Social Media, Youth and Consumption of Cultural Spaces (LOCUS)

LOCUS explores young people’s interactions with cultural spaces through the lens of social media consumption. This project investigates to what extent young people’s social media consumption transforms cultural spaces to “performative spaces” and how young people’s engagement with such spaces enacts their digital identities.


Doing Gig Work – Illustrated Material Published

Publication aims to raise awareness about the platform-based gig economy


EESC publishes opinion on the importance of co-creation that draws from PERU’s work on the COSIE project

EESC: Co-creation of services of general interest as a contribution to a more participative democracy in the EU.


PERU’s Professor Ashwin Kumar cited in debate surrounding government ‘fiscal event’

PERU’s Professor Ashwin Kumar has been cited by The Guardian regarding the distributional effect of the government’s recent ‘fiscal event’


TASO ‘Impact Evaluation With Small Cohorts: Methodology Guidance’ published online

We have been working with TASO to develop guidance on evaluation with small cohorts and it is now available on their website. TASO’s focus is widening participation and improving student outcomes in higher education but the guidance can be applied to many areas of social policy evaluation.


Are Social Impact Bonds an Innovation in Finance or Do They Help Finance Social Innovation?

Using data from the Social Finance UK Database and focusing on SIBs in the US and UK, Olson et al. evaluate whether the SIB approach aligns with the theoretical predictions of social innovation.


New book, ‘Public Service Motivation? Rethinking What Motivates Public Actors’ by Chris O’Leary published

In this new book, Chris O’Leary looks afresh at the reasons for prosocial work choices in the first substantive critique of Public Service Motivation (PSM).


Public Service Motivation? Rethinking What Motivates Public Actors

Chris O’Leary looks afresh at the reasons for prosocial work choices in the first substantive critique of Public Service Motivation (PSM).


Theme: Social Innovation in Public Services – Innovating ‘Co-Creative’ Relationships Between Services, Citizens and Communities?

The authors report and analyse innovative co-creative initiatives involving marginalized and stigmatized groups (prisoners, urban racialized minorities, rural poor populations including Roma).


Book Review: Local Social Innovation to Combat Poverty and Exclusion: A Critical Appraisal

This book review by Sue Baines provides an insight into the value that Oosterlynck, Novy and Kazepov's book brings to the field of social innovation.


Social Innovation and Co-creation in Smallscale Renewable Energy: an Asset-based Approach

This paper makes a novel contribution by turning an ‘asset’ lens onto social and technical innovation in the context of the small-scale generation of renewable energy.


Co-Creating Rehabilitation: Findings From a Pilot and Implications for Wider Public Service Reform

As part of a large pan-European project on co-creating public services we supported the design of a programme in England that attempted to operationalise research on desistance, through a model of co-created, strengths-based working. We then evaluated its implementation and impact.


The gig economy: entrepreneurialism, solidarity and the myth of flexibility

Venue: On-line
26th of November, 09.00 to 10.30 GMT


‘Good stories get lost in bureaucracy!’

Cultural biases and information for co-production


Cycling Societies: Innovations, Inequalities and Governance – book launch

Venue: On-line
8th of November, 17.30 - 19.00 GMT


Evaluation of the Skill Mill Social Impact Bond (SIB)

Skill Mill is a social enterprise highly regarded for innovative approaches to addressing youth crime while bringing social and environmental benefits to communities.


A New Agenda for Co-Creating Public Services

This paper draws together key findings from CoSIE with a particular focus on what these imply for new policy and practice in public services in the form of a discussion paper aimed at European, national and regional policy-makers.


Evaluation of Social Impact Bonds that utilise strengths-based, co-created ways of working

PERU has been commissioned by Bridges Outcomes Partnerships to evaluation two social-outcomes contracts that are tackling homelessness using strengths-based and co-created ways of working with people.


Imagining gig work futures through roleplay

Using a deck of virtual cards to think about the future of work


Social Impact Bonds 2.0: exploring the future of SIBs

To achieve their potential SIBs must be re-configured to become a catalyst for innovation, driving public sector reform and addressing new social and economic needs in the post-Covid world.


Making Sense of Information and Evidence for Co-Creation

A blog for the H2020 project CoSIE, reflecting on ways to navigate tensions between differing views on good information and reliable evidence.


Cycling Societies Innovations, Inequalities and Governance

Emerging debates and questions around cycling


The Big Life Group – Multi Modal Practitioner (MMP) evaluation

In partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the Barrow Cadbury Trust, PERU researchers are undertaking a qualitative study on the views and experiences of participants in the Chance to Change pilots.


New book published on cycling

New book asks 'what is good cycling?'


Social Impact Bonds 2.0? Findings from a Study of Four UK SIBs

How Social Impact Bonds can facilitate a move to strengths-based service delivery and help drive innovation in public service delivery


Staying Close Evaluation

Publication Date: Monday 02 November 2020


Where Next for Co-creating Public Services?

Emerging lessons and new questions from CoSIE


Where next for co-creating public services? Policy Seminar

Venue: On-line
Wed 7 October 2020


Young People and Mental health: How do young people want mental health support to be delivered?

Kim Heyes, ManMet colleagues and Youth Mental Health Matters recently conducted some consultation groups with young people, professionals, and parents about what they think mental health services should look like for young people.


Do Social Impact Bonds help spur innovation?

Professor Gary Painter, Director at the Sol Price Center for Social Innovation at the University of Southern California, and a Visiting Professor at PERU, presented new findings from collaborative research with staff at PERU on Social Impact Bonds at Oxford University.


Implementing Innovative Social Investment: Strategic Lessons from Europe

This edited collection brings regional and local realities to the forefront of social investment debates by showcasing successes, challenges and setbacks of Social Investment policies and services from ten European countries.


Commissioning and social determinants: evidence and opportunities

This chapter argues that local authorities can and should use their purchasing power strategically to address the social determinants of health that affect their local area.


Doing gig work: Social implications of platform-based food deliveries

This research aims to study the platform-based gig economy and its reconfiguration of urban spaces by investigating the management, solidarity and resistance of cycle couriers in three European cities: Manchester, Lyon (France) and Cluj-Napoca (Romania).


Professor Sue Baines’ blog post: Doing Co-creation – a Challenge of Social Investment

Blog post 'Doing Co-creation – a Challenge of Social Investment'


Radical Home Care: How self-managing teams could save social care

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 10 March 2020


Towards a Theoretical Framework for Social Impact Bonds

Governments in some of the world’s richest nations appear to be caught in a double challenge of declining social budgets even as social needs are increasing.


Working towards social inclusion: Supporting offenders and marginalised groups into sustainable employment

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 11 February 2020


Innovation and the Evidence Base

This report explores the concept of innovation and its application to the delivery of probation services.


Evaluating the Money and Work prototype

An evaluation of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Money and Work prototype, which was being implemented in Nottinghamshire between April 2019 and April 2020.


PERU participates in the General Assembly of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

PERU's Chris Fox and Ashwin Kumar too part in the General Assembly of the UN affiliated European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research.


PERU participates in the General Assembly of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

PERU's Chris Fox and Ashwin Kumar too part in the General Assembly of the UN affiliated European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research.


Successful US launch of our partnership with Sol Price Center for Social Innovation at University of Southern California

PERU's Chris Fox was at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles last week for the launch of our partnership with the Price Center for Social Innovation.


Successful US launch of our partnership with Sol Price Center for Social Innovation at University of Southern California

PERU's Chris Fox was at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles last week for the launch of our partnership with the Price Center for Social Innovation.


Successful US launch of our partnership with Sol Price Center for Social Innovation at University of Southern California

PERU's Chris Fox was at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles last week for the launch of our partnership with the Price Center for Social Innovation.


Procurement and commissioning in the non-profit sector

Procurement and commissioning in the non-profit sector


Co-creation of Service Innovations in Europe (CoSIE)

PERU worked with a consortium of 24 partners across Europe on Co-creation of Service Innovations in Europe (CoSIE) from 2017 to 2021. Co-ordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences, the consortium comprised universities, companies, public agencies and civil society organizations.


Are Social Impact Bonds an Innovation in Finance or Do They Help Finance Social Innovation?

Venue: University of Southern California
Tue 1 October 2019


Transforming Research and Policy

A Handbook to Connect Research with Policy Making


In-work poverty: low pay, productivity and gender

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Mon 9 September 2019


Radical reforms to local authorities have gone unnoticed and unchallenged: Chris O’Leary writes in The Conversation

In an article in The Conversation PERU's Chris O'Leary argues that reforms to the way local authorities are funded are probably the most radical – and least discussed – changes made by the coalition and conservative governments since 2010.


Innovation and the future of probation

Chris Fox delivered a presentation to HM Inspectorate of Probation's Summer School for its Assistant Inspectors.


Ashwin Kumar chairs panel discussion at launch of Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter

Ashwin Kumar chaired the panel discussion at the launch on 22 July of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter.


Ashwin Kumar speaks at Fabian Society event on the future of work for low-paid workers

On 24 July, Ashwin Kumar will speak at a Fabian Society event on the future of work for low-paid workers


Ashwin Kumar speaks at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership event on Women and the Future of Work

Ashwin Kumar spoke at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership event on Women and the Future of Work. 


Co-creation of Public Service Innovation

Drawing together ideas about co-creation, social innovation, social investment and individual and collective values that underpin the CoSIE project.


New partnership with the University of Southern California

We are pleased to announce a new international partnership on social impact investing between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Southern California.


PERU appointed to What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care Panel of Evaluators

The Policy Evaluation and Research Unit have been appointed to Panel of Evaluators for the What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care.


Power dynamics in “service provision”

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Wed 8 May 2019


Professor Susan Baines Inaugural Lecture: Reinventing the past – investing in the future

Venue: LT1 Geoffrey Manton, Manchester Metropolitan University
Mon 25 March 2019


Implementing Innovative Social Investment

Available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence. The turn towards a Social Investment approach to welfare implies deploying resources to enhance human capital and mobilise the productive potential of citizens, starting in early childhood.


Evaluation of Addaction’s Social Impact Bond (SIB) in Cornwall

PERU are evaluating the Cornwall Frequent Attenders Social Impact Bond being delivered by With You (formally Addaction).


Professor Sue Baines inaugural lecture

Professor Sue Baines will deliver her inaugural lecture ('Reinventing the past – investing in the future') on Monday 25th March at 6pm.


Evaluating outcome-based payment programmes: challenges for evidence-based policy

We review the state of evaluation within outcome-based commissioning in the United Kingdom.


Ashwin Kumar appointed as new Professor of Social Policy

Ashwin Kumar, currently Chief Economist at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), is joining Manchester Met in May 2019 as its new Professor of Social Policy.


Chris Fox undertaking Chancellor’s Fellowship with Think Local, Act Personal (TLAP)

In 2017, TLAP published a report Gathering the Evidence: Making Personal Budgets Work for All, setting out a direction for improving understanding on the impact of personalisation.


Social Impact Bonds: More Than One Approach

A look at how social impact bonds differ between projects and geographies, and how those differences impact practical implementation.


Offender to Entrepreneur: Sharing best practice from the USA in enabling individuals to develop a crime free future

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Wed 9 January 2019


US podcast features PERU staff’s book on Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds

The most recent edition of the Bedrosian Center podcast features a recently published book on Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds


Complex commissioning for complex needs using partnerships, individuals assets and lived experience

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 6 November 2018


Innovation and Social Investment Programs in Europe

There is a lack of empirical research around sub‐national Social Investment programs, and a lack of connectivity with social innovation.


Manchester event, 6th Nov: Academy for Social Justice Evening Seminar

Complex commissioning for complex needs using partnerships, individuals assets and lived experience to build fulfilling lives.


Engaging Offenders – exploring alternative approaches to commissioning voluntary sector services

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Thu 13 September 2018


The government’s rough sleeping strategy has some major flaws argues Chris O’Leary

In a new article in Inside Housing PERU's Dr. Chris O'Leary explains that the rough sleeping population is not homogenous, nor is it static.


Chris Fox new National Liason Official for European Centre for Social Welfare & Policy Research

PERU's Chris Fox has become the National Liaison Official for the European Centre for Social Welfare and Policy Research.


Book Launch of Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds: Outcome-based Payment Systems

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 12 June 2018


PERU researchers in Tanzania

Dr Jessica Hind-Ozan and Kim Heyes are currently in Tanzania to facilitate the coming together of a consortium of academics and policy makers.


Events and seminars to mark launch of new book on Social Impact Bonds and Payment by Results

To mark the launch of their book on Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds: Outcome-based Payment Systems in the UK and US the authors are taking part in a number of events and seminars in the UK and Europe.


Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds in the UK and the US

New Book Documents What We Know About Innovative Financing Models


Research Protocol: A cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the Family SKILLS programme

The Family SKILLS programme for reception year students from families in which English is an additional language


Review of Grandmentors programme

Young carers are young people who take on significant caring responsibilities for family members, normally parents or siblings.


Cooperating Out of Crime? What can cooperatives bring to prisoner rehabilitation?

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 21 November 2017


Hate globalisation? Try localism, not nationalism: Kevin Albertson in The Conversation

In an article in the The Conversation Kevin Albertson looks at reactions to globalisation and argues that while nationalism is often the response to globalisation, localism would be far better for us all.


European Cohort Development Project (ECDP)

The European Cohort Development Project (ECDP) is a Design Study which will create the specification and business case for a European Research Infrastructure that will provide, over the next 25 years, comparative longitudinal survey data on child and young adult well-being.


Innovative Social Investment: Strengthening communities in Europe (InnOSI) Final Conference

Today some of the PERU team are in Brussels leading the closing conference for the InnOSI project. A short video describing the project and its main aims is available to watch.


Innovative Social Investment: Finding New Routes to Make Social Rights Real

Venue: Louvain (Brussels)
Fri 13 October 2017


PERU part of major new European project on public sector reform

PERU will be working with a consortium of 24 partners across Europe on a three-year innovation project Co-creation of Service Innovations in Europe (CoSIE).


Reviewing the evidence base for Payment by Results and Social Impact Bonds in the UK

Chris Fox presented a paper based on a structured review of emprical evaluations of 32 Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) and 35 Payment by Results (PbR) programmes implemented in the UK since 2010 at a conference on Progressing the debate on Social Impact Bonds:


Chris Fox to speak at Reform/Metropolis event on innovation in public services

PERU's Chris Fox will speak at a  panel event organised by Reform and Metropolis at the Conservative Party conference on the theme ‘Delivering public services that citizens deserve: the role of innovation’


PERU are recruiting 2 Research Associates focused on data management and analysis

The post holder will be based in the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) and will work full time on research and evaluation projects that cover criminal justice and wider social policy including welfare, education and housing.


Innovative technology to deliver outcomes for people with disabilities & long-term health conditions

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Tue 11 July 2017


Innovative Social Investment: Reforming public services

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University
Thu 22 June 2017 — Fri 23 June 2017


Free places available on our seminar on ‘Innovative Social Investment: Reforming public services’

We have a small number of free places to attend our seminar on public service reform on the afternoon of 22nd June and the morning of the 23rd June 2017. The seminar examines two aspects of public service reform: first, innovative approaches to financing and resourcing public services; and secondly, the concept of personalisation and its role in public service reform. The seminar includes speakers from the UK and Europe.

For more details about the seminar and a link to register for a free place click here.


The Economic Inefficiency of Student Fees and Loans

In this report, published by the Intergenerational Foundation, Kevin argues that the benefits of a young person getting a higher education qualification in England accrue in the ratio 58% to the nation and 42% to the graduate.


The challenge of evidence-based policy – new blog from Dr Chris O’Leary

The trouble with the troubled families programme


New PhD scholarships available – Dec 2016

What works when sample sizes are small? Understanding policy-makers’ evaluation needs in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors


New PhD scholarship available – co-production and the Manchester Homelessness Charter

A funded PhD scholarship is now available to evaluate co-production and the Manchester Homelessness Charter.


Gavin Bailey to speak at ESPAnet-Poland on social innovation

PERU's Gavin Bailey will be speaking in Warsaw on 23rd September, as part of the ESPAnet-Poland conference on social investment and development.


Personalisation, Innovation and Transforming Rehabilitation

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University | Thu 19 May 2016


The PERU Team continues to grow with new recruits in 2016

New members have recently joined the PERU team to support the broadening portfolio of work.


Chris Fox to speak at the USC conference on ‘Activating Markets for Social Change’

Chris will present a framing paper on the potential for Pay for Success (Payment by Results) to effect large scale social change at the University of Southern California's conference on 'Activating Markets for Social Change'.


Scholarships with Policy Evaluation & Research Unit (PERU)

PhD Scholarship Competition 2016


The Manchester College / Novus

A new partnership will lead the way in offender learning, skills and employability.


Wellbeing beyond GDP

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University | Wed 4 November 2015


Rethinking the Economics of Crime and Justice

Venue: Geoffrey Manton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University | Thu 24 September 2015


The next five years of criminal justice for England and Wales

Professor Chris Fox's Seminar 'The next five years of criminal justice for England and Wales' at the Academy for Justice Commissioning.


The next five years of criminal justice for England and Wales

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University. Location: Geoffrey Manton Building, Rosamund Street West, Manchester M15 6LL. | Mon 20 July 2015


Horizon2020 project on Innovative Social Investment launched today

Today the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit embarks on a major research and innovation project looking at how innovative social investment policies can strengthen communities in Europe.


Innovative Social Investment: Strengthening communities in Europe (InnoSI)

PERU is leading a large pan-European research project on Social Investment policies funded by the European Commission.


Rochdale Connections Trust: Freedom Programme Evaluation

PERU were commissioned by Rochdale Connections Trust to evaluate their Domestic Abuse Freedom Programme.


Webinar 2: Process Evaluation

Venue: Webinar. Location: Manchester Metropolitan University | Mon 27 April 2015


How to Run the Country Manual – Election Special Discussion

Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University Business School | Tue 21 April 2015


Webinar 1: Getting Started and Theory of Change

Venue: Webinar. Location Manchester Metropolitan University | Mon 30 March 2015
Contact: Chris Fox Email: c.fox@mmu.ac.uk


The role of social innovation in criminal justice reform and the risk posed by proposed reforms

The UK government has called for a rehabilitation revolution in England and Wales and put its faith in market testing.


Alcohol Interventions in Prison – Brief Interventions, Screening, Recovery

Venue: Manchester Evening Seminar | Thu 5 February 2015


Pay Progression: Understanding the Barriers for the Lowest Paid

This report, produced in a collaboration between the CIPD and John Lewis Partnership, aims to uncover the experiences of employees on the lowest rates of pay and understand the contributing factors for an individual becoming ‘stuck’ on low pay.


Wealth of Our Nation: Rethinking Policies for Wealth Distribution

This paper explores the implications for public policy from the new Office of National Statistics (ONS) data source on wealth distribution in Britain, and what we know about future trends in savings, longevity, property prices and inheritance.


Social innovation, an answer to contemporary societal challenges?

Social innovation discourses see in social challenges opportunities to make societies more sustainable and cohesive through inclusive practices, coproduction and pro-active grassroots initiatives.


PERU Briefing : Justice Reinvestment Thinking outside the cell

Thinking outside the cell.


Spring Bulletin of the Academy of Justice Commissioning

Chris Fox has edited the Spring Bulletin of the Academy of Justice Commissioning


Estimating the costs and benefits of an alcohol treatment requirement

Purpose – This paper seeks to report on a project to estimate the costs and benefits of implementing an Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR) in Stockport.


Justice Reinvestment

Reviewing the available literature on Justice Reinvestment, interviewing key figures in the Justice Reinvestment movement in the US and looking at projects in the UK that have implemented elements of Justice Reinvestment.


Trafford DAAT Personalised Budgets

Trafford Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) are piloting personalised budgets for young people with substance misuse issues. A small, randomised control trial (RCT) has been established to evaluate the impact of the pilot.


Hidden Harm

Salford Drug Action Team wanted to review aspects of its Hidden Harm strategy and to review a service that it had commissioned to work directly with the children of misusing parents.


The costs and benefits of engaging volunteers from under-represented groups

Gaining a greater understanding of the costs and benefits of engaging volunteers from under-represented groups in the work of voluntary sector organisations through a survey and face-to-face interviews.


Evaluation of Peer Courts pilot

PERU, commissioned by Nacro, undertook a process, impact and economic evaluation of the Preston Peer Court pilot.