Lectures
2023 Green Templeton lectures series convened by Principal Sir Michael Dixon And Associate Fellow Caroline Greenhalgh. Exploring whether philanthropy has a problem with evidence under the umbrella ‘Seeing is believing’.
As an England Committee member of the National Lottery Communities Fund, Scott chaired the £210m A Better Start early years programme. This was the largest single lottery programme at the time which, through a competitive process, provided 10 years funding to 5 voluntary sector led partnerships.
Role: To oversee the design and implementation of an ambitious, preventative and place-based programme of support for children and their families. (Early years was defined as conception to age 3). There was extensive consultation with local communities and other stakeholders.
Result: A great example of place-based grantmaking and how collaboration between multiple public and voluntary sector stakeholders is key to ensure positive outcomes. The 5 areas took different approaches to A Better Start and the complexity and challenges in both the design and execution of this programme offer wonderful opportunities to study how to effect lasting system change.
Summary: In a talk to students at the LSE Marshall Institute in February 2023, Scott explores the trade-off’s that exist between “profit” and “purpose” when private for profit companies deliver public services. In this example, he discusses children’s residential social care in England where the private sector is responsible for more than 80% of “the market”. This has led to a situation where public policy is highly dependent on the actions and motives of the private sector; the presentation asks the question is this healthy and desirable and does it best support positive outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our society?