Bridging the divide between people and institutions has always fascinated me. I first got hooked working in broadcasting, social action broadcasting as it was called then.  I won many awards including a national RTS award for a groundbreaking project called "Save Yourself A Fortune!. 

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To cut a long story short in 2008 I grabbed an opportunity to create something really special. Social action broadcasting at its best, rich in meaning for everyone. It was known as Fixers and challenged the world as we know it.

 

It was built bottom up with young people 16 to 25 It flourished; direction was set by what the young people did; the young people were the organisation. It won major awards for its work including the Mind Media Award 2013, the National Lottery Award 2014, the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2016 and the Public Service Communications Award 2017.

 

Its listening approach and collaborative working with young people and others is a rare sight; its culture change making, for both the young people and society.

 

Its sustainability was always on a knife edge; ahead of its time for those who finance the voluntary sector despite its impact.  

 

Its coming of age is in its legacy. I am an advocate for voice as value and the impact it can have on people and society. It's a simple idea which I hope to persuade institutions to adopt.