Nesta

Shape the future of policymaking in Europe 📢 The Innovation Growth Lab has launched a new survey led by the European Commission to understand how to provide better support for innovation in policymaking across Europe. Deadline approaching - have your say by 24 October ⤵️

Ever wondered what it’s like to work at Nesta? 👇 It’s creative, collaborative, and packed with people who care about making real-world impact. From designing new solutions to testing bolding ideas, no two days are the same. If you’re driven by purpose and innovation, we’d love to hear from you 💡 Explore our latest vacancies: https://lnkd.in/eGn_bHZ

Our aim is for every child in the UK to have the same chance of developing to their full potential in their early years. Decades of research show that early childhood experiences shape lifelong outcomes - and parenting plays a crucial role. Everyday interactions between parents and children - talking, playing, setting routines, offering comfort and guidance - helps shape how children grow, learn and thrive. We also know that a wide range of interventions aimed at strengthening parent-child relationships and the home learning environment have proven to be effective. There are many meaningful ways in which communities, professionals and governments can support parents and caregivers to enhance children’s developmental outcomes. Our new explainer explores what 'types' of parenting most support children’s development, and what kinds of interventions and community support help children thrive: https://bit.ly/3KQVFPT

Join us on Wednesday 26 November, 9:00-10:00 GMT as we will explore and critically assess Japan’s approach to supporting its ageing population. Our panel will explore Japan’s specific policy responses including the practicalities of linking health and social services at the local level and the creation of community-based preventative health programs.

You’ve built a great program or service - so why aren’t more people using it? Behavioural experts at BIT have published a new playbook, uncovering the common behavioural barriers that often prevent people from taking up services, using a five-step approach. Learn how to to design, implement, and test successful uptake strategies rooted in behavioural insights ⤵️

This month, we’ve been at the 2025 party conferences 🎙️ Across England, Scotland and Wales, we hosted 13 panel events bringing together government ministers, policymakers and practitioners to explore the policy solutions that can make a real difference to people’s lives. From big ideas to decarbonise homes, to targeted interventions that narrow inequalities, our discussions focused not just on why change is needed - but how to make it happen. Find out some of the big highlights from our policy team ⤵️

The UK government’s long-awaited Warm Homes plan is expected to launch this month, and it will be one of the Labour government’s most important and challenging policy plans. While home heating may not seem the most glamorous topic for those in Westminster, it plays a central role in many of the government’s aims - including being a key complement to the Clean Power 2030 mission and playing a central role in reducing energy bills. In our latest blog Andrew Sissons looks at seven tests for the upcoming Warm Homes plan. https://bit.ly/42qzaqR

🖼️ What if museums could be a new kind of space for early childhood development? Mini Wonders is an early-years, museum-sector innovation programme led by Nesta and Art Fund along with 15 museums exploring a new, engaging and scalable way to support caregivers and their children aged 2-4. A recent prototype with eight museums has shown promising results. Families reported high levels of enjoyment, with caregivers noting that they were trying out new ideas at home, like using more descriptive praise and talking about feelings more often. One participant said ➡️ "This programme is like no other primarily because it gives space for parents to feel supported and heard. Not only you get to learn about how to be the best parent for your child you also learn how to stay in touch with yourself" We’re now expanding our research by onboarding seven new partner museums to test the model in diverse communities. Learn more about the project and our findings. https://lnkd.in/ehHvZETv

We're recruiting two Behavioural Scientists to join our team 📢 Are you passionate about using behavioural science to tackle society’s biggest problems? We’re looking for two Behavioural Scientists to help us design, test, and scale solutions in our two mission areas: a fairer start and a sustainable future. You'll work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to apply behavioural science to a variety of projects, conducting mixed-methods research and developing practical policy solutions. We're looking for a confident multi-tasker with a strong understanding of behavioural science, mixed-methods research and public policy design to help us make a real-world impact. Deadline: 📅 08:00 on October 13, 2025 Salary: 💰 £37,400 - £51,400 + excellent benefits Location: 📍 London / Hybrid Learn more and apply on our website: https://lnkd.in/eftp4yfM