Now, where were we?

For many if not most, 2020 was the year of coping with COVID.

But for us here at the PIElink, 2020 was also the year of continuing to develop PIEs thinking; and completing the testing of the software version of the PIEs assessment and development process, the PIE Abacus.

So we begin 2021 with one announcement; a call for members for four new PIEs community working parties; and lastly, a return of the Editors’ Pick,  a selection of some of the most interesting and relevant research, reports and blog posts from the past few months.

The PIE Abacus goes on general release in 2021.

An invitation to new PIEs community of practice working groups

1. Psychologically informed boundary setting
2. Top-to-toe PIE embedding
3. PIEs in general needs housing
4. Finding a service user-friendly language

The Pick of 2020 - the Editor's selection
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The PIE Abacus is ready to roll

The PIE Abacus is the on-line version of the Pizazz - an elegant and easy to use software version of the familiar Pizazz-on-paper. It allows services to assess their progress as PIEs, and then plan their own future development; and it provides medium to large agencies with an overview of progress in roll out, and where any help or other action is needed.

Having completed the initial pilots stages, the PIE Abacus goes on general release in the Spring. But for now, you can check out the likely costs for your service, and you can now pre-order, even sign up early for the on-line training course on 'PIEs assessment, Pizazz and the PIE Abacus', which comes on stream at the same time. Just drop us an email: HERE

Meanwhile, we will be launching the next stage of the pilots, to test the PIE Abacus in use in networks, communities of practice, and local needs and strengths audit. To be part of this rather exciting development, again, just drop us an email, fnd we will explain what this is about - and the really quite radical potential: HERE.

New collaborations

For the continuous learning and evolution of the PIEs approach itself, for 2021 we wish to launch further PIEs community collaborations, to explore developments and emerging issues in PIEs practice.  We are now inviting contributions to four new on-line working groups.

1. Psychologically informed boundary setting
2. Top-to-toe PIE embedding
3. PIEs in general needs housing
4. Finding a service user-friendly language

1. Psychologically informed boundary setting
A PIE will aim to be flexible and responsive; but still there are boundaries, and always we must sometime, somewhere, draw the line.  Can we have limits to availability, support, tolerance; and confrontations, exclusions and even evictions, that build rather than end the centrality of healing relationships?

Can we have – or rather, how can we have – boundaries set with Psychological Awareness?  What thinking, what tools and techniques can we share?

To get involved, email HERE: and use the word 'boundaries' in your email title.

2. Top-to-toe PIE embedding
We do know of some services that are keen to embed the PIE approach throughout the whole of the organisation, from the Board of Governors to the frontline of services – from top to toe.

But we believe there are others; maybe many others, with this ambition. If this is something that your own agency wants to work on – contact us.

To get involved, email HERE: and use the words 'top to toe' in your email title.

3. PIEs in general needs housing
The COVID era has given a huge boost to the case for rapid re-housing; but also it has thrown up issues of loneliness, the importance of a sense of belonging. It has also meant that many general needs housing services need to find ways to work with tenants with complex needs, and with support services and local communities.

We are inviting any services interested to explore together how the PIEs approach can infuse general needs housing, and help develop new community support models, to tackle isolation.

To get involved, email HERE: and use the phrase 'GNH' in your email title.

4. Finding a service user-friendly language
The PIE approach has given new impetus to listening to and learning from the client; and many services now want to involve service users as a group, in helping to chart their way forward.  But the language of PIEs, and the Pizazz  – even the original PIEs 2.0 framework – is still largely described in the language of service providers, commissioners and researchers.

The PIE Abacus development now allows us to create a more ‘street language' Pizazz, to run in parallel with the self assessments and future planning of services – including service users in local needs and strengths audits, for a ‘PIE of pathways’.

If this is a challenge that appeals to you – or to your service users – do get in touch. We have some early drafting of ideas that we would like to share, to make this, too, a full community of practice development.

To get involved, email HERE: and use the word 'language' in your email title.

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That's all, folks!