Leading figures from civil society and beyond reflect on the opportunities for effective working between government and civil society in a series of think pieces commissioned and published by Civil Exchange and DHA to promote civil dialogue.

The 21 contibutors include community and voluntary sector chief executives, leaders of umbrella groups and directors of charitable trusts. They highlight key barriers to improved working with the Government – from silo working in both government and the voluntary sector, different cultures, counterproductive funding and commissioning arrangements and short term government planning horizons.

Andrew Barnett, Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK), considers the role of trusts and foundations in the Big Society in his article entitled:
‘Putting Trusts and Foundations at the Heart of the Big Society’.