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Steve Ballinger

SCI Mentee

Steve is Director of Communications at British Future, an independent and non-partisan think-tank engaging peoples’ hopes and fears about integration and immigration, opportunity and identity. He grew up in Leamington Spa in the West Midlands, and went to University in Leeds before working in the press office of housing charity Shelter and the media team at Amnesty International UK, where his brief included UK issues including counter-terrorism policy and refugee rights. Whilst at Amnesty, Steve also launched the successful Control Arms campaign for an international Arms Trade Treaty and conceived and led a joint campaign with the Observer, irrepressible.info, to protect online freedom of expression. He then headed up the media team at international development charity VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) before joining British Future. Since joining British Future in 2013, Steve has co-written and edited numerous publications including How to talk about immigration, which offers advice and challenge to all those involved in the debate about Britain’s approach to immigration and integration. He plays a key role in developing and testing messages that are persuasive to the public, particularly targeting the ‘anxious middle’ majority group who are neither wholly pro nor anti-immigration. He advises immigration, integration and refugee protection advocates on how to be more persuasive, co-chairing the Refugee and Migration Sector Communications Group and working directly with the media to inform national debate: pitching stories, writing articles and giving broadcast interviews.

  1. Mentoring Programme

Based in London , United Kingdom