Women's Hour: Alison Wallace
Women's Hour: Alison Wallace
Alison Wallace is a senior leader in the not-for-profit sector, serving as the CEO of SOS Children's Villages UK - a global organisation dedicated to helping at-risk children and one that DeMellier has a long standing partnership with via our 'A Bag, A Life' initiative. Originally from New Zealand, Alison credits her parents, who were active in the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980’s, for inspiring her strong commitment to political and social justice campaigns. Currently based in London, we spoke to Alison about her passion for helping others and her highlights of working in the charity sector.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am originally from New Zealand and have since settled here in the UK. For work, I am Chief Executive of SOS Children’s Villages UK. I’m also a trustee at Crisis, a charity for people experiencing homelessness.
Please explain a bit about the SOS Children’s Villages background and the important work that you do?
SOS Children's Villages is a worldwide organisation dedicated to ensuring children have the bonds they need to grow up feeling safe, loved and respected, which is vital to every child’s start in life. We know what a difference a loving family environment, going to school, good health care and a job make to everyone's life chances, and we work alongside some of the poorest and most vulnerable children, their families and communities to help make that happen.
How does working for SOS Children’s Villages relate to you and your personal story?
I’m originally from New Zealand. I’m incredibly grateful that I was born in a time and come from a country where I could take advantage of the opportunities that were there: education, health, employment, peace, stability. My parents were politically engaged enough that I grew up being aware of the wider world around this tiny country on the other side of the planet and, crucially, that we are all connected to everyone, everywhere. My first experience of that was taking part in anti-apartheid protests in the 1980’s, as a teenager. It’s gone on to inspire my life at work and my activism at home. And given what’s happening in our world right now, it’s more important to me than ever.
What do you love most about your job?
The thing I most love about my job is the quite extraordinary women I have the privilege of meeting. Their stories and their work make it all worthwhile. At a recent international meeting of all the SOS Children’s Villages members from around the world, I had the opportunity to speak with the head of SOS Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone, Sophie Ndong. Sierra Leone has some of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the world, weak national institutions for holding offenders to account and a health system that has never recovered from the 10 year civil war in the 1990’s. Sophie and her team are working day in and day out to protect girls and young women in the SOS Children’s Villages programmes, empower them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and act with them when holding perpetrators to account. She is resolute in the face of what sometimes looks like overwhelming odds but her belief in change is powerful.
I am originally from New Zealand and have since settled here in the UK. For work, I am Chief Executive of SOS Children’s Villages UK. I’m also a trustee at Crisis, a charity for people experiencing homelessness.
Please explain a bit about the SOS Children’s Villages background and the important work that you do?
SOS Children's Villages is a worldwide organisation dedicated to ensuring children have the bonds they need to grow up feeling safe, loved and respected, which is vital to every child’s start in life. We know what a difference a loving family environment, going to school, good health care and a job make to everyone's life chances, and we work alongside some of the poorest and most vulnerable children, their families and communities to help make that happen.
How does working for SOS Children’s Villages relate to you and your personal story?
I’m originally from New Zealand. I’m incredibly grateful that I was born in a time and come from a country where I could take advantage of the opportunities that were there: education, health, employment, peace, stability. My parents were politically engaged enough that I grew up being aware of the wider world around this tiny country on the other side of the planet and, crucially, that we are all connected to everyone, everywhere. My first experience of that was taking part in anti-apartheid protests in the 1980’s, as a teenager. It’s gone on to inspire my life at work and my activism at home. And given what’s happening in our world right now, it’s more important to me than ever.
What do you love most about your job?
The thing I most love about my job is the quite extraordinary women I have the privilege of meeting. Their stories and their work make it all worthwhile. At a recent international meeting of all the SOS Children’s Villages members from around the world, I had the opportunity to speak with the head of SOS Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone, Sophie Ndong. Sierra Leone has some of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the world, weak national institutions for holding offenders to account and a health system that has never recovered from the 10 year civil war in the 1990’s. Sophie and her team are working day in and day out to protect girls and young women in the SOS Children’s Villages programmes, empower them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and act with them when holding perpetrators to account. She is resolute in the face of what sometimes looks like overwhelming odds but her belief in change is powerful.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am originally from New Zealand and have since settled here in the UK. For work, I am Chief Executive of SOS Children’s Villages UK. I’m also a trustee at Crisis, a charity for people experiencing homelessness.
Please explain a bit about the SOS Children’s Villages background and the important work that you do?
SOS Children's Villages is a worldwide organisation dedicated to ensuring children have the bonds they need to grow up feeling safe, loved and respected, which is vital to every child’s start in life. We know what a difference a loving family environment, going to school, good health care and a job make to everyone's life chances, and we work alongside some of the poorest and most vulnerable children, their families and communities to help make that happen.
How does working for SOS Children’s Villages relate to you and your personal story?
I’m originally from New Zealand. I’m incredibly grateful that I was born in a time and come from a country where I could take advantage of the opportunities that were there: education, health, employment, peace, stability. My parents were politically engaged enough that I grew up being aware of the wider world around this tiny country on the other side of the planet and, crucially, that we are all connected to everyone, everywhere. My first experience of that was taking part in anti-apartheid protests in the 1980’s, as a teenager. It’s gone on to inspire my life at work and my activism at home. And given what’s happening in our world right now, it’s more important to me than ever.
What do you love most about your job?
The thing I most love about my job is the quite extraordinary women I have the privilege of meeting. Their stories and their work make it all worthwhile. At a recent international meeting of all the SOS Children’s Villages members from around the world, I had the opportunity to speak with the head of SOS Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone, Sophie Ndong. Sierra Leone has some of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the world, weak national institutions for holding offenders to account and a health system that has never recovered from the 10 year civil war in the 1990’s. Sophie and her team are working day in and day out to protect girls and young women in the SOS Children’s Villages programmes, empower them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and act with them when holding perpetrators to account. She is resolute in the face of what sometimes looks like overwhelming odds but her belief in change is powerful.
I am originally from New Zealand and have since settled here in the UK. For work, I am Chief Executive of SOS Children’s Villages UK. I’m also a trustee at Crisis, a charity for people experiencing homelessness.
Please explain a bit about the SOS Children’s Villages background and the important work that you do?
SOS Children's Villages is a worldwide organisation dedicated to ensuring children have the bonds they need to grow up feeling safe, loved and respected, which is vital to every child’s start in life. We know what a difference a loving family environment, going to school, good health care and a job make to everyone's life chances, and we work alongside some of the poorest and most vulnerable children, their families and communities to help make that happen.
How does working for SOS Children’s Villages relate to you and your personal story?
I’m originally from New Zealand. I’m incredibly grateful that I was born in a time and come from a country where I could take advantage of the opportunities that were there: education, health, employment, peace, stability. My parents were politically engaged enough that I grew up being aware of the wider world around this tiny country on the other side of the planet and, crucially, that we are all connected to everyone, everywhere. My first experience of that was taking part in anti-apartheid protests in the 1980’s, as a teenager. It’s gone on to inspire my life at work and my activism at home. And given what’s happening in our world right now, it’s more important to me than ever.
What do you love most about your job?
The thing I most love about my job is the quite extraordinary women I have the privilege of meeting. Their stories and their work make it all worthwhile. At a recent international meeting of all the SOS Children’s Villages members from around the world, I had the opportunity to speak with the head of SOS Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone, Sophie Ndong. Sierra Leone has some of the highest rates of sexual and gender-based violence in the world, weak national institutions for holding offenders to account and a health system that has never recovered from the 10 year civil war in the 1990’s. Sophie and her team are working day in and day out to protect girls and young women in the SOS Children’s Villages programmes, empower them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and act with them when holding perpetrators to account. She is resolute in the face of what sometimes looks like overwhelming odds but her belief in change is powerful.
"At SOS Children’s Villages, the impact of most of our programmes comes through the agency of women, whether that’s women as educators, health care practitioners, carers or entrepreneurs."
What has been your proudest moment as a woman in your career?
At SOS Children’s Villages, the impact of most of our programmes comes through the agency of women, whether that’s women as educators, health care practitioners, carers or entrepreneurs. Women are often the most active and vocal in demanding change in communities even though the power structures around them frequently dilute or disenfranchise their voices. A couple of years ago, I was privileged enough to meet a group of women in Chipata, in Zambia, who between them run a flour-milling business. They’ve been able to make the availability of flour for local families more reliable and accessible, run a small mutual credit scheme and generate enough excess income to expand their business, albeit slowly. We talked about the challenges of running a business as a committee. Someone mentioned that they’d had to remove two committee members who hadn’t played a sufficiently active role. It turned out those two members were the only men on the committee, and we all had a really good laugh. It was a real moment of connection, and of seeing women take their power even in this small way. I was proud of how we had supported the group to grow their business, but also humbled by the example of where and how change truly comes about.
What makes a successful female leader in business?
The single most important thing to my success has been working with good people. I think we have a much more nuanced definition of success and good leadership than we used to. It’s no longer all about the superstar lone wolf whose organisation loses its way the minute he or she leaves. The lasting positive change you make, your legacy if you like, is what defines your success. And if you’re going to do that, you need good people empowered to do good jobs. You really are only as good as the people you work with.
How do you balance your work and personal life?
We have a great team at SOS Children’s Villages, built on trust that everyone does what they need to do to get good outcomes, accountability for those outcomes and clear lines of communication. That means that I can be confident that I’m pulled in at the right time for the right things, and that I can step away at the end of the working week or to go on holiday and know that everything is working the way it should. As an organisation, we also encourage people to be clear about times when what they need to do outside work – whether family or other commitments or simply the need to be somewhere else for whatever reason – means they can’t balance work and personal life at that particular time. We do our utmost to be flexible and support people to get work and personal life back into a balance that’s right for us both.
What have been some highlights during the partnership with DeMellier?
DeMellier is one of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s longest standing corporate partners, supporting us since their inception. The partnership has evolved over that time and the amount donated to us has grown hugely each year. DeMellier has remained unwaveringly dedicated, and the ‘A Bag, A Life’ initiative has remained a strong and constant message throughout. The lives of thousands of children and young people across Africa, from Somalia, Zambia, Liberia and now Senegal have been impacted.
The Seven Women, Seven Causes campaign was a particular highlight. Mireia chose SOS Children’s Villages as particularly close to her heart to benefit from the sales of her LIFE tote.
Describe DeMellier in one word.
Purpose. Which is why DeMellier and SOS Children’s Villages have such a strong partnership.
At SOS Children’s Villages, the impact of most of our programmes comes through the agency of women, whether that’s women as educators, health care practitioners, carers or entrepreneurs. Women are often the most active and vocal in demanding change in communities even though the power structures around them frequently dilute or disenfranchise their voices. A couple of years ago, I was privileged enough to meet a group of women in Chipata, in Zambia, who between them run a flour-milling business. They’ve been able to make the availability of flour for local families more reliable and accessible, run a small mutual credit scheme and generate enough excess income to expand their business, albeit slowly. We talked about the challenges of running a business as a committee. Someone mentioned that they’d had to remove two committee members who hadn’t played a sufficiently active role. It turned out those two members were the only men on the committee, and we all had a really good laugh. It was a real moment of connection, and of seeing women take their power even in this small way. I was proud of how we had supported the group to grow their business, but also humbled by the example of where and how change truly comes about.
What makes a successful female leader in business?
The single most important thing to my success has been working with good people. I think we have a much more nuanced definition of success and good leadership than we used to. It’s no longer all about the superstar lone wolf whose organisation loses its way the minute he or she leaves. The lasting positive change you make, your legacy if you like, is what defines your success. And if you’re going to do that, you need good people empowered to do good jobs. You really are only as good as the people you work with.
How do you balance your work and personal life?
We have a great team at SOS Children’s Villages, built on trust that everyone does what they need to do to get good outcomes, accountability for those outcomes and clear lines of communication. That means that I can be confident that I’m pulled in at the right time for the right things, and that I can step away at the end of the working week or to go on holiday and know that everything is working the way it should. As an organisation, we also encourage people to be clear about times when what they need to do outside work – whether family or other commitments or simply the need to be somewhere else for whatever reason – means they can’t balance work and personal life at that particular time. We do our utmost to be flexible and support people to get work and personal life back into a balance that’s right for us both.
What have been some highlights during the partnership with DeMellier?
DeMellier is one of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s longest standing corporate partners, supporting us since their inception. The partnership has evolved over that time and the amount donated to us has grown hugely each year. DeMellier has remained unwaveringly dedicated, and the ‘A Bag, A Life’ initiative has remained a strong and constant message throughout. The lives of thousands of children and young people across Africa, from Somalia, Zambia, Liberia and now Senegal have been impacted.
The Seven Women, Seven Causes campaign was a particular highlight. Mireia chose SOS Children’s Villages as particularly close to her heart to benefit from the sales of her LIFE tote.
Describe DeMellier in one word.
Purpose. Which is why DeMellier and SOS Children’s Villages have such a strong partnership.
What has been your proudest moment as a woman in your career?
At SOS Children’s Villages, the impact of most of our programmes comes through the agency of women, whether that’s women as educators, health care practitioners, carers or entrepreneurs. Women are often the most active and vocal in demanding change in communities even though the power structures around them frequently dilute or disenfranchise their voices. A couple of years ago, I was privileged enough to meet a group of women in Chipata, in Zambia, who between them run a flour-milling business. They’ve been able to make the availability of flour for local families more reliable and accessible, run a small mutual credit scheme and generate enough excess income to expand their business, albeit slowly. We talked about the challenges of running a business as a committee. Someone mentioned that they’d had to remove two committee members who hadn’t played a sufficiently active role. It turned out those two members were the only men on the committee, and we all had a really good laugh. It was a real moment of connection, and of seeing women take their power even in this small way. I was proud of how we had supported the group to grow their business, but also humbled by the example of where and how change truly comes about.
What makes a successful female leader in business?
The single most important thing to my success has been working with good people. I think we have a much more nuanced definition of success and good leadership than we used to. It’s no longer all about the superstar lone wolf whose organisation loses its way the minute he or she leaves. The lasting positive change you make, your legacy if you like, is what defines your success. And if you’re going to do that, you need good people empowered to do good jobs. You really are only as good as the people you work with.
How do you balance your work and personal life?
We have a great team at SOS Children’s Villages, built on trust that everyone does what they need to do to get good outcomes, accountability for those outcomes and clear lines of communication. That means that I can be confident that I’m pulled in at the right time for the right things, and that I can step away at the end of the working week or to go on holiday and know that everything is working the way it should. As an organisation, we also encourage people to be clear about times when what they need to do outside work – whether family or other commitments or simply the need to be somewhere else for whatever reason – means they can’t balance work and personal life at that particular time. We do our utmost to be flexible and support people to get work and personal life back into a balance that’s right for us both.
What have been some highlights during the partnership with DeMellier?
DeMellier is one of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s longest standing corporate partners, supporting us since their inception. The partnership has evolved over that time and the amount donated to us has grown hugely each year. DeMellier has remained unwaveringly dedicated, and the ‘A Bag, A Life’ initiative has remained a strong and constant message throughout. The lives of thousands of children and young people across Africa, from Somalia, Zambia, Liberia and now Senegal have been impacted.
The Seven Women, Seven Causes campaign was a particular highlight. Mireia chose SOS Children’s Villages as particularly close to her heart to benefit from the sales of her LIFE tote.
Describe DeMellier in one word.
Purpose. Which is why DeMellier and SOS Children’s Villages have such a strong partnership.
At SOS Children’s Villages, the impact of most of our programmes comes through the agency of women, whether that’s women as educators, health care practitioners, carers or entrepreneurs. Women are often the most active and vocal in demanding change in communities even though the power structures around them frequently dilute or disenfranchise their voices. A couple of years ago, I was privileged enough to meet a group of women in Chipata, in Zambia, who between them run a flour-milling business. They’ve been able to make the availability of flour for local families more reliable and accessible, run a small mutual credit scheme and generate enough excess income to expand their business, albeit slowly. We talked about the challenges of running a business as a committee. Someone mentioned that they’d had to remove two committee members who hadn’t played a sufficiently active role. It turned out those two members were the only men on the committee, and we all had a really good laugh. It was a real moment of connection, and of seeing women take their power even in this small way. I was proud of how we had supported the group to grow their business, but also humbled by the example of where and how change truly comes about.
What makes a successful female leader in business?
The single most important thing to my success has been working with good people. I think we have a much more nuanced definition of success and good leadership than we used to. It’s no longer all about the superstar lone wolf whose organisation loses its way the minute he or she leaves. The lasting positive change you make, your legacy if you like, is what defines your success. And if you’re going to do that, you need good people empowered to do good jobs. You really are only as good as the people you work with.
How do you balance your work and personal life?
We have a great team at SOS Children’s Villages, built on trust that everyone does what they need to do to get good outcomes, accountability for those outcomes and clear lines of communication. That means that I can be confident that I’m pulled in at the right time for the right things, and that I can step away at the end of the working week or to go on holiday and know that everything is working the way it should. As an organisation, we also encourage people to be clear about times when what they need to do outside work – whether family or other commitments or simply the need to be somewhere else for whatever reason – means they can’t balance work and personal life at that particular time. We do our utmost to be flexible and support people to get work and personal life back into a balance that’s right for us both.
What have been some highlights during the partnership with DeMellier?
DeMellier is one of SOS Children’s Villages UK’s longest standing corporate partners, supporting us since their inception. The partnership has evolved over that time and the amount donated to us has grown hugely each year. DeMellier has remained unwaveringly dedicated, and the ‘A Bag, A Life’ initiative has remained a strong and constant message throughout. The lives of thousands of children and young people across Africa, from Somalia, Zambia, Liberia and now Senegal have been impacted.
The Seven Women, Seven Causes campaign was a particular highlight. Mireia chose SOS Children’s Villages as particularly close to her heart to benefit from the sales of her LIFE tote.
Describe DeMellier in one word.
Purpose. Which is why DeMellier and SOS Children’s Villages have such a strong partnership.
FIND OUT MORE FROM SOS CHILDREN UK:
INSTAGRAM: @soschildrenuk
