The Charity CEO Podcast Dhivya O'Connor

“It was thanks to this country that lots of those rights and protections that exist for refugees are in place … but now… you get that sense in lots of parts of the world, frankly, that the UK isn’t playing the active role that it has played historically.”

The International Rescue Committee is a global organisation that helps people affected by humanitarian crises. The IRC supports people who have been caught in conflict and been forced to flee their homes, enabling them to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.

Founded at the call of Albert Einstein in 1933, the IRC today works in over 40 crisis-affected countries, as well as with communities across Europe and the Americas.

Laura Kyrke-Smith is the Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee in the UK.

We talk about the current global context for refugees - 108 million people forcibly displaced around the world. Contrary to popular opinion, the vast majority of these displaced people are not in the wealthy countries in the Global North, but are either within their own country or within a neighbouring country, often also a low and middle income country.

We discuss the UK’s Illegal Migration Bill, which seeks to remove the right to asylum - a stance that is in stark contrast to Britain’s position back in 1951, as one of the original drafters of the Refugee Convention. And how today, Britain’s standing on the international humanitarian stage is sadly not, what it once was.

Recorded June 2023.

“Deceptively simple, but devastatingly effective”

This is how Ruth Marvel, Chief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the UK, describes the Award.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was started by His Royal Highness the late Prince Philip in 1956 to provide young men with development opportunities to acquire self-confidence, gain a sense of purpose and help them become well-rounded citizens.

Today, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or DofE provides an experiential learning framework that is open to all young people age 14 to 24, supporting them to learn new skills, overcome obstacles, and build confidence and resilience.

Ruth shares how the organisation has changed over the years, and we explore their current strategy to enable one million young people to participate in the life-changing programmes, with particular focus on providing access to those who experience marginalisation.

With a third of young people in the UK leaving school feeling like they are failing, we talk about the current context for young people, and what skills, outside of formal education, they need to really thrive in today’s world.

Ruth also shares reflections on the discipline of leadership in the voluntary sector and how as leaders, we constantly need to question whether we are delivering our missions in the most effective way.

Recorded June 2023.

“You change the world, when you change the lives of children… It is better for society to build stronger children, than fix broken adults.”

The Children’s Society believes that every young person deserves a good childhood.

Reflecting on the current context for young people in the UK today, is Mark Russell, CEO of The Children’s Society.

Mark tells us how he and his colleagues are stepping up the fight for hope and happiness for young people, at a time when its under threat like never before.

We explore the ramifications of the UK government’s Illegal Migration Bill and why British children have the lowest well-being rates in Europe.

The goal of The Children’s Society is that by 2030, the damaging decline in children’s well-being has been overturned, setting a path for long lasting growth and prosperity. Mark sets out what he believes needs to happen for us to get there.

Its a conversation full of passion, raw anger and hope. Enjoy.

Recorded May 2023.

“We have won the war on climate denial… (but) we cannot underestimate what an enormous fight this is… the climate movement being mainstream doesn’t mean we have the power to make change happen yet.”

In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with not one, but two impressive non-profit leaders: Areeba Hamid and Will McCallum, co-Executive Directors of Greenpeace UK.

What's unique about Areeba and Will is that together they have shattered several barriers in their leadership roles. Areeba is the first woman and person of colour to lead Greenpeace UK, and, they are the first duo to assume this position.

We dive into the essential role that Greenpeace continues to play in today's world, where the climate movement has become mainstream, and how their work continues to influence policy and drive social change.

We explore the co-leadership model that Areeba and Will have adopted, discovering what makes it work and how they navigate conflicts. They also share valuable advice for other charity leaders and organisations who may be contemplating this approach.

Recorded April 2023.

“Gift Aid, yes people know about it (but) they still dont understand it… there is about £750m unclaimed in Gift Aid every year, split between smaller charities unable to claim or dont have the skills to do it and higher rate tax-payers not really understanding … how they could be claiming an additional 25% on the gross (donation) in their tax returns.”

Our guest today is Anna Josse, Founder and CEO of Prism the Gift Fund.

Prism is a UK-based charity that is changing the face of philanthropy. Prism’s mission is to increase the flow of funds into the charitable sector, through creating efficiencies in the process of giving.

Prism offers a unique and straight-forward alternative to setting up a charitable foundation, enabling donors to give tax-efficiently without the administrative hassle. Since its inception in 2005, Prism has facilitated over £550m in donations to thousands of charities across the world.

In this episode, we dive into the different services offered by Prism, including Donor Advised Funds and Collective Funds. We explore how their innovative approach is revolutionising mid to high level giving in the UK, and also discuss the rise of the Philanthropy Paradox.

Anna shares her insights on how the UK charity sector can learn from the American approach to philanthropy, as well as her vision for making philanthropy accessible to all.

Recorded February 2023.

“Creating One VisionSpring is anchored in what we do, so our mission and our social enterprise models, and its anchored in how we do it, and that is in the values that are at the heart of our teamwork… I cant emphasise enough how much values are critical to our success.”

There are over a billion people in the world who don’t have the eye-glasses they need.

VisionSpring is a non-profit that provides affordable eyeglasses to people in need. The organisation aims to improve the lives of people, particularly in low income settings, by increasing access to eyeglasses.

With partnerships in over 43 countries they are on a mission to make the wonder of clear vision possible for everyone.

My guest today is Ella Gudwin, CEO of VisionSpring. Under Ella’s leadership, VisionSpring has tripled its impact, selling over 10 million affordable eyeglasses in emerging and frontier markets.

Ella talks about how eyeglasses improve daily functioning, productivity and earning potential, creating a greater likelihood of a pathway out of poverty. We discuss hybrid business models, Board dynamics, mentoring and developing organisational values. Ella shares her insights on taking over from a Founder and what it means to have received a transformational $15m gift from Mackenzie Scott.

Recorded February 2022.