Matthew Taylor

Blogger, Brainstormer, Concerned citizen, Idea generator, Parent

Matthew Taylor became Chief Executive of the RSA in November 2006. Prior to this appointment, he was Chief Adviser on Political Strategy to the Prime Minister. Matthew was appointed to the Labour Party in 1994 to establish Labour’s rebuttal operation. His activities before the Labour Party included being a county councillor, a parliamentary candidate, a university research fellow and the director of a unit monitoring policy in the health service. Until December 1998, Matthew was Assistant General Secretary for the Labour Party. During the 1997 General Election he was Labour’s Director of Policy and a member of the Party’s central election strategy team. He was the Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research between 1999 and 2003, Britain’s leading centre left think tank. Matthew is a frequent media commentator on policy and political issues, and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Observer, New Statesman and Prospect'

Enabling people to become the people they need to be to create the future they want.

Schools without boundaries: the RSA has been working with three secondary schools in Manchester to develop what we call the area based curriculum. The schools are supported by a facilitator who builds bridges with local institutions. The aim is to ground more of the pupils’ learning in thinking about the city in which they live. So far it seems to have worked. But this is just the first stage of a bigger idea. We need to tear down the walls around schools so that they see their role not just as cramming as much control and learning as they can into the 20% of a child’s life spent at school but helping to shape the social norms and resources that govern the other 80%. The challenge for school is to open up to the community, exploring how the curriculum could better help to create the citizens their town or city needs. The challenge for society - community, families, public, private and voluntary sector – is to become partners in that learning process.

human behavior, politics, society

I first came across TED when I was recommended to watch the Sir Ken Robinson lecture. Since then, I have seen loads of great TED lectures. We at the RSA have been inspired by the example of TED to create a 'mini' version, videoing our best speakers - although all of our speaking events are free!

Telling jokes and making small children laugh.