to the financial sector.

A summary of the speech which featured in The Independent on Friday 20 November is presented below.

Geoff Mulgan: Only with an act of political courage can we re-civilise our economy