Services
Future of London delivers outcome-focused research, facilitation and convening for clients from the public, private, and third sectors who appreciate the importance of working with a trusted and independent partner. Service fees help us underwrite the free events and workshops we offer (ask about member rates).
Qualitative research
FoL conducts interviews and case studies with key stakeholders to gain real-world experience of underlying issues and complement quantitative data (FoL also has respected partners from all areas of quantitative research).
Examples: Housing & Health Inequalities (2020): Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity has commissioned FoL, along with The King’s Fund and Catherine Max Consulting, to explore the links between housing and multiple long-term health conditions.
Defining London’s New Public Spaces (2020): GLA commissioned Future of London to run a series of workshops with practitioners and users of London’s public spaces. Insight gathered directly informed design guidance for London’s expanded definition of public space, developed by DK-CM architects.
Crossrail as Catalyst (2014, 2018): Working with Crossrail and GVA, FoL collated in-depth responses on Crossrail’s influence on placemaking, regeneration and investment. Download the report.
Convening
Focusing on practical outcomes, FoL taps into its extensive network to bring varied expertise and fresh perspectives to sector and organisational issues, helping to build shared understanding and find a way forward.
Example: Making the Case for Place: Working with Regeneris, Arup, Countryside, Pollard Thomas Edwards and other partners, FoL convened a rich mix of practitioners to explore placemaking: what can be measured, where the gaps are, and what tools and strategies are needed to drive consistent and holistic evaluation. Read the write-up.
Facilitating, chairing
FoL facilitates group-led sessions that create a safe space for teams to establish trust and find solutions, backed by research into client context. FoL chairs are impartial, interactive, focused on speaker support and smooth events – where no one eats all the oxygen.
Examples: Facilitation: Southbank Employers’ Group, Brent Business Board, Meridian Water Placemaking, Local London.
Chairing: MIPIM, NLA Big Debate, London Real Estate Forum, Movers & Shakers, RE:WOMEN. See Living Streets In Conversation here.
Training, workshops
To support the development of your teams, FoL delivers targeted, practical and interactive training in key skills such as presentation, facilitation, and managing unconscious bias.
Examples: Speaker Showcase: peer-led presentation skills workshops that help participants gain confidence and hone their craft in a safe and constructive environment. Experienced public speakers mentor and participants get bespoke feedback. Read the write-up.
Housing delivery project management: as part of the Council-Led Housing Forum a four-part series took junior project managers through the key stages of housing delivery to build technical knowledge and confidence.
Get in touch
The above is just a flavour of the services on offer from Future of London, led by CEO Nicola Mathers, Executive Director Lisa Taylor and the wider team.
If you’d like to discuss how your organisation can benefit, please contact Head of Networks Oli Pinch.
Testimonials
“Lisa provided an excellent facilitation approach for Camden’s Business Board Away Day… She is particularly adept at ensuring that all get to have a say and she is excellent at timing provocations to ensure that alternative perspectives are considered. Lisa’s energy and approach ensured that the Board is in great shape for the year ahead.” David Joyce, Director of Planning & Regeneration, LB Camden
Future of London brings the public and private sectors together in a safe, respectful and productive way. I’ve found working with Future of London enlightening, motivating and often demanding! Partners can challenge each other and, in doing so, understand each other and grow together." Kieron Hyams, Associate Director, Arup
"I found the event hugely constructive and positive as it was open, safe and yet the feedback specific and candid. I went away with a real sense of what I could do better and what to keep on doing. It was so encouraging to see real professionals in the room who fed back to enable us to become better speakers.” Estelle Bonney-Andrews, Employment Lawyer, UK Government Legal Dept
"Lisa has an innate ability to interact seamlessly with all levels of an organisation, from front-line workers to CEO. She can also make the dullest, most complicated issue interesting and – more to the point – understandable." Karen Coshof, Executive Producer, PBS ‘The Great Warming’
"What a great training session to help drill down into the tips and techniques for how to run effective, engaging and most of all worthwhile workshops. Also some tips along the way in how to deal with awkward characters in meetings." Jenny Kay, Associate - Affordable Housing, Montagu Evans
"FoL developed a series of collaborative workshops as part of our project to produce design guidance for the GLA and assisted with shaping the project. This process was a joy throughout thanks to their critical rigour, enthusiasm and organisation. Working with them enabled us to access the right people across London to get our research done to a high standard, and in a truly collaborative way. Their work more than delivered on the brief and had a profound impact on the wider guidance." Dr David Knight, Co-Director DK-CM