In this episode, we’re joined by Steve Chalke MBE, founder of Oasis and one of the UK’s most influential voices on community, inclusion and tackling disadvantage. Across decades of work in education, housing, anti-trafficking, youth work and community leadership, Steve has focused on one central idea: if we want children and young people to thrive, we have to go beyond isolated interventions and start building communities where people feel they belong. In this conversation, Steve reflects on the experiences that first shaped his vision for Oasis, from growing up in poverty and experiencing racism to realising, as a teenager, that schools, homes, healthcare and community all shape opportunity in interconnected ways. He explains why Oasis was never just about starting schools, but about creating a more holistic response to disadvantage – one rooted in dignity, belonging, opportunity and long-term flourishing. We also explore the Oasis Hub model, what it means to build genuinely inclusive communities around children and families, and why schools are increasingly being asked to respond to challenges they cannot solve alone. Along the way, Steve shares his thoughts on attendance, Ofsted, teacher retention, social fragmentation, and the kind of hopeful, courageous leadership communities need now. We explore: What first drove Steve to found Oasis, and how his own childhood experiences shaped that vision Why lasting change in communities has to tackle the root causes of disadvantage, not just the symptoms Why Oasis has always focused on schools, housing, youth work, healthcare and community together, rather than in isolation How Steve’s own experience of school shaped his view of what education should feel like for children What it takes to scale a mission-led organisation like Oasis without losing sight of its core values What the Oasis Hub model looks like in practice, and why local partnership matters so much Why schools are being placed in an “impossible situation” as more and more social responsibilities are pushed onto them Where Steve thinks the limits of schools’ responsibilities should lie – and what needs to sit alongside them instead What true inclusion means in practice, and why it has to be about belonging, not just attendance Why schools serving disadvantaged communities can be penalised for being more inclusive What it will take to keep great teachers and leaders in the profession, especially in the most challenging communities Why community, volunteering and human connection matter more than ever in an increasingly fragmented society What Steve means when he talks about hope as action, strategy and collective responsibility – not just optimism What still gives him hope after decades of working in some of the country’s most disadvantaged communities This is a powerful and deeply human conversation for trust leaders, school leaders and anyone interested in what it really takes to build communities where children, families and staff feel they truly belong. LINKS For more on how The Key can support your trust, visit: key.sc/trustsupport Subscribe to our newsletter, Trust Matters: key.sc/trustmatters Connect with Steve on LinkedIn. All views expressed in this episode are the guest’s own. Any mention of commercial providers, resources or products is on the guest’s recommendation and should not be considered an endorsement by The Key.
