The Practice of Kindness: Learning from KIN and North Ayrshire

In March 2018, Carnegie UK brought together a Kindness Innovation Network of people and professionals from across Scotland who had an interest in encouraging kindness in their organisations and communities. At the same time, we began working in partnership with North Ayrshire Council to embed kindness as a value throughout the local authority and region.

The two projects were collaborative and this report reflects a wide range of views and activities from hundreds of people across Scotland. The Practice of Kindness brings together practical examples of things that can be done to create the conditions for kindness. However, it also highlights the barriers to relationships within organisations and posits kindness as a radical concept that demands challenging the systems and structures – including risk and regulation, professionalism, and performance management – that currently govern our institutions.