Even before the dust had time to settle after the UK elections, Prime Minister David Cameron made a call for ‘deep and serious reform’. What’s unusual about this call to action? Reform will be delivered through social enterprise.

According to an article at Social Enterprise Live, “the new government would support social enterprises, mutuals, co-ops and charities to give them greater involvement in the running of public services.” Cameron is calling the movement “Big Society”; while the name may carry some unfortunate connotations, the concept and its UK manifestation bear encouraging opportunities for the future of social innovation and government.

Cameron faces a handful of challenges, foremost how to appropriately and effectively engage the social sector in the transition process; leadership within the social sector agrees. Richard Kemp of the Local Government Association (LGA) noted “If we work together we can establish new relationships between us, which will drive vastly improved and more responsive services for local people even at a time of massive financial constraint.” If the newly established government likewise embraces this attitude, the UK may become the vanguard of cross-sector partnerships with a national scope.

Service is also playing a significant role in Cameron’s proposed reform. He’s hoping to create a generation of community organizers to encourage local volunteering and philanthropy. He will also be piloting a voluntary National Citizens Service, which will give 16 year-olds the opportunity to participate in a two-month summer program focused on community work.