A new approach to public service that embraces complexity, human relationships and continuous learning.
A new approach to public service
Human Learning Systems is a radically different way of resourcing and organising public service. It is based on three key principles:
The purpose of public service is to support human freedom and flourishing. To respond to each person’s unique life context, public service is bespoke by design: built on strong relationships and trust.
Public service should be a process of ongoing exploration and learning: workers and residents exploring and learning together. Learning is the management strategy - the primary task of public managers and leaders is to create effective learning environments.
Outcomes cannot be “delivered” by public service - they are created by whole systems: all the relationships and factors in someone’s life. Outcomes are made by healthy systems - systems in which all the actors involved can collaborate and learn together.
How we help
Supporting you to apply the Human Learning Systems approach so you can foster a process of continuous learning and experimentation in your work.
Creating learning networks for people and organisations that want to explore Human Learning Systems.
Partnering with organisations to host events that broaden horizons, thinking and experience.
A practical guide for the curious
Scotland has achieved a remarkable consensus that public service needs to be done radically differently if it is to support people to create real outcomes in their lives. Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Iriss have commissioned the Centre for Public Impact to help organisations understand how to make this change by adopting a Human Learning Systems approach to public management.
We’ve developed a guide to help any organisation that contributes to public service apply Human Learning Systems to their work, enabling them to explore, learn and respond to the unique strengths and needs of each person, family and community they serve.
Help build something extraordinary
The guide itself is an experiment. We have created it and beta-tested it with a range of organisations. Now, we want you to test it out. If you think the Human Learning Systems approach might be helpful in your work, we would love you to:
Download the free guide
Use it to design a Human Learning Systems approach in your context
Share your feedback on how the guide could be improved
You don’t have to work in Scotland to access this free resource. We’re interested in hearing from all sorts of organisations that are working in different contexts.
Testimonials
We all want to create a better world, but how to get there? Continuing to implement the traditional models and expecting different outcomes doesn’t make sense. I have been part of using Human Learning Systems in practice, employing the approach to work with three different layers of influence. Therefore, I can testify it enables better outcomes. And, not only with existing problems but also in building adaptive learning capacity in the system to tackle future challenges.
Human Learning Systems is the most insightful and helpful work that I have come across. It challenges stale approaches of top down and provider centred services and encourages us to work with people – listening to them and understanding what matters to them - acting with authenticity and integrity and working together.
It is unquestionably a better and kinder way to do public service.
Learn more about applying the Human Learning Systems approach to your work
Do you want to learn more about this approach to public service?
A group of people and organisations, including the Centre for Public Impact, have come together to help make the Human Learning Systems approach the “new normal” for doing public management.
Explore what we've learned in our e-book, Human Learning Systems: Public Service for the Real World.
You can also visit the Human Learning Systems website, which brings together a wealth of resources for people interested in exploring further.
Latest insights
Explore the full Human Learning Systems series, which highlights the stories of government changemakers who are pioneering this approach around the world.
Get in touch
Would you like support or advice on how you can learn more about the Human Learning Systems approach and apply it to your work?
Get in touch and let’s have a conversation about how we can work together.