Nat Wei, Baron Wei
Encyclopedia
Nathanael Ming-Yan Wei, Baron Wei
(born 19 January 1977), also known as Nat Wei, is a social entrepreneur, interested in social reform, the youngest member of the House of Lords
and was previously an adviser to the UK Government on their Big Society
project. Lord Wei is the founding and former
partner of the Shaftesbury Partnership,
a member of the founding team of Teach First
and a former adviser at Absolute Return For Kids
.
Lord Wei is a former fellow of the Young Foundation
.
parents with Chinese ancestry. Wei's father was a pastor who moved to the UK in the 1970s. Lord Wei was born in Watford
and grew up in Milton Keynes
and Tooting
, London
. He was educated in a state school where students snorted cocaine and even burned down a wing of the school, bullying Wei for taking his studies seriously. The only student from his school year to attend Oxford, Lord Wei studied Modern Languages at Jesus College, Oxford
.
He is fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Cantonese
, French and German. Lord Wei is also actively learning Chinese Mandarin
at London School of Economics
.
for three years, where he came to know Brett Wigdortz, who founded Teach First
in 2002. In 2006, after three years at Teach First and a short stint in social venture capital
, Wei joined the children's charity Absolute Return for Kids
(ARK) where he helped to set up Future Leaders
, a programme seeking to attract, develop and place high potential teachers and future leaders of urban schools.
by creating scalable social reforms. The Shaftesbury Partnership are currently working on a number of projects around housing
, unemployment
and healthcare. Through the Shaftesbury Partnership, Wei co-founded The Challenge Network,
an independent charity which exists to "inspire and enable a generation to lead social change". The Challenge Network runs a two month civic service programme called The Challenge which has attracted strong interest from both government and opposition.
Responding to the emerging unemployment crisis, in early 2009 the Shaftesbury Partnership researched the history of effective interventions in labour markets. This research highlighted the potential of the franchise
model to create sustainable jobs and businesses. FranchisingWorks is an innovative programme to raise awareness and understanding of franchising and to facilitate the introduction of prospective franchisees to reputable franchisors to create significant numbers of new jobs with the consequent social and economic benefits to local communities. They are currently working with a number of cities to foster partnerships between public
, private
and third sectors that can support the creation of multiple start-up
businesses using franchise formats.
on Big Society
to a group of community leaders, Lord Wei was appointed as an unpaid Government Adviser
on Big Society
. He is to be based at the Office for Civil Society in the Cabinet Office
.
Wei advised the Government on all aspects of taking forward the Big Society and driving implementation across government. During the initial phase, Wei worked on designing the approach to building the Big Society and engaged with civil society groups, alongside Francis Maude
MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office
and Paymaster General and Nick Hurd
MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Charities, Social Enterprise and Volunteering.
At the event, the Prime Minister, David Cameron
, announced that Wei would also be appointed a life peer
. He was introduced
in the House of Lords on 3 June 2010 as Baron Wei, of Shoreditch
in the London Borough of Hackney
. He is only the third ethnic Chinese member after Baroness Dunn
(who is not domiciled in the UK) and the late Lord Chan
, and is one of the youngest people to have been made a life peer, at the age of 33.
Due to his role as Government Advisor Lord Wei has stepped down from any direct, formal involvement in the organisations he has previously been involved with. These include the Shaftesbury Partnership, the ACT Network charity, ARK and the Big Society Network.
In February 2011 it was reported in the press that Wei had reduced his voluntary hours from three days a week to two. He explained that, "The idea was that I'd come on a paid basis, but because the quota for paid government advisers was full, at the last moment it turned out to be unpaid. I committed myself to two days a week and ended up doing three, but in the autumn I asked to go back to two days", and that he needed to balance "...making a living, seeing my family, and helping to change society..."
On 24 May 2011, Lord Wei announced his decision to step down from his role as Government Advisor on Big Society. The Prime Minister, David Cameron
said ‘Nat has worked incredibly hard over two years to help develop policies that support the Big Society. He has played an important role in delivering key initiatives like Community Organisers, National Citizen Service, and the Big Society Bank. I wish him every success in his new role with the Community Foundation Network.”
Lord Wei will now join the Community Foundation Network as a volunteer advisor to help drive the practical development of Big Society ideas in communities.
, on the southern coast of the Guangdong province. His ancestral home is 2 villages away from that of the Sun Yat-sen
, whom incidentally, Lord Wei enjoys reading and learning about.
As the only ethnic Chinese peer in The House of Lords, Lord Wei also takes an interest in British Chinese
community issues, particularly in social reform and also economic, cultural and cultural ties between the UK and China.
In April 2011, when Lord Wei was visiting China, he was awarded an award by Phoenix Television
for his achievements. Lord Wei is the most senior ethnic Chinese politician in the European Union.
In his blog entry after his trip to China, Lord Wei has stated that ‘…of particular personal interest to me as a British citizen with a Chinese background: how Chinese companies as they globalise could build businesses and brands with partners in places like the UK that are more environmentally and socially conscious; how different Chinese cities could partner with, exchange experiences, and learn from their counterparts and from the social sector in the UK and the West to bring Big Society type innovations to China for mutual benefit; and how the Chinese diaspora globally, including in the UK (and Hong Kong), could be mobilised to play a more prominent bridging role as civic entrepreneurs to strengthen economic, cultural, and social ties between countries like the UK and China.’
Lord Wei is currently speaking to the British Chinese community to better understand about the issues it is facing.
In June 2011, Lord Wei was elected as the Treasurer to the Chinese in Britain APPG and joined the All Party Parliamentary China Group.
, in London
.
(born 19 January 1977), also known as Nat Wei, is a social entrepreneur, interested in social reform, the youngest member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and was previously an adviser to the UK Government on their Big Society
Big Society
The Big Society was the flagship policy idea of the 2010 UK Conservative Party general election manifesto. It now forms part of the legislative programme of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement. The aim is "to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building...
project. Lord Wei is the founding and former
partner of the Shaftesbury Partnership,
a member of the founding team of Teach First
Teach First
Teach First is an independent educational charity United Kingdom, Reg. No. 1098294, founded in 2002. Its mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields...
and a former adviser at Absolute Return For Kids
Absolute Return for Kids
Absolute Return for Kids is an international children's charity based in the United Kingdom.ARK is a registered charity under English law and is based in London...
.
Lord Wei is a former fellow of the Young Foundation
Young Foundation
The Young Foundation was launched in the spring of 2006 following the merger of the Institute of Community Studies and the Mutual Aid Centre. It is named after Michael Young, the British sociologist and social activist who created over 60 organisations including the Open University, Which? and...
.
Early life
Lord Wei is the son of Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
parents with Chinese ancestry. Wei's father was a pastor who moved to the UK in the 1970s. Lord Wei was born in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
and grew up in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
and Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was educated in a state school where students snorted cocaine and even burned down a wing of the school, bullying Wei for taking his studies seriously. The only student from his school year to attend Oxford, Lord Wei studied Modern Languages at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
.
He is fluent in English, has a working knowledge of Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
, French and German. Lord Wei is also actively learning Chinese Mandarin
Standard Chinese
Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
at London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Career
After graduating from Oxford, Wei worked at McKinsey & CompanyMcKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
for three years, where he came to know Brett Wigdortz, who founded Teach First
Teach First
Teach First is an independent educational charity United Kingdom, Reg. No. 1098294, founded in 2002. Its mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields...
in 2002. In 2006, after three years at Teach First and a short stint in social venture capital
Social Venture Capital
Social venture capital is a form of venture capital investing that provides capital to businesses deemed socially and environmentally responsible. These investments are intended to both provide attractive returns to investors and to provide market-based solutions to social and environmental issues...
, Wei joined the children's charity Absolute Return for Kids
Absolute Return for Kids
Absolute Return for Kids is an international children's charity based in the United Kingdom.ARK is a registered charity under English law and is based in London...
(ARK) where he helped to set up Future Leaders
Future Leaders
Future Leaders is a UK schools-led charitable organisation that aims to widen the pool of talented leaders especially for urban challenging secondary schools. It was founded in March 2006 by Nat Wei....
, a programme seeking to attract, develop and place high potential teachers and future leaders of urban schools.
Founding the Shaftesbury Partnership
Around the same time as helping to set up Future Leaders, in early 2006, Wei founded the Shaftesbury Partnership, an organisation which seeks to emulate the great social reformers of the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
by creating scalable social reforms. The Shaftesbury Partnership are currently working on a number of projects around housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and healthcare. Through the Shaftesbury Partnership, Wei co-founded The Challenge Network,
an independent charity which exists to "inspire and enable a generation to lead social change". The Challenge Network runs a two month civic service programme called The Challenge which has attracted strong interest from both government and opposition.
Responding to the emerging unemployment crisis, in early 2009 the Shaftesbury Partnership researched the history of effective interventions in labour markets. This research highlighted the potential of the franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
model to create sustainable jobs and businesses. FranchisingWorks is an innovative programme to raise awareness and understanding of franchising and to facilitate the introduction of prospective franchisees to reputable franchisors to create significant numbers of new jobs with the consequent social and economic benefits to local communities. They are currently working with a number of cities to foster partnerships between public
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
, private
Private sector
In economics, the private sector is that part of the economy, sometimes referred to as the citizen sector, which is run by private individuals or groups, usually as a means of enterprise for profit, and is not controlled by the state...
and third sectors that can support the creation of multiple start-up
Startup company
A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...
businesses using franchise formats.
Government adviser on Big Society
On 18 May 2010 at the launch of the New Coalition Government policiesConservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement
The Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement was a policy document drawn up following the 2010 general election in the United Kingdom...
on Big Society
Big Society
The Big Society was the flagship policy idea of the 2010 UK Conservative Party general election manifesto. It now forms part of the legislative programme of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement. The aim is "to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building...
to a group of community leaders, Lord Wei was appointed as an unpaid Government Adviser
Advisor
An advisor is normally a person with more and deeper knowledge in a specific area i.e. a specialist and may refer to:-Finances:*Commodity trading advisor, any person who engages in the business of advising others...
on Big Society
Big Society
The Big Society was the flagship policy idea of the 2010 UK Conservative Party general election manifesto. It now forms part of the legislative programme of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement. The aim is "to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building...
. He is to be based at the Office for Civil Society in the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
.
Wei advised the Government on all aspects of taking forward the Big Society and driving implementation across government. During the initial phase, Wei worked on designing the approach to building the Big Society and engaged with civil society groups, alongside Francis Maude
Francis Maude
Francis Anthony Aylmer Maude is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, and as a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Horsham...
MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office
Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Minister for the Cabinet Office is a position in the Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom. The post of Minister of the Cabinet Office is sometimes derided as the Minister for the Today programme.-Ministers for the Cabinet Office:...
and Paymaster General and Nick Hurd
Nick Hurd
Nicholas Richard Hurd , known as Nick Hurd, is a United Kingdom Conservative Member of Parliament.He was elected Member for Ruislip-Northwood at the May 2005 general election with 47.7% of the votes...
MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Charities, Social Enterprise and Volunteering.
At the event, the Prime Minister, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, announced that Wei would also be appointed a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
. He was introduced
Introduction (House of Lords)
Introduction is a ceremony in the House of Lords whereby new members are "introduced" to the existing membership. Introductions in the Lords are more elaborate than those in the House of Commons.-Origins:...
in the House of Lords on 3 June 2010 as Baron Wei, of Shoreditch
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
in the London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
. He is only the third ethnic Chinese member after Baroness Dunn
Lydia Dunn, Baroness Dunn
Lydia Selina Dunn, Baroness Dunn, DBE, JP was the Senior Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council in Hong Kong in 1985-1988 and 1988-1995, after Rogerio Hyndman Lobo and Chung Sze Yuen respectively...
(who is not domiciled in the UK) and the late Lord Chan
Michael Chan, Baron Chan
Michael Chew Koon Chan, Baron Chan, MBE was a Singaporean-British physician and politician, of Chinese descent....
, and is one of the youngest people to have been made a life peer, at the age of 33.
Due to his role as Government Advisor Lord Wei has stepped down from any direct, formal involvement in the organisations he has previously been involved with. These include the Shaftesbury Partnership, the ACT Network charity, ARK and the Big Society Network.
In February 2011 it was reported in the press that Wei had reduced his voluntary hours from three days a week to two. He explained that, "The idea was that I'd come on a paid basis, but because the quota for paid government advisers was full, at the last moment it turned out to be unpaid. I committed myself to two days a week and ended up doing three, but in the autumn I asked to go back to two days", and that he needed to balance "...making a living, seeing my family, and helping to change society..."
On 24 May 2011, Lord Wei announced his decision to step down from his role as Government Advisor on Big Society. The Prime Minister, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
said ‘Nat has worked incredibly hard over two years to help develop policies that support the Big Society. He has played an important role in delivering key initiatives like Community Organisers, National Citizen Service, and the Big Society Bank. I wish him every success in his new role with the Community Foundation Network.”
Lord Wei will now join the Community Foundation Network as a volunteer advisor to help drive the practical development of Big Society ideas in communities.
Chinese background
Lord Wei’s ancestry can be traced back to a village in ZhuhaiZhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
, on the southern coast of the Guangdong province. His ancestral home is 2 villages away from that of the Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
, whom incidentally, Lord Wei enjoys reading and learning about.
As the only ethnic Chinese peer in The House of Lords, Lord Wei also takes an interest in British Chinese
British Chinese
British Chinese , including British-born Chinese are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in, or have migrated to, the United Kingdom. They are part of the Chinese diaspora, or overseas Chinese...
community issues, particularly in social reform and also economic, cultural and cultural ties between the UK and China.
In April 2011, when Lord Wei was visiting China, he was awarded an award by Phoenix Television
Phoenix Television
Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd or Phoenix Television is a Hong Kong-based Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese television broadcaster that serves the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong along with other markets with substantial Chinese viewers...
for his achievements. Lord Wei is the most senior ethnic Chinese politician in the European Union.
In his blog entry after his trip to China, Lord Wei has stated that ‘…of particular personal interest to me as a British citizen with a Chinese background: how Chinese companies as they globalise could build businesses and brands with partners in places like the UK that are more environmentally and socially conscious; how different Chinese cities could partner with, exchange experiences, and learn from their counterparts and from the social sector in the UK and the West to bring Big Society type innovations to China for mutual benefit; and how the Chinese diaspora globally, including in the UK (and Hong Kong), could be mobilised to play a more prominent bridging role as civic entrepreneurs to strengthen economic, cultural, and social ties between countries like the UK and China.’
Lord Wei is currently speaking to the British Chinese community to better understand about the issues it is facing.
In June 2011, Lord Wei was elected as the Treasurer to the Chinese in Britain APPG and joined the All Party Parliamentary China Group.
Personal life
Lord Wei is married to Cynthia and they have two children. They live in ShoreditchShoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
External links
- Official website
- The Shaftesbury Partnership
- Absolute Return for Kids
- The Challenge
- Teach First
- Future Leaders