World-Makers.com Reporter Alika Agidi-Jeffs caught up with grime artist Kase after his tour across Europe and before his first major album drops this year. If you are inspired by a World-Maker and would like to interview him or her, please contact us at info@world-makers.com.

Profile: “Kate Welch OBE is founder and Chief Executive of Acumen Development Trust which works to achieve social and economic regeneration through learning, employment and enterprise.  Acumen works across the North East and Cumbria engaging people in disadvantaged communities and supporting them to achieve their potential.  Kate founded Acumen in 2003 having previously worked for JobCentre Plus and County Durham Training & Enterprise Council.

Acumen won the Enterprising North East England title for their work in Easington in 2006. The following year, Kate was chosen as a BT Essence of the Entrepreneur winner and the North East Woman Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE for services to Social Enterprise in the North East and was the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Social award winner for the North. She was chosen as one of the 100 most entrepreneurial women in the UK this year and is a finalist in the Women in Ethical Business Awards 2009.

Kate has an MA from the Department of Social Policy at the University of York.  She sits on the Learning and Skills Council for the region and chairs the Mature and Working Lives Regional Advisory Group for the Public Health Board. She supports a number of small social enterprises and social entrepreneurs as a Director or mentor and is active in the Methodist Church and Girlguiding UK.”

From One North East

The Interview

Why did you choose to be a social entrepreneur?
I have been involved in voluntary work since I was very young. As a 7 year old Brownie Guide the “Lend a Hand” motto was something I really bought into. I am still a Guide Leader, Commissioner and Trainer 44 years later! I became a Christian when I was 15 and have wanted to do whatever I could help people, though in very conventional ways, visiting and voluntary work in hospitals, fundraising for charity and working with young people in youth clubs and other settings. The business bit came from my father who at the age of 50 started up a family business, Lambton Park Garden Centre. I ran it with him and the rest of the family for 15 years and became very involved in training and development. It helped me learn a lot about business but also about how to help people fulfil their potential. Although we were taken over in 1993 following a difficult time financially, some of the staff that worked for us are still involved in managing the Garden Centre for the new owners.

The actual social entrepreneur opportunity almost evolved rather than being a very definite choice. I had been working as Adult Training manager for County Durham Training and Enterprise Council when an opportunity came up to run an Action Team for Jobs. The first year had a £1 million budget and a challenge to be flexible, creative and innovative to help people find jobs. This was an enlightening experience. I hadn’t worked at a very local level in a community before and just hadn’t realised what everyday life was like for people living in the 4th most deprived place in the UK (Index of multiple deprivation 2000). I also ended up working for Jobcentre Plus and found the constraints of the public sector very difficult. I therefore started Acumen to enable things to happen that couldn’t be done by the public sector but that needed to be addressed to make life for people in our communities much better. We grew very quickly so although I was still doing the Jobcentre Plus job fulltime I was able to grow Acumen to a first year (13 months) turnover of over £400,000. It was clear that we needed some fulltime management so we applied to the Northern Rock Foundation for some core funding. In December 2004 they approved our application for £750,000 over three years. They also asked that I commit to leading the organisation for at least that period. I became Chief Executive in January 2005 and haven’t stopped since

When you look back at your life, what was the most significant thing that happened to you in shaping who you are today?
In the early 1980s we had two major events in the family when firstly my 18 year old sister died in a car crash and then less than 2 years later my father was diagnosed with a benign pituitary tumour which caused him to lose almost all his sight and require major surgery to remove the tumour. I was running the Garden Centre whilst also coping with all that goes with a major health issue in the family. I learnt a huge amount about being able to keep a business going whilst coping with adversity. It really builds resilience.

What three qualities do I need to be a successful WorldMaker like you?
Passion – never lose your enthusiasm for what you are trying to achieve. I find energy comes from those people who are “radiators” because of their passion and if you are a radiator yourself you will energise others as well as finding plenty for your own needs
Resilience – You need to be able to bounce back from whatever is thrown at you. Remember Weebles. The have a weighted bottom so although they wobble they don’t fall down. We all face times when the world seems to be against us and things happen. It’s OK to wobble but the quicker you can come back fighting again the more successful you will be.
Turning vision into action –  Too many people talk a good talk but don’t make things happen. Being a social entrepreneur gives you the freedom to operate in this way

What advice would you give to your younger self or any young person who wants to become an entrepreneur?
Don’t close any doors. Sometimes the choices we make can stop us doing something later on in life. You will also be surprised at what comes around later on. We’ve just been given the opportunity to take on a ten acre plant nursery from the company that took over our family Garden Centre in late 1992.

What problem would you like to see solved before you die?
Inequality: Those societies where there is the biggest difference between rich and poor have worse outcomes for everyone. If we try and reduce poverty but allow the gap between rich and poor to widen we will not address the injustices in the world.

What is the best way other entrepreneurs can encourage entrepreneurship among young people (especially young women)?
The best way is giving young people the space and opportunity to try out their idea for a business while providing support and ongoing encouragement. Just helping people believe that they can do what they have dreamed about is the biggest boost to confidence. A listening ear to act as a test for ideas is also useful. I give about an hour a month to several different entrepreneurs to let them tell me what they are up to and I can then just ask the questions that test the model or idea for its potential. Most people are afraid of taking the step forward that will be the start of or grow the business. You have to take risks but manage them properly by thinking through the implications of your actions.

Many young people have started social enterprises but find it extremely difficult to make them grow. What should entrepreneurs in this position do to solve this problem? (e.g. how to make people/media know about their projects, how can they get more people practically involved, how to get financial support, or how to get influential people to champion their causes)?
I keep going back to the hedgehog model as described by Jim Collins in “From Good to Great”. His social sector version is as illustrated below:

You need to be able to demonstrate the passion and the ability to be the best, but the major problem with most social enterprise ideas is that they do not stack up as a commercial business would because the income generation hasn’t been thought through. Someone has to be prepared to pay for what you are offering them whether it is a public sector contractor, another business or an individual customer. If there isn’t a potential income stream you are probably a social activist and not an entrepreneur. Once the basic business model is right then growth can happen. Never compromise on quality of product and customer service and word will spread. Take every opportunity to tell people about what you do and then work out which ones will be useful and add value to your business. Work with them to find a win win for you and them and benefits will flow from the relationship. If you are delivering the quality then the growth will come from relationships with people who can bring you business.

What is the most inspirational thing somebody told you?
There is always a solution. If I feel as though there is something that is impossible to solve I try to step back from it so I am not overwhelmed and have space to think and then I use all kinds of creative thinking techniques from Edward de Bono to Roger von Oech to simply allowing my head space to look through to the other side of the problem and not just to focus on it. That way a solution will emerge.

Profile: (From WM Chief Editor Alvin Carpio) I met Shane at the Tower Hamlets Summer University. He ran a class entitled “Urban Poetry Performance” which I was glad to participate in. Not only did he teach young people how to write poetry and deliver a powerful performance on stage, he also made them think critically about current affairs and controversial issues in a brutally honest but constructive way.

He did so by doing the “Yes,” “No” or “Undecided” exercise where one person makes a statement (e.g. homosexuals are evil) and each person walks to one side of the room (each side stands for either “Yes,” “No” or “Undecided” as a response). Next, the person who made the statement then picks one person from each side of the room who then states their case and argues for what they believe in. This game resulted in heated debate with some enlightening points which made everyone question their beliefs. I came out of the exercise feeling refreshed and hungry for more knowledge and I realised once again that simple exercises and events in life can have a big impact on the way I see things. I say, if you want an interesting evening, give it a go! It beats Twister all day long.

Once trained and ready to perform, Shane invited the best of his students to get on stage and perform in front of a hundred people. Luckily I was one of them and I got the opportunity to perform a poem I entitled “She Makes My Sperm Count Go Down.” (More on this on the blog.) Happily for me, the crowd received my performance well and I was later contacted by legendary poet Michael Horrowitz because he wanted to publish my poem in his anthology. I absolutely loved the experience and seeing other young people on stage performing poems they had written only a couple of hours before was truly inspirational.

And it was all down to this man Shane. With the help of Tower Hamlets Council, he made these opportunities possible with his love of poetry and sharing his passion with the future generation. Shane is a poet, comedian, big-time entertainer and also a World-Maker.

Enjoy his interview!

Most Interesting Answer:
6. What problem would you like to see solved before you die?
I’m going to name a few, because I believe each is possible within my lifetime;

• All people having access to clean water, a nutritious diet, and decent education;
• All plastic packaging being made from materials like corn starch, which can be composted;
• Clean power from renewable resources replacing fossil fuels as our main power source;
• A complete ban on toxic waste products being dumped in the sea;
• Dedication to conservation of biodiversity.

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Profile: Nigel has organised events for Kate Moss, Cheryl Cole, Paris Hilton, Lady Gaga and Manny Pacquiao. He’s planned parties for Nokia, Intel, Goldman Sachs and MTV to name a few. He DJs at the leading clubs in London, and he also provided his PR services to Steven Cheung, the youngest independent candidate in the June 2009 European Parliamentary Elections. World-Makers.com believes that Nigel is an example of what a young entrepreneur with guts, charm and intelligence can do. We look forward to more innovative creations from him.

Most Interesting Answer:
7. What is the most inspirational thing somebody told you?
Killing time is murdering success.

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Profile: Symeon stands for progress. He dedicates his life to helping society, especially his local community in London. On top of studying Economics and Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), he heads Haringey Young People Empowered, working to stop post-code violence among young people. In 2008-2009, he was President of the African-Caribbean Society (ACS) at SOAS and organised both stimulating and entertaining events. A great character, witty, with a passionate way of life, World-Makers.com believes that Symeon is a role model for young men across the globe.

Symeon Recommends:
Books: Long Walk to Freedom – Nelson Mandela, and Half a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Song: Miri Ben – Symphony of Brotherhood
Film: City of Men

Most Interesting Answer:
6. What problem would you like to see solved before you die?
The paradox of masculinity. The book Purple Hisbiscus documents it clearly without apology. For me what is to be ‘masculine’ and a man is fatally flawed and contrary to what it should be to be a flourishing human. Once this deficit is filled real progress can be made.

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Interviewed by Marlon Henry (Upcoming Photographer, London)

Profile: Othello uses his prowess in Visual Arts to empower people. Also The National Portrait Gallery commissioned him to do 12 portraits for the “Four Corners” exhibition. He was also commissioned by The Camden Arts Centre for the “Black in North West” exhibition. For Othello’s most recent work with the award-winning international charity, PhotoVoice, he was the lead artist and worked with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Click here to see examples of his work.

Othello Recommends:
Book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
Song: Pretty Wings – Maxwell
Film: Leon

Most Interesting Answer:
6. What problem would you like to see solved before you die?
I would like to see that everybody believes they have a chance in life. No matter what your background, how much money you’ve got, I believe that if you truly believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. I find that a lot of young people don’t have belief in themselves. I went through that myself because you think you have to have something special to achieve something. But you don’t really. You just need to believe in yourself. And work hard at whatever you want to achieve.

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Profile: Derek encapsulates what a volunteering global citizen is. He currently advises the World Youth Congress at Peacechild International, is a Youth Participation Officer at Student Partnerships Worldwide and is also a Trustee at the British Youth Council. As a Business Development Manager at Windsor Fellowship, he secured a 3-year contract worth more than £90,000 that enabled the organization to sustain and refine a flagship training programme for disadvantaged youth aged 14-16. He was also a Youth Advisor at Oxfam and a Fundraiser at Elevate (Pinnacle Charitable Trust). Derek proves that working for big organisations can make the world better.

Derek Recommends:
Book: Breakfast of Champions – Kurt Vonnegut
Song: Daylight – Aesop Rock
Film: Malcolm X

Most Interesting Answer:
4. What three qualities do I need to be a successful WorldMaker like you?
•    A recognition that you are not alone. We all have the potential to ‘make’ our world and we should be supporting one another to do so, making positive connections with friends and colleagues. Other wise life would get very lonely.
•    The confidence to develop and express and act upon beliefs on complex, contentious issues and the humility to be open to ideas, consider the alternatives and admit when you are wrong or need help to achieve your goal.
•    A healthy appreciation for the absurd and a sharp sense of humor to deal with a/ the unexpected and undesirable and b/One’s own ego when its getting out of hand. Don’t take yourself too seriously!

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Profile: Wil makes the news which influences the way we see the world. He stood outside Aldgate tube station on July 7th reporting for the Press Association and also outside Downing street on Tony Blair’s last day as Prime Minister and Gordon Brown’s first. As a person he is highly driven and gets things done. Unknowingly to himself, he is a great teacher and acts as a great mentor. (That’s coming from the Chief Editor of World-Makers.com!)

Ben Recommends:
Book: Midnight’s children – Salman Rushdie (“an incredible epic weaving fantastical elements into history”)
Song: Drifting – Jimi Hendrix (“a bit obscure but just a lovely love song and also reminds about getting home after a trip away”)
Film: Touching the Void (“an incredible survival story brilliantly made”)

Most Interesting Answer:
4. What three qualities do I need to be a successful WorldMaker like you?
First of all, I would say I’m not a WorldMaker. I think anyone who says they are, are perhaps not one. I think people who are the real WorldMakers are the people who dont realise they’re really making a difference. Like the people who are working in Oxfam-stores who probably think they’re not making any difference. Yet they’re dedicating their lives raising money for worthwhile causes: they are incredible individuals! No doubt, you also have WorldMakers like Barack Obama, and good British politicians, who spend their lives working for people.

The three qualities you need are:
Persistence, Patience, and Passion – the three P’s. Youve got to be passionate about what you want to do. You have to have the persistence when you get knocked back to come back, and keep coming back. And you need patience when things go wrong.

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Profile: Ben is a deeply creative person who combines his passion for photography and Latin culture. He works for the leading Brazilian/Latin Magazine in London while pursuing freelance photography. His photos have been exhibited in exclusive gallery spaces in London, notably the “Performance in the City” exhibition. His take on life is both unique and captivating. World-Makers.com believes that he will be a highly successful photojournalist in the near future.

Ben Recommends:
Book: The Science of Cooking – Peter Barham
Music: Latin Funk mixed with some Middle Eastern Drums
Film: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Most Interesting Answer:
4. What three qualities do I need to be a successful WorldMaker like you?
I should say I’m not a worldmaker yet. Hopefully that will come in time but the qualities I value are:
Imagination – If someone doesn’t think differently they can’t create new ideas. If people thought the same, the world might be more ’structured’ but definitely less dynamic and interesting.
Passion – Feeling this leaves everyone more open to exploring their own paths and making changes in the fields that inspire them.
Provocation – I like to provoke and shock. Its a quality that can get me in trouble but I will never change.

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