East Midlands
Regenerative Framework
A complexity-informed approach to restoring community cohesion and economic resilience in the heart of England.
Context: A Thriving East Midlands
The East Midlands stands at a critical juncture. From the rolling peaks of Derbyshire to the industrial heartlands of Nottinghamshire and the logistics corridors of Leicestershire, our region embodies a paradox of potential. We are home to world-class manufacturing, a rich heritage of 'making', and vibrant, diverse communities. Yet, we face persistent structural challenges: low productivity compared to the national average, pockets of deep intergenerational deprivation, and a 'brain drain' of talent.
Traditional economic models are often linear, top-down, and GDP-obsessed, and have failed to address the "wicked problems" of our region. Many communities are feeling left behind, fostering cynicism and eroding trust in institutions. We cannot solve these complex systemic issues with the same thinking that created them.
Roots and Futures proposes a different path as we recognise that an economy is not just a machine to be optimised, but a living, breathing ecosystem rooted in place. To future proof the East Midlands, we must apply the principles of complexity theory by recognising that small local interventions can have non-linear cascading effects, alongside community cohesion theory, which recognises that economic resilience is impossible without social trust.
Pillar 1: Asset-Based Intelligence
Beyond GDP
We start by changing what we measure. Standard economic metrics often miss the 'warm data' that truly defines a place; the strength of community networks, the depth of cultural heritage, the levels of trust between neighbours and the feeling that the government is making the decisions citizens want.
Our framework employs Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) to map the hidden wealth of the East Midlands and work with organisations to develop a strategy that contributes to, builds and strengthens wealth. This isn't just about financial capital; it's about cataloging the skills of a retired engineer in Derby, the cultural vibrancy of a Leicester neighbourhood, or the ecological value of nature reserves. By visualising this 'Economy of Place,' we reveal opportunities for connection that traditional data misses, allowing us to build on strengths rather than just managing deficits.
The solutions we develop in consultation with organisations focus on talent, connecting leadership in place and identifying the funnels that beat the competition to ensure continued investment by the organisation in the East Midlands.
Pillar 2: Capital for Context
Place-Based Finance
Capital in the global economy is often ‘placeless’ and flows to wherever short-term returns are highest, often extracting value from local communities. Alongside this, property is underutilised, and the result of this is high value assets are sinking hyper-local economy. The East Midlands needs ‘Patient Capital’ that understands and respects local context as well as robust circular economies built with the skills of local makers. For example, buildings carefully created with carpets from local manufacturers, desks made by local carpenters, and art sourced by local artists.
Roots and Futures advocates for ‘Place-Matched Funding’. This involves aggregating regional philanthropic ambitions, from international organisations that are invested in sustaining place, to successful local entrepreneurs, government officials and NGO leaders, matching those ambitions and funds with government impact economy programmes. Private capital can then pump-prime immediate impact and be deployed more quickly than government processes allow.
Funding is not just for infrastructure; it is for social infrastructure. It is the glue that holds communities together. The way we want our children educated, how we want our incarcerated to be treated, to protect our nature reserves and land, and invigorates the local supply chains. By re-rooting capital in the region, we create a circular economy where wealth generated in the East Midlands stays in the East Midlands. With the government matching funds, we assure alignment to mission priorities and can exponentially increase impact.
Pillar 3: The Weaver's Skill
Capacity and Craft
The East Midlands has a proud history of making, from the textiles of the Lace Market to the engines of Rolls-Royce. We need to apply this spirit of craftsmanship to the work of ‘strategy’.
Currently, strategic expertise is often imported from Whitehall consultancies and The Big 4 that lack local nuance. Roots and Futures is committed to building a 'School of Place' here in the region. We are training a new generation of local strategists, facilitators, and community weavers. We equip them with the mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets to navigate complexity, turning strategy from an abstract corporate exercise into a practical and creative art form in a way that future-proofs the East Midlands.
Pillar 4: The Common
Radical Collaboration
In a polarised world, we have lost the spaces where we can disagree constructively, while social media increasingly rewards extreme views. Community cohesion requires contact and meaningful interaction between diverse groups, as well as all vested parties who are invested in future-proofing the place where they live. We also need to know that the government trusts us and enacts decisions in line with the consensus. Ultimately, we simply need people to be meaningfully engaged in democracy.
This is the role of 'The Common'. We are developing accessible technology, combined with the creativity of art, to create a questioning platform focused on citizen re-engagement and depolarisation. By using AI to depolarise language and art to bypass defensiveness, we create a safe space for business, government and citizens to co-design solutions. This is 'The Common' reimagined for the 21st century - a place where the social contract is rewritten, one conversation at a time.