IGN research and guidance

Mainstreaming Inclusive Growth – making it a reality

A companion piece to our Framework and Toolkit with key learnings from our member-led workshops

Inclusive Growth Network

Mainstreaming inclusive growth

Inclusive Growth Network

R42 - Mainstreaming inclusive growth download pic

IGN guide

Mainstreaming Inclusive Growth – making it a reality

This IGN guide has been authored by the IGN with contributions from Metro Dynamics, North East Combined Authority and West Midlands Combined Authority.

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Our Mainstreaming Inclusive Growth report provides a framework and toolkit for members to put inclusive growth at the core of business and decision-making processes.

It includes five strands of activity, which set out the practical steps that places can take to establish inclusive growth as an important driver of local policy and practice. These are: strategy and accountability, measurement and implementation tools, shared capacity building, interventions and programmes, and organisational practice, culture and levers for change.

Our workshops

To help our members to operationalise this toolkit, we worked closely with the North East and West Midlands Combined Authorities to run a series of five workshops, one on each strand of the framework.

We used the Time to Think method developed by Nancy Kline to provide the space for members to share good practice and learning.

'The workshops provided a refreshing way of thinking and discussing what can feel like an overwhelming and complex area of policy. Everyone approached the workshops with an openminded and positive outlook which created a supportive space for sharing best practice, challenges and lessons learnt when turning inclusive growth into a reality.'

~ Isabel Ramos, Corporate Policy Officer, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

'The mainstreaming inclusive growth workshops gave me time to think about what we do well as a Council, and to really listen to, and reflect on how to implement, examples of best practice from around the country.'

~Anonymous

Key learnings

This companion piece presents the key learnings that have come out of the workshops, based on the experiences of officers at the forefront of policy and practice. Across the five sessions, a set of common themes emerged across four spheres of influence:

Partnership and coalition – building a cross-sector movement, celebrating success and engaging diverse communities

Organisation – developing buy in, using consistent messaging and raising awareness

People – collaborating, recognising inclusive growth leadership in all roles and working with a culture of curiosity

Project and programme – storytelling, using clear language and capturing impact

What next?

We will continue to work closely with members to transform inclusive growth from theory to reality, building on the aspirational and positive discussions at our member-led workshops.

If you would like to have a conversation about how you are approaching this in your organisation, please get in touch at ign@progressive-policy.net. For more resources on mainstreaming inclusive growth, check out our Resource Hub.

We would like to thank Robin Fry and Rachel Edwards (North East Combined Authority), Si Chun Lam and Madiyha Ghafoor (West Midlands Combined Authority) and Ellis Farrar (Metro Dynamics) for their contributions to the workshops and companion piece.