Welcome to Untold Banking – a content series created in partnership with NatWest to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Social & Community Capital – the bank's community investment charity.
Going it alone doesn't work in the world of social investment. Each person or organisation relies on the next link in the chain to make our collective impact possible.
Small charities and social enteprrises are often the stars of our local communities. But we still haven't figured out how best to support them, particularly with investment.
Life as a third sector boss can be stressful and lonely – sometimes more about juggling than strategy or innovation. Pat Armstrong OBE, of ACOSVO, reflects on 20 years supporting social enterprise and charity leaders.
Out of crisis, we learn how to do things better. In the fourth piece in our Untold Banking series, Melanie Mills shares four lessons from the frontline of social investment – on change, people, power and honesty.
Three women took the lead in starting a new trade association for community finance. "None of our male colleagues felt in a position to take that risk", recalls Niamh Goggin. Dial forward 20 years and the sector's leaders are male, pale and privileged.
It sometimes seemed like a sector put together with cardboard and pieces of string – and being a social investor can still feel lonely... Big Issue Invest boss Danyal Sattar reflects on 20 years of community investment in the UK.
NatWest took a big leap of faith in setting up its own community enterprise fund, says Bernie Morgan, a trustee of NatWest Social & Community Capital, recalling the early days of support for responsible investors.
