Theme: Future Guernsey

Over the last three years, TEDxStPeterPort has asked the question ‘how do we make Guernsey the best place to live on Earth.’

In October 2016 the States of Guernsey set out to answer that question with the Future Guernsey plan.

So, now it’s time for TEDxStPeterPort to ask a new question. How can we, as a community, contribute to Future Guernsey and help to turn that plan into a reality?

Imagine a country where everyone has equal opportunity to achieve their potential. A place which nurtures its unique heritage, respects its environment and fosters a diverse and successful economy. Future Guernsey is that country.

TEDxStPeterPort will be curated around the four themes of Future Guernsey:

Our economy
Our quality of life
Our community
Our place in the world

Throughout a day of short, impactful talks, TEDxStPeterPort will help us make connections, spark conversations, ignite community projects and collectively achieve that vision.

St Pierre Park Hotel & Golf Resort
Rohais
Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1FD
Guernsey

Alan Budge

Associate with Participatory Budgeting Partners

Alan Budge worked in community development for several years before joining the Bradford Local Strategic Partnership (BLSP), where he played a central role in the development of the BLSP’s pioneering participatory grant-making programme. He is currently working as an Associate with Participatory Budgeting Partners, offering training and delivery support to its programmes across the UK. Since 2014 Alan has been working with the Scottish Government on the national roll-out of Budgeting Partners in Scotland; offering direct support to 10 programmes, including groundbreaking work in the island communities of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

Caroline Makepeace

Chief Operating Office at Public

Caroline has spent 10 years in and around the UK’s public sector, working in strategy, operations and digital policy, including spells at Tech City UK and with the UK government’s trade department in London and India. She started her career in the live entertainment team at BBC Worldwide and still harbours a passion for the performing arts. Caroline joined Public in 2016, as part of the founding team for GovStart, a new venture to help tech startups do business with the public sector. Public works with technology startups to transform public services; providing capital, networks, insight and support.

Chris Dayson

Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research

Chris is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR), Sheffield Hallam University, where he leads a programme of research and evaluation on local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs). Much of this work focusses on understanding the impact of innovative solutions to the entrenched social problems faced by communities and people who experience multiple and complex disadvantages. His work on ‘social prescribing’ has been cited by the NHS locally and nationally and is regularly referred to in print and social media.

Chrissy Levett

Founder at Creative Conscience

Chrissy trained as a designer at the Royal College of Art. She went on to become a creative director for a branding agency working with global businesses. She now feels that for many years she was misguided, designing products we don’t need. Chrissy later worked for a fintech business focusing on migrant communities and fairer banking systems. She founded Creative Conscience in 2012, a global organisation that encourages and rewards ‘creative thinking with a purpose’. She has won several industry awards for branding and firmly believes that innovation, design and creative thinking are useful tools for positive activism & social change.

David Matthews

Prison Governor at Guernsey Prison

Dave started work as a prison officer in 1987 and worked his way through the prison service ranks, becoming a Governor in 1999. He has worked in a variety of different establishments including young offenders, medium security and a high-security prison where he led a team developing services for prisoners with dangerous and severe personality disorders. David has been prison governor in Guernsey for the last five years where he has developed a working prison around what he calls a ‘factory process model’. He has completed over 30 years in the prison service and describes Guernsey’s prison system as unique. David is currently planning for an inspection which will be carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons in 2018.

Gary Evans

CEO at Demand

With roots in mechanical engineering, Gary spent his early career in avionics and high- performance optics before enjoying 20 years in the IT industry. He has been the CEO at DEMAND since 2012, manufacturing bespoke equipment that helps people with disabilities. Gary believes that he has come full circle and is back working in engineering with a real purpose. Having worked for organisations such as Marconi, Toshiba and Lenovo, he is determined to take the best of his commercial knowledge and experience and apply it for the benefit of others.

Greg Tehven

Executive Director and Co-Founder at Emerging Prairie

Thought leader, storyteller, and advocate for the creative class, Greg Tehven, invites his audience to build the community they want to live in. He believes that if you think creatively and act boldly, you can overcome any obstacle. Greg is proud to be from Fargo, North Dakota. After travelling around the world and taking in other places and ways of life, he returned home ready to stop observing and start taking action to change what the world thinks when they hear Fargo. As a leader in the startup community, Greg has been involved in many projects and events including TEDxFargo, 1 Million Cups, Startup Weekend, and Emerging Prairie. He often speaks about creative economic development, shining a spotlight on the best our cities have to offer, and innovative problem solving.

Jen Rae

Policy Advisor for Nesta

Jen Rae is a policy advisor on innovation and economic growth for Nesta’s Policy and Research team. Jen is responsible for producing evidence-based policy from Nesta’s wide range of research to advocate for the importance of innovation to economic development in the UK. Prior to joining Nesta, Jen worked for regional organisations in the North East of England including One North East, the Regional Development Agency, undertaking a variety of policy roles from economic inclusion and regeneration to regional economic policy. On behalf of the RDA network she led on national policy work with the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. She has also worked for the Arts Council. Jen has taken part in a variety of voluntary projects across the world including election observation in El Salvador and recently spent a year with VSO in Cambodia assisting local NGOs with strategic planning.

Justin Locke

Director of the Islands Energy Program at Rocky Mountain Institute-Carbon War Room

Justin Locke is the Director of the Islands Energy Program at Rocky Mountain Institute-Carbon War Room and is based in Washington, DC. Justin is responsible for strategic oversight and leadership for the Islands Energy Program. The program aims to accelerate the transition of island economies from a heavy dependence on fossil fuels to a diverse platform of renewables and energy efficiency while establishing a blueprint for other isolated economies. Justin previously held the position of Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank where he managed one of the largest per capita investment portfolios in World Bank history. Previous to his tenure at the World Bank, Justin worked for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Pacific Region – holding the role of Development Specialist at the UNDP Regional Pacific Center based in Fiji which provides technical assistance to over 14 Pacific island countries.

Mike Warwick

Founder at Exam Magic

Mike Warwick is an author, teacher, life coach and therapist. The founder of the Exam Magic coaching system which grew out of his students requesting help to get better grades, he works with schools, universities and organisations that are 100% committed to the wellbeing and achievement of all stakeholders in an inclusive way. Mike is the author of the book “How to Survive School” and is a psychologist at the City Of London Therapy Center and in private practice at www.findyourselftherapy.com.

Pat Johnson

Chairman at Floral Guernsey

Educated at Gordonstoun Pat went on to Stoke Polytechnic to read Business Studies. His varied career has seen him working in the pottery industry, for Avon Cosmetic, as a farmer in Devon, consulting to Milk Marketing Board and Rentarc, a specialist hire company in the welding industry. Pat then started his own business in Dumfries 1983 as a solution centre to the civil and mechanical trades which he sold before moving with family to Guernsey in 2004. Pat is now a committed volunteer, working to enhance the Bailiwick’s historic and natural assets for locals and visitors to enjoy. He is Chairman of Floral Guernsey, The Little Chapel Foundation and La Vallette project Legacy Team leader.

Sarah Bentley

Founder at Made In Hackney

Sarah Bentley founded the UK’s first 100% plant-based eco-community kitchen – Made In Hackney – in September 2012. Sarah is a former journalist with a passion for social justice, environmentalism, activism and health. She and the project’s dedicated team and volunteers have been on the bumpy but rewarding road of running and funding the award-winning kitchen that has helped over 5,000 people transition to eating healthy, affordable food that’s good for people and planet. Many of those people are from vulnerable, marginalised and low-income backgrounds. Made in Hackney teaches vital food growing and cooking skills via a seasonal program of activity which covers everything from basic cookery skills to sugar-free baking, preserving, composting and foraging.

Sarah Bird

CEO of Timebanking UK

Sarah Bird is the CEO of Timebanking UK (TBUK) and has over 12 years of experience within the time banking field. She originally set up and ran a time bank, before becoming a consultant and project manager within TBUK. Sarah continues to develop partnerships and networks across the country with the vision of co-produced time banking being available in every town and city in the country. She firmly believes that time banking – a reciprocity-based work trading system in which hours are the currency – brings a wealth of benefits to individuals and neighbourhoods. Sarah delivers talks, presentations and training days across the country alongside the team of indispensable core staff, associate trainers and consultants that are part of Timebanking UK.

Simon Walker

Head of Campaigns at Crowdfunder.co.uk

Simon is the head coach at Crowdfunder.co.uk and is one of the UK’s most prolific crowdfunding coaches. Crowdfunding is a way to raise capital through the collective effort of family, friends, customers and individual investors. The method taps into the collective efforts of individuals through digital channels such as social media and crowdfunding platforms, leveraging their networks for greater reach and exposure. Over the last four years, Simon has mentored hundreds of successful crowdfunding projects, helping them raise £10’s of millions. When not helping foster brilliant ideas, you can find him either surfing in Cornwall or jumping out of aeroplanes.

Tyler Edmonds

Founder and Director at School of Popular Music

Tyler is the founder and director of School of Popular Music and frontman of Last of the Light Brigade in Guernsey. The School of Popular Music aims to improve the access and quality of music provision on the island by developing modern and impactful programmes and allow everyone to benefit from the joys of music. He began his music aged 13 when he acquired a guitar for his birthday and was soon on stage performing.