The project team from Nantes (FR) wanted to turn a high level strategy into something concrete and measurable. Building collaboration and trust with stakeholders (including families) was key to their approach and success.
The city’s strategic actions under the overall strategic plan ‘Bien Grandir A Nantes’ (“Growing up well in Nantes”) focus on reducing social and geographical inequality, creating consistent educational services and strengthening educational continuity for young people. It aims to ensure a “whole-person” approach, to support people in achieving their potential.
The team needed to coordinate a wide range of stakeholders, but realised that finding a common set of values would be difficult. With the education department also being restructured, both change processes happened in parallel. This meant they had to be managed flexibly, responding to local conditions and activity.
Nantes’ story is one of a co-creative process, with a network of diverse stakeholders. Working collaboratively helped the group to respond to changes, work in new ways and gain new perspectives on their own work and role in the implementation process.