What To Do About...

Forget the doom spiral. Real solutions to serious problems already exist—we've just been talking to the people building them. From food systems to apprenticeships to breaking media monopolies, hear what actually works, why it works, and how to make it work for everyone. This is our best of season one.

In this week’s episode, Peter and Victor ask ‘What to do About… the Hostile Environment’.‘Hostile environment’ – a phrase coined by Home Secretary Theresa May in 2012, but a lived reality for many immigrants and their children in the decades before and since.  As a granddaughter of Polish immigrants and a daughter of Windrush, Dr. Wanda Wyporska can talk about the ‘hostile environment’ of Britain with more authority than most. And not just personally, but professionally, having been the Chief Executive of the Equality Trust, Safe Passage International and now the Black Cultural Archives.Who better to ask, and answer, ‘What to do About… the Hostile Environment’?

In this week’s episode, Peter and Victor ask ‘What to do About… Media Representation’.Whether entertainment media or the news, whose stories get told and who gets to tell them is a live question in British culture – who has the money and power to decide what parts of our society we get to see, and who doesn’t.That’s a problem for all of us, because the less we understand, the easier it is to manipulate us, shaping our view of the world in a way that suits someone else.Luckily, people like Rachel Wang and David Floyd have figured out ways to preserve and improve representation in their parts of the media – film, for Rachel. For David, local news – so that as many people as possible get to see the whole picture.In this episode, they tell us how they do what they do, and why.‘What to do About… Media Representation’ with Peter Holbrook & Lord Victor Adebowale.

This week, Victor and Peter are joined by Stephen Colegrave, co-founder and executive editor of Byline Times.Selling 30,000 PRINT copies a month (yes, still a thing!) on top of tens of thousands of digital subscriptions, Byline Times is a rare success story in modern British journalism.Even more impressive is the weight its reporting carries with politicians, commentators and other journalists, who can’t ignore the quality of its investigative reporting.It’s Byline Times we have to thank for revelations around the Covid PPE ‘VIP lane’, around Russia’s influence on British politics and society, and around Reform UK and Nigel Farage’s connections to an international network of crooked operators, from Steve Bannon to Jeffrey Epstein, via, yes, Russia.So if Byline Times can do it, what’s stopping everyone else?Good question. One this episode sets out to answer.What to do about… The Press.

Is the fight against racism getting better, or has it just moved to a more pervasive, invisible front line? Welcome back to What To Do About, the podcast that trades systemic hand-wringing for grounded, frontline solutions. In this episode, hosts Peter Holbrook (CEO of Social Enterprise UK) and Lord Victor Adebowale sit down with Professor Patrick Vernon OBE to talk about what it actually takes to move from corporate performance to aggressive, enforced human rights. We dive into:The dangerous 30-year cycle of public moral outrage and institutional amnesia.How social media algorithms are designed to multiply division and concentrate old colonial thinking.The death of legal aid and why rights are meaningless without the resources to access justice.An exclusive look inside Patrick's private battle with the Bank of England over historical accountability. If you’re tired of "experts" talking about social policy without ever living it, this episode is a masterclass in authenticity. Hit follow to join us as we tackle the world's biggest challenges.Connect with Peter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterholbrook/Connect with Victor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loadebowale/

In this episode of What To Do About, Peter Holbrook and Lord Victor Adebowale sit down with Lisa Stepanovic MBE, the "talent spotter" and founder of Social Arc. Lisa shares her journey from market trader to community hero, discussing the "hard yards" of economic development in East London. The conversation dives deep into the "hidden discrimination" of the British class system and why lived experience is the ultimate tool for fixing broken communities. From challenging "helicopter" funders to pitching a radical new "Community Dividend" for local high streets, this episode is a masterclass in driving systemic change from the ground up.

Welcome to the latest episode of "What To Do About." We aren't here to just admire the problems; we’re here to talk to the "doers" who are actually navigating the challenges of the next generation. In this episode, Peter and Victor sit down with Dr. June O’Sullivan, CEO of the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) and a leading expert on children and education. We tackle the early years crisis, diving into how social enterprise can dismantle systemic inequality and why we need to stop treating children as mere "economic units" for the labor market. We also cover:The Social Justice Pedagogy: Moving beyond basic childcare to build "cultural capital" through debate, oracy, and critical thinking. The "Triple Glass Ceiling": June’s personal journey navigating the intersections of being Irish, a woman, and a social entrepreneur. The Send Crisis: Addressing the rise in neurodiversity and the urgent need for early intervention over late-stage institutionalization. The Degree Barrier: Why requiring degrees for every entry-level role is an unnecessary hurdle that sifts out working-class talent. Scaling in the "River of Chaos": The reality of growing a social business from 8 to 43 nurseries while fighting for affordable investment. "What To Do About" isn't a podcast about doom and gloom. It's solutions-focused, hopeful, and builds a bridge between systemic problems and community action. As June notes, we need to move from "extractive" models to an ecology where society profits and every child is treated as a global citizen. Hit play and let’s figure out what to do about Education in part 2 of this series!

Welcome to the latest episode of "What To Do About." We aren't here to just admire the problems; we’re here to talk to the "doers" who are actually navigating the challenges of the next generation. In this episode, Peter and Victor sit down with Jovan, an aspirational politician and Cambridge graduate , and Gustavo, a talented studio engineer at Sirlute Studios in Canning Town. We tackle the future of education and work, diving into how a new generation is facing down the rise of AI, a volatile labor market, and a housing crisis that makes traditional milestones feel like a pipe dream. We also cover:Why a teacher told his students "good luck" on their first day because of the threat of AI. The "day-to-day" mindset of young people who feel robbed of a predictable future. Why we need a "Skills Guarantee" to ensure every young person gains professional experience outside of academia. The insidious role of social media algorithms and digital populism in shaping modern political engagement. Radical solutions for a dignified life: from social housing to redistributing corporate profits through social enterprise. "What To Do About" isn't a podcast about doom and gloom. It's solutions-focused, hopeful, and builds a bridge between systemic problems and community action. As Javan notes, we need a "strategic direction" to move from a state of malaise to a prosperous nation where everyone is dignified through decent work and wages. Hit play and let’s figure out what to do about Education in part 1 of this three part series!

Welcome to the very first episode of What To Do About! We’re kicking things off with a massive thank you for joining us on this journey. We aren't here to just admire the problems; we’re here to talk to the "doers" who are actually fixing things.In this episode, Peter and Victor sit down with the incredible Kresse Wesling (the force behind Elvis & Kresse) and Jennifer Ogolle (BANG Charity) to tackle nature and the climate crisis. We dive into how Kresse turned discarded firehoses into a "guilt-free" luxury brand and is now proving that a farm can actually clean more water than it uses.We also cover:Why are people building bunkers in New Zealand instead of fixing the planet.A radical vision to make it illegal to profit from exploitation by 2036.How "net regeneration" and social enterprise are the ultimate routes to abundance.What To Do About isn't a podcast about doom and gloom. It's solutions-focused, hopeful and builds a bridge between problem and action.As Kresse's grandmother always said: "If you're capable, you're responsible".Hit play and let’s figure out what to do about Nature!

Stop admiring the problem and start fixing it. From luxury bags made of firehoses to the radical goal of making exploitation illegal , Peter and Victor talk nature, climate, and "net regeneration" with Kresse and Jennifer. It’s time for real action. Out this Friday.