Mixed Signals: Small change
No. 37 – 28th of May, 2023
How do we create big change? Systemic change. Cultural change.
Perhaps it's a mix. Big vision, combined with the compounding of small actions.
So where to put our effort? Focus our time on building that vision, then sharing it with everyone who can make it happen? Or focus on what we can control? Our own actions. Those small changes we can compound.
There's no hint of any insight in this week's intro. Sorry.
I'm genuinely curious to know, and would love to hear from you.
Enjoy! ~ GKT
Connect the dots
Sometimes it's nice to follow a thread. To drift for a while.
It's not productive to fall into a Wikipedia-induced rabbit hole. Or to sign up for an event that won't help you with something later today. Yet it can bring joy, and it can take you somewhere you didn't realise you needed to be.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” — Steve Jobs
Last week I attended the virtual launch of the latest book from Do. Hosted by Emma from Bookish, my favourite bookshop. Emma mentioned they were opening a new location in Abergavenny (closer to me!). A few days later, I walked along the canal with the boys and into town. And I picked up a few books, including one from an author based here in Cardiff.
+ The Book of Do - A Manual for Living
+ Emotional Ignorance by Dean Burnett
Un-radical
This week, the Children, Young People and Education Committee of Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) released their report on radical reform for care experienced children and young people. They don't hold back:
“We would expect any good parent to provide as much therapeutic support as they are able to their own children. The state - which removed these children from their birth parents and in turn become their corporate parent - has a responsibility to do the same for care experienced children and young people.
Everything that we have heard indicates that it is failing to do so.”
In England, we heard from The Fostering Network, with their research into the retention and recruitment of foster carers in England.
It's great to see these issues being raised, and the many calls for much-needed radical reform. What's missing is a radical vision. We have the opportunity to rebuild the care system from the ground up. And we need to, for the sake of all those children currently and consistently being failed.
+ If not now, then when? Full report and Summary report
+ Retention and recruitment of foster carers – research findings
Not a normal trial
“The following series explores the American judicial process as seen through the eyes of a jury. During a normal trial, jurors are forbidden from discussing the case. But we were given unprecedented access.
Because this is not a normal trial. It's fake. Everyone involved is an actor.
Except for Ronald.”
One reason I don't watch much TV is it all feels the same.
This is different. And rather brilliant.
Thanks to Bruce Daisley for the recommendation.
Quick links...
+ BookFinder.com – a great tool for finding out of print/used books