Category Archives: Just Me

Things I want to talk about that may (or may not) fit into some other category

The Lion & the Unicorn

Posted on December 6, 2019 by jesssteele

The Lion and the Unicorn 1991 The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the Crown. The Lion beat the Unicorn all around the Town. Some gave them White Bread and some gave them Brown, And some gave them Plum-cake … Continue reading →

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Statement regarding Hastings Pier

Posted on February 7, 2019 by jesssteele

STATEMENT FROM JESS STEELE REGARDING HASTINGS PIER February 2019 Since last summer there has been a disturbing level of polarisation within the town about the pier. I hope that this statement will help to tackle that and remind us of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hastings Pier, Just Me, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Water OMG!

Posted on March 4, 2018 by jesssteele

It was a fascinating day in Southampton at the Labour Party #NewEconomics conference on Saturday. What stuck with me the most was being presented with the evidence behind the complete and ongoing rip-off and harm done by the privatisation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me, Policy, Thinking | 1 Comment

The Spaces Between – Boundary Spanning 20 years ago

Posted on June 6, 2013 by jesssteele

My biography always begins “Jess Steele bridges policy and practice to develop new intellectual territory, ventures and programmes…” I have always been interested in boundary-spanning – cross-sectoral, cross-community, inter-generational work; match-making between public, private and third sectors; travelling and translating … Continue reading →

Posted in Jericho Road Solutions, Just Me, Thinking | Leave a comment

Scattering virtual ashes

Posted on June 24, 2012 by jesssteele

I am at home in Hastings while the ashes of an old friend are being scattered from a bridge we helped to build. In memory of Pete Pope and in recompense for not being there today, I want to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me | 8 Comments

Detroit 1: Motown

Posted on November 17, 2011 by jesssteele

10pm, Sat 12th November 2011 Never let taxi drivers influence your view of a place! Their livelihood depends on scaring you out of your wits. I already knew Detroit was a strange place but I was determined to give it … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me, US trip | 1 Comment

Civil service lessons

Posted on August 16, 2011 by jesssteele

Various prompts have got me remembering my conclusions after five months on secondment to the civil service in 2009. @Puffles2010 at http://adragonsbestfriend.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/a-challenge-for-the-civil-service-and-large-institutions-alike/ is one of the sparks to make me trawl my archive for the memories. The experience of trying to run … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me | 1 Comment

Homage to Yorkshire

Posted on July 23, 2011 by jesssteele

Generally I love an underdog. Schooled in Deptford with Millwall’s slogan “no one likes us we don’t care”, I live in Hastings where official research shows that once you get here you love it but those who don’t visit think … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me, Locality | 3 Comments

Demob happy – fragments

Posted on June 15, 2011 by jesssteele

Off tomorrow to Prague to celebrate 10 yrs with DH (v dear, not quite H). Very excited, but before I go, I need to record a few fragments of conversations from today: I’ve been to JRF’s ‘Communities Under Pressure’ report … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Allowance, Just Me, Locality | Leave a comment

Compulsory Purchase

Posted on June 9, 2011 by jesssteele

Today Greg Clark announced an exciting new piece of guidance but you won’t find it without dogged persistence, or a bit of help. The guidance is designed to help local communities deal with abandoned buildings and irresponsible private ownership of … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me, Locality, Seaside | 1 Comment

A Week Away, Brain-food from Hay

Posted on June 6, 2011 by jesssteele

A strange and welcome break in proceedings – a week in a field in Wales. A very special field just 3 minutes walk (scrambling over a barbed wire fence) from the main site of the Hay Festival or a pleasant … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me | 2 Comments

Transparency, creativity, power & responsibility

Posted on May 5, 2011 by jesssteele

Writing this immediately after an animated meeting with Tessy Britton, whose recent blogs at Thriving Too have inspired deep and ongoing discussion about the Community Organisers programme. She is right to raise the question of transparency and responsibility. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Organisers, Just Me | 9 Comments

Big Society – definite or indefinite?

Posted on March 19, 2011 by jesssteele

I liked this piece ‘The Big Society or A Big Society’ by Charlie Mansell – thoughtful and almost funny in its own search for definitions while recognising that definition-hunting is procrastination. The problem on the ground (IMHO) is the same … Continue reading →

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Policy and Practice – still bridging after all these years

Posted on March 17, 2011 by jesssteele

Whenever I write a ‘biog’ about myself for a conference etc it always says “Jess’ work bridges policy and practice”. It sounds a bit trite but it’s been the story of my life. Many years ago back in the early … Continue reading →

Posted in Just Me | 3 Comments

Decentralisation & the DTA

Posted on September 15, 2010 by jesssteele

David Prout (Director General for Communities, CLG) at #DTAconference10 yesterday described: 4 kinds of decentralisation – centralised decentralisation (government says how to do it) – eg GPs, elected police commissioners bottom-up decentralisation (seeking additional decision-making powers) – eg community-based budgeting, … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Allowance, Just Me, Locality | Leave a comment

Four Things You’ll Love About The Networked Nonprofit

Posted on July 31, 2010 by jesssteele

From Fortress to Sponge: The Transformation of Nonprofits By 

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Hello world!

Posted on July 2, 2010 by jesssteele

I knew I’d end up blogging eventually. There are just so many great things going round in this social networked world and I want to be able to comment, share, respin and generally pontificate! I was taught to tweet on … Continue reading →

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