Together an Active Future Podcast Ken Masser & Jamie Waugh

Another season in the bag folks. We tried something different and for the most part, we think it was pretty blumming good. We achieved what we wanted to, we shared our thinking, our learning and our approach and got across what TaAF is all about. 
This episode gives us chance to reflect, pull out some highlights, look at some of our download stats and set up season 3 (pause to allow for gasps of excitement).
Ken's highlights were mostly about himself and Jamie's was in the discovery of a listener from across Europe...he's easily pleased as he thinks no-one listens to this!
Enjoy, subscribe and get ready for Season 3!

2:45 - What was different in season 2 and were they any good
9:30 - Season 2 highlights
11:55 - Our international listener base and download stats
16:34 - Season 3 announcement!
20:10 - Season 1 episodes to catch up on

Wouldn't it be amazing if the people around you recognised, understood and dare we say celebrated your natural strengths. 
Imagine what your work would be like if you had the time and space to focus more on what you're naturally great at and the things that give you energy.
Using Clifton Strengths, TaAF are doing just that. 
We are embedding strengths-based development into what we do and how we do it. We see this being pretty huge in terms of system and leadership mindsets and approaches and it's a journey we're pretty excited about. 
Listen in as Jamie and Ken use some of their natural strengths to produce another banger of a podcast.

3:52 - What is Clifton Strengths
8:09 - Why is this approach a good idea for TaAF and others
12:30 - Our personal experience of Clifton Strengths
18:19 - TaAF team reflections so far
20:51 - Play along - the natural strengths of Trump and Murray?
25:41 - How we plan to use this to influence system change 
31:08 - What you can do to start your own strengths based discovery

In an unsurprising move, Ken has binned Jamie off for this one for someone much more intelligent, interesting and less mouthy.
Ali Donnelly is the former Prime Minister's Deputy Official Spokesperson and Head of News and is now a leading lady at Sport England as their Executive Director of Digital, Marketing and Communications.
She brings those years of experience and wisdom to share her thoughts on one of TaAF's biggest challenges...telling a story of the work we do in the shadows, the work that is felt more than seen.
Listen to Ali and Ken discuss the key questions you should ask yourself when creating a story as well as get some great advice on how you can ensure your messages stick.
And see if you can spot the subtle way Jamie managed to still get himself in on this one.

Here is the link to the Design Principles Ali suggests checking out.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-design-principles

Place based working is happening all the time; it's where local people and partners do what they do. But how can some of the 'larger' partner organisations actually change their mindsets and approaches to enable more of it to happen; as opposed to just using it as a buzzword in meetings.

Jamie and Ken cover a lot in this podcast, based on what TaAF have tested out and learnt from, that we believe could help partners start to make this a reality. 

Find a 'base', find a 'place' and listen in as part of todays 'work'. We'll call that another step towards place-based working!

Links for resources of interest TaAF Design Principles - https://taaf.co.uk/resources/
Shared role expectations - https://taaf.co.uk/download/taafs-secondment-model/
National Lottery Community Fund - Putting good ingredients in the mix

The term 'system change' gets banded about a lot in the circles we move in; the words have become almost abstract. Yet, when you keep in mind that 'the system' is just people who make decisions, you see a path forward in being able to influence change.
 In this episode, Ken and Jamie (being simple folk) talk about 'the system' in simple terms, share some thoughts on the reality of working with system partners and even share some ideas on taking some first steps...which include a coffee shop and a muffin!

In this episode of TaAF Talks, we'll be discussing...
2:52 - 'Systems' in TaAF Model For Change4:52 - System partners and life events16:34 - The reality of working with system partners24:24 - Examples of TaAF work in this area31:25 - Resources of interest34:23 - Simple steps to start system change
Resources you may find useful...
OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation - Working with Change Systems approaches to public sector challenges  (pdf download)

In yet another riveting podcast, Ken and Jamie (who used to be appallingly behaved and who are now slightly better) talk behaviour as fundamental to the TaAF Model for Change and explore key questions such as, why do any of us make the decisions we do, what drives our behaviours, good or bad and how likely is it we can change.
Great questions to explore when you’re interested in making real change happen.
In this episode of TaAF Talks, we'll be discussing...
1.45 - How behaviours relate to the TaAF model for change
8.08 - What if we didn’t? Encouraging individuals and teams to think differently
12.35 - Sharing ingrained and learned behaviours
20.02 - How values can drive behaviours
28.36 - Things you can do to help you start making behaviour changes