How we are supercharging Test, Learn and Grow through movement building

When we launched Test, Learn and Grow, our goal was simple: prove that testing small, learning rapidly, and adapting as you go is a credible, effective approach to public service reform.

Through our multidisciplinary accelerator teams working side-by-side with places, we’ve seen what happens when you give frontline staff and communities the space to have their voices heard and the freedom to innovate.

We also know how valuable it is when different skills and capabilities are recognised and valued, but that there are foundational conditions of the system which sometimes mean this work can be difficult and we need collaboration between many people to make a difference.

True system change doesn't rely on a single central team or a fixed project timeline. It happens when you supercharge a national movement of champions, practitioners, and supporters across the whole system who adopt agile and innovative ways of working as second nature.

We are planting many of the seeds of our movement in fertile ground that has been prepared by lots of people who have been working on this, and creating change long before the programme and movement existed and we continue to look to them for inspiration.

Building on their work the TLG movement is looking to:

Building capability, connection, and champions

To turn isolated "bright spots" into systemic change, our movement-building work rests on three main pillars:

1. Inspiring through real storytelling: Working in the open means sharing human-centred stories of impact, including how places have overcome challenges. We want to share meaningful stories that can inspire others, putting real people and real places at the forefront of telling their own story of innovation and change. 
2. Connecting people across sectors and places: We believe there is magic in bringing people together, especially to work together towards solutions. The movement is positioned as having the unique opportunity to bring together local authorities, regional government, central departments, and civil society. Over 1,600 people have already joined our LinkedIn community, alongside emerging regional hubs and senior leadership gatherings across the programme.
3. Building skills and confidence: We also want the movement to provide practical and helpful support to those with boots on the ground delivering change. Tools like our soon to launch test, learn and grow playbook will provide hands on detail for how to adopt test and learn ways of working. Additionally, upcoming guidance on Connecting Civil Servants to Local Communities will support the Future Civil Service to work collaboratively with local partners when shaping national policy. So much learning can be achieved through creating the space to bring people together, to share challenges and experiences. Much of our job is simply creating spaces and the opportunities to learn together.

We also have four brilliant TLG convenors, who help us bridge local reality with central policy. The TLG Conveners are Catherine Howe (Chief Executive, Dorset Council), Beth Russell (Second Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury), Paul Morrison (Director General, Home Office), and Emma De Closset (Chief Executive, UK Community Foundations). If you are connected to our movement you will get opportunities to hear from them directly through our events and convening work.

The movement is open to anyone who is curious about learning together, in any place, sector or seniority. The diversity of our collective insight is what builds strength, confidence and evidence.  

What's next: creating deeper connections and learning

As we move into the second half of the three-year programme, we want to provide more and deeper opportunities for learning and connection. By:

1. Explicitly providing opportunity for central, regional and local government to connect: Using our network to create spaces to work on shared systemic challenges together —like funding silos or data-sharing rules—things that one part of the system can not solve on its own
2. Supercharging the 'super-connectors': Finding and supporting the local champions who are already driving test and learn approaches in their places, bringing them together to create learning opportunities and community support systems
3. More and more learning: Sharing open-source toolkits, learning events and practical ideas and solutions to encourage adoption of test, learn and grow approaches

Join the movement

You don't need a formal title or accelerator funding to be part of this work. If you are testing assumptions, listening to citizens, or trying to break down barriers in your service area, you are already helping to rewire the system.

Here is how you can connect with us:

• Spot and share your stories: Do you have a people-centred story of impact or a candid lesson learned? Leave a comment below or get in touch with our team.
• Connect with peers: Join over 1,600 public service innovators in our LinkedIn Community.
• Subscribe: Sign up for email updates to follow along as we publish new playbooks, tools, and event details.
• Get in touch: if you’re interested in understanding more about our work and would like to speak to anyone across the programme, email testlearnandgrow@cabinetoffice.gov.uk