Afallen commissioned Professor Calvin Jones to write a series of four blog posts about Wales’ economy. The publication of the fourth and final blog post was celebrated at Afallen’s 6th birthday with a talk in front of 40 guests at Clwb y Bont in Pontypridd.
- Blog post 1: If we tolerate this; Wales in the world economy
- Blog post 2: Must Everything Go? The Prospects for economic (re-)localisation in Wales
- Blog post 3: Faster: imagining a Wales that *really* goes for growth
- Blog post 4: Stone by stone: deconstructing and rebuilding innovation in Wales
Our values
One of Afallen’s overriding aims is to keep money and skills in Wales.
Of course, we can’t do that alone! All our activities take place within the context of policy, whether local, regional, national or via the Unitary State of the UK.
Working within that framework still enables us to contribute in an extraordinary way. Almost all of our spend – excluding our insurance and IT costs – remains within Wales, way more than 95% of all our income.
We also donate 10% of our net profit to good causes, and invest an additional 10% within the community energy sector in Wales. So far, that has generated thousands of pounds of investment and donation, helping us demonstrate that we practice exactly what we champion.
However we are impatient and eager to see more rapid and widespread change across Wales (and further afield). That’s why we were delighted to work with one of Wales’ most respected and outspoken economists, Professor Calvin Jones, on a series of four blog posts that challenge conventional thinking and point to different ways of doing things.
In that series of blog posts, Calvin highlights structural reasons for Wales’ poverty, and asks searching questions about whether we are following the right path – or even whether conventional economic growth is even desirable.
And on 13 November 2024, forty invited guests came together for an evening of challenge, discussion and networking at a packed Clwb y Bont in Pontypridd.
Fuelled by food provided by a local social enterprise, Stiwdio 37, and by soft drinks or optional local cider (Gwynt y Ddraig), the talk by Calvin was superb (see below for a very brief taster of the talk), and the questions afterwards provided excellent discussion material for all attendees.
The question for us is; what will change as a result?
We are keen to work with any individual or organisation in Wales with similar levels of impatience (!), drive and commitment to improving the outcomes for Wales. We work collaboratively, and use our considerable experience and skill in project management to deliver outstanding results.
If you’re interested in working with us, please get in touch with any of the Partners. Wales contains many extraordinary ideas, and can achieve extraordinary things when we work collaboratively towards the common goals of social justice, climate action, and localism 🤝❤️🏴