Gavin Weale is a publisher and social entrepreneur who has worked for Livity, a groundbreaking UK social enterprise, since 2002.

Originally a journalist and web editor, Gavin has developed the Live magazine project for Livity over the course of the last decade, overseeing the transformation of a grassroots magazine into a powerful youth engagement and communications channel for thousands of disadvantaged young people in London, UK. The quarterly magazine is produced entirely by young people for young people within the Livity office: a unique environment where teenagers and media professionals work side by side.

Every year the project helps hundreds of contributors – from ex-offenders to undergraduates – into employment or back into education, as well as publishing credible, peer-led content that both entertains and educates its readers. In 2010 the magazine launched its digital platform and starting distributing London-wide, taking advertising for the first time, with the aim of becoming fully self-sustaining. Gavin’s main interest now lies in replicating Live in the developing world, with a publishing model that can meet the brand objectives of advertisers, whilst producing life-changing social impact for its readers and contributors.

Last year Gavin spent a month in South Africa researching the feasibility of replicating the magazine model as a vehicle for educational and social uplift within disadvantaged communities. His vision for a township-based version of Live magazine won him the British Council’s UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2010.

Aside from Live magazine, Gavin’s work for Livity has included the collaborative development and delivery of social innovation projects for O2, Google, Channel 4, the BBC and the UK Home Office.

Currently based at the Livity offices in south London, UK, Gavin will be relocating to Cape Town early in the Fellowship year to research, develop and launch the replication of the Live magazine model within South African townships.

Gavin Weale – Shuttleworth Application Video from DocuMovie on Vimeo.