York Community Wealth Building Podcast

Fieldwork York: Helping the good in York grow
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Interview with York based social enterprises, co-operatives, charities and community groups, discussing local Community Wealth Building activities. Brought you by Fieldwork. wearefieldwork.substack.com

  1. #16: Beth Fenton

    3d ago

    #16: Beth Fenton

    Beth Fenton is a qualified therapist living and working in York.  Alongside their private therapy practice, they work for the local authority delivering workshops on mental health and wellbeing, and also teaches trainee counsellors at York Learning.  Beth is particularly keen to address areas of social injustice through mental health support and to make therapy more accessible for everyone. In this episode we talk about the unexpected importance of friction, which becomes a theme we keep returning to. We discuss how capitalism promises a fulfilled life if you just work a little harder, and just put in a few more hours, and yet we know that no amount of material things prevents us from experiencing mental health problems which can undermine the whole idea of economic efficiency.  We dig into the values behind Beth’s work, in particular an ethos around each-one-teach-one, and we also have a brief stop discussing the impact AI is having when trying to find local providers of services, such as mental health support. Just before we jump in, if you or anyone you know is experiencing mental health problems and you don’t know where to turn, Beth recommends the Live Well York website, which can signpost you to services, products, activities, hubs and clubs in your area.  I hope you enjoy this conversation with Beth Fenton, I’m Ben Porter, and this is the York Community Wealth Building Podcast, brought to you by Fieldwork.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 6m
  2. #15: Sam Gardner

    May 28

    #15: Sam Gardner

    Sam Gardner is Director of Enterprise Works, the University of York’s enterprise hub.  His work focuses on accelerating high-growth companies and advancing “Enterprise for All”. Through targeted, research-led interventions and strong partnerships, Enterprise Works removes barriers to participation and scale in under-recognised entrepreneurship, enabling more diverse founders and ventures to realise their potential, and translate enterprise talent and innovation into social value and economic growth. Many of you will already have come across Enterprise Works in the work they’ve been doing to support local business, but you may not know how much of a focus they have on developing social value.  In this episode we talk about some of that work, and why Enterprise Works is focusing on social value and not just economic value. We talk about the cultural changes taking place that are helping to reinforce the narrative around community wealth building, the need to connect York to the rest of the region, the requirements that need to be put in place for changes in procurement to actually go ahead, as well the pitfall that community wealth builders can fall into which will hinder its chances of actually working.  https://www.instagram.com/uoyenterpriseworks https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/enterprise-works-at-the-university-of-york/posts/?feedView=all This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    58 min
  3. #14: Violet Cannon

    May 21

    #14: Violet Cannon

    Violet Cannon is the CEO of York Travellers Trust, and Founding Director of Proud Gypsy Traveller CIC. Drawing on lived experience and strong connections across Gypsy and Traveller communities, Violet has spent her career championing inclusion, cultural understanding, and representation.  She has led and contributed to numerous Yorkshire-based initiatives, including youth media projects, research and consultancy for local authorities, and nationally recognised creative work shown at the Tate Modern.  Violet is an author, a trained intercultural mediator, and experienced facilitator, and is also a fellow Fieldwork member.  Fieldwork is the collective bringing you this podcast. In this episode we explore the importance of narrative in shaping how people perceive communities. We talk about the barriers faced by marginalised groups like Gypsies and Travellers, which are only worsened by the lack of recognition that Gypsies and Travellers are an ethnic minority within Britain. We talk about hopes for the future, what every day people can do to contribute to community wealth building, and Violet reminds us why it’s best to start small with acts of kindness and camaraderie.  I hope you enjoy this conversion with Violet Cannon. I’m Ben Porter, and this is the York Community Wealth Building Podcast brought to you by Fieldwork.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 2m
  4. #13: Dr Graham Gill

    May 14

    #13: Dr Graham Gill

    Dr Graham Gill is a Policy Fellow at the University of York, with a PhD in Sociology and a passion for sustainable cities. His research focuses on urban sustainability, unequal economies and social exclusion.  He is currently working alongside the Climate Change Team at City of York Council, with a mission to help shape the city's climate adaptation strategy and, most importantly, to make sure the people and organisations across York are engaged and ready for the transition. In this episode we spend some time talking about how no city is actually sustainable, and how they all create structural inequality through the way they are incentivising growth.  We discuss why it is that when cities spin narratives, such as becoming a green city, a city of culture, a city of heritage, it’s not just because we value those things in and of themselves, but usually it’s because we’re using those badges as marketing to try and attract capital and wealthy individuals to move here to boost our economy.  We talk about how businesses can create more meaningful jobs for their employees, and we have a brief stop comparing Neoliberalism to Managerialism and I ask whether a return to managerialism would actually be a good thing. Graham brings years of research in this area to our conversation around community wealth building, so it was an honour to have him on the podcast.  I hope you enjoy listening to the episode, I’m Ben Porter and this is the York Community Wealth Building Podcast, brought to you by Fieldwork.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 1m
  5. #12: Stephen Hunt

    May 7

    #12: Stephen Hunt

    For anyone wanting to understand more about how community wealth building works, this podcast is for you. Stephen Hunt is a York-based consultant and advisor working on inclusive economies, specialising in poverty and economic development.  His work sits between designing initiatives that support more inclusive economic systems, helping institutions deliver sustainable change, and using evidence and learning to shape what happens next — with much of his work centred around entrepreneurship. He has supported work in more than 30 countries, focusing on education, entrepreneurship, market systems development, and business environment reform — working across public, private, and civil society contexts to improve how things actually work in practice.  In this episode, we start off by getting a better understanding of Stephen’s work and how it functions in developing economies, before bringing the conversation back to York and discussing how the principles of building inclusive economies abroad are just as important to implement here. We talk about why the UK is looking to community wealth building in 2026, with Scotland leading the way. We outline what the 5 pillars of community wealth building are, how we can use them to shape discussion and policy, but mostly importantly why community wealth building initiatives have to work with markets to become sustainable.  Stephen is incredibly passionate about this area and has a grounded understanding of what it will take for the community wealth building movement to succeed in the UK. Hosted by Ben Porter, this is season two of the York Community Wealth Building Podcast brought to you by Fieldwork.  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 2m
  6. #11: Tom McKenzie

    Apr 30

    #11: Tom McKenzie

    Tom McKenzie is co-director of SPARK:YORK, a project that transformed a former derelict site on Piccadilly into a hub for independent trade. In the context of community wealth building, SPARK represents a shift away from traditional, high-rent commercial models and toward a system that keeps profit and opportunity within the local area.  In this episode we discuss the realities of running a social enterprise in York, balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders, the difficulty of measuring social value, and why and how SPARK has always had community support baked into its model. This is the York Community Wealth Building Podcast, hosted by Ben Porter, brought to you by Fieldwork. Funded by York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 35m
  7. #10: Rob Ainsworth

    Apr 23

    #10: Rob Ainsworth

    Rob Ainsworth is Founder and Director of Yahala Mataam CIC, York’s refugee led event caterer, pop-up restaurant and cookery school. Yahala Mataam means welcome restaurant in Arabic, and it’s their mission to give opportunity, build confidence and restore dignity in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers through food projects. Rob is a social entrepreneur who loves to think up new ideas that will make a difference in society, and an encourager that is passionate about justice, giving and fairness. In this episode we talk about the value of allowing people to contribute to society, and the change it makes in people when they feel useful and able to give.  We discuss the reality of running a social enterprise when all the staff are part time, business support doesn’t quite seem to fit your model, and even finding a bank that would take on a social enterprise seems to prove tricky. We talk a lot about relationships, assets, challenges and social infrastructure, as well as the importance of festivals in bringing together diverse groups of people to celebrate what residents can offer to others around them. This is the York Community Wealth Building Podcast, hosted by Ben Porter, brought to you by Fieldwork. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    1h 2m
  8. #09: Dr Mike Calvert

    Apr 16

    #09: Dr Mike Calvert

    Dr Mike Calvert is a retired lecturer at York St John University, who was also employed part-time to look at the University’s responsibilities in providing public good. He also attended conferences and visited organisations in the UK and abroad, addressing issues of social innovation, social enterprise and the social economy.  Mike is now a trustee of Red Tower, an inclusive welcoming space for creative, learning and social activities, based in the only part of York’s city walls made of brick.  In this episode we talk about the history of this unique space, what it’s used for now, the challenges of operating such a space when relying on volunteers, and also why Red Tower was initially a community interest company, but later changed to becoming a charitable incorporated organisation.  Hosted by Ben Porter, brought to you by Fieldwork. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wearefieldwork.substack.com

    48 min
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Interview with York based social enterprises, co-operatives, charities and community groups, discussing local Community Wealth Building activities. Brought you by Fieldwork. wearefieldwork.substack.com

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