Conversations about a collaborative society

Lord Gary Porter, district councillor and former Chair of the Local Government Association

Reflecting on a long career in local government, latterly as Chair of the LGA, Lord Porter makes the case for decent housing being the bedrock of a healthy society, and for us to view the ageing population as an asset. He reflects on the types of leadership required for social change and the importance of building national, cross-party consensus on the complex challenges facing society.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust

Recorded at one of the Trussell Trust foodbanks, in this podcast Emma reflects on what the increasing demand for foodbanks says about society today. She talks about the importance of food as a means of generating social relationships, and why being able to extend hospitality to others matters. Discussing the strengths she thinks exist in society, Emma shares her views on the power of volunteers and makes the case for the importance of collaborative leadership in generating social change.

Patrick Vernon, social commentator and political activist, founder of the Windrush amnesty campaign

Patrick is a polymath social campaigner, cultural historian, activist and reformer. An example of someone who works both outside and within systems to effect change, Patrick has spent time as a councillor in East London, former director of the Black Thrive movement in Lambeth and established the high-profile campaign that successfully challenged the Government’s treatment of the Windrush generation. He is currently an Associate Director for the Centre for Ageing. In this thoughtful conversation, Patrick reflects the challenges facing society today and why we need to collaborate to address entrenched social and economic inequalities.

Professor Donna Hall, former CEO of Wigan Council and CCG, Chair of NLGN and Chair of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester

Donna led a quiet revolution at Wigan, introducing 'The Deal', an informal agreement between the council and everyone who lives and works in Wigan to collaborate to create a better borough. Donna describes why she thinks the Wigan Deal is a blueprint for public services and organisations of the future, what it means for the culture and practice of councils, and the type of leadership to oversee this change.

Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Public Health, LB of Southwark

Kevin describes his journey from working on large scale public health programmes for two US Presidents to becoming the Director of Public Health in Southwark. This episode is full of thoughtful reflection and insight into why collaboration in public services matters, real examples of what this means for how organisations work, and why working with local communities is the key to improving public health.