An interview with...Steve Wyler, Locality

An Interview with... Steve Wyler:  the Chief Executive of Locality discusses the challenge of getting more people involved in social action and picks ownership over renting in the quick-fire quiz

25 October 2011

Steve Wyler, Chief Executive of Locality, says the key to getting more people involved in social action is providing them with an experience where their actions feel meaningful and by making it easier for them to play a direct part in local services in the latest edition of “An Interview With…” the monthly podcast series by The Social Investment Business.  Wyler, whose organisation delivers the community organisers programme, discusses how Locality is working to bring power back to the parts of society that are often powerless in the face of large organisations and institutions and is giving people the opportunity to work with others to solve local problems by shifting the balance of power back into the hands of the community.

Talking about community asset transfer, Wyler identifies the current recession as the main challenge facing community groups. Stating his belief that the next few years will be difficult, Wyler called for organisations attempting to take on these assets to have robust business plans, strong leadership in place and to learn from the experience of others. He also points out that often operating under tough financial circumstances need not be limiting for organisations able and willing to seize new opportunities, think fast on their feet, and take managed risks.

As a leader of an organisation which has recently been through a merger, Wyler advises those thinking about mergers to ensure they are driven by a common mission.  He adds that mergers due to financial difficulties or external pressures usually encounter difficulties, however a merger based on a common goal or sense of purpose can overcome future obstacles. Finally, he picks ownership over renting in the quick fire quiz.

‘An Interview With...’ is a monthly podcast series from The Social Investment Business featuring short interviews with leading figures in social enterprise and civil society.

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1.    You can listen to ‘An Interview with… Steve Wyler and read the full transcript here: http://www.thesocialinvestmentbusiness.org/aninterviewwith/

2.    Find out more about Locality at http://locality.org.uk/

3.    For further information or interviews, please contact The Social Investment Business press office:

Liz Banks - 0207 842 7726/ 07809 504072  liz.banks@socialinvestmentbusiness.org

Nicola Jones - 0207 842 7755 nicola.jones@socialinvestmentbusiness.org

4.    The Social Investment Business, the largest social investor in the UK, exists to help social enterprises, charities and community organisations do more of what they do best – supporting people and communities most in need. We help organisations prosper by providing innovative financial solutions, business support and long term strategic thinking.

www.thesocialinvestmentbusiness.org @TheSocialInvest

5.  The Social Investment Business manages the Futurebuilders Fund and the Social Action Fund on behalf of The Office for Civil Society, the Social Enterprise Investment Fund for the Department of Health the Communitybuilders Fund which was endowed to parent charity the Adventure Capital Fund by the Department for Communities and Local Government.  We have over 1,100 active investments which range in size and scope from, for example,  £3,600 to help a small organisation bid successfully for a public sector contract, to £6.7million to help a large national charity establish and develop innovative new services for children and young people.