The Charity Changemakers Podcast

Adam Stacey
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Careers
  • Updated Weekly

The Charity Changemakers Podcast dives deep into the world of non-profit leadership. Join us as we interview the CEOs and directors who are making a real impact in our communities. Each episode unveils the journeys that led these passionate individuals to the third sector. We explore the inspiring stories behind their charities, the challenges they navigate, and the exciting opportunities they're tackling. Get ready to be motivated by the power of giving and discover how you can get involved in creating positive change.

  1. 3d ago

    Season 3 | Ep 16 Louise Morris on building a major donor programme from scratch

    Why isn't major donor fundraising working for your charity? According to Louise Morris, it's rarely the cause, and it's almost never a lack of contacts. Louise is the founder of Summit Fundraising, a consultancy and training company specialising in major donor fundraising. She began her career in sales and marketing at Unilever, moved into the charity sector in her mid-twenties and held fundraising roles at Tommy's, Samaritans and RNID before becoming a Director of Fundraising. Ten years ago, she set up Summit and now works with charities of every size, from small local organisations to household names. In this episode, Louise shares: Why losing her Dad prompted her to leave Unilever and look for more meaningful workHow corporate negotiation training gave her confidence with donorsWhy she stepped away from a director role, and what a missed after-school football club taught her about flexible workingThe fear and "lumpy cashflow" of going it alone, and how Summit grew from thereWe then dig into how small and medium-sized charities can start or grow a major donor programme: Why it won't grow unless someone has protected time to lead it, even if that's just three hours a weekWhy trustees hold back on introductions, and why they don't need to ask anyone for moneyWhy doing major donor fundraising badly can be worse than not doing it at allWhere to find your first potential major donors (they're probably already involved with you)Why being a smaller charity can be a real strengthThe most common mistakes; impatience, skipping the building blocks and nobody owning itHow long a board should realistically wait, and the milestones to track besides incomeLouise closes with a reflection that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt stuck - leadership is not your job title. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and introduction 00:40 Quick-fire questions 03:30 From Unilever to the charity sector 09:40 Leaving the director role and starting Summit 17:20 What Summit does today 20:57 Where to start with major donor fundraising 28:13 Making the case to your board 30:34 The skills and support you need 33:09 Common mistakes charities make 36:21 How long before you see returns? 41:21 Leadership is not your job title Resources mentioned The Summit 3 Essentials guide and other free resources: https://summitfundraising.co.uk/free-resources/ Join the free Summit major donor community: https://summitfundraising.co.uk/join/ Find out more about the Major Donor Fundraising from Scratch programme: https://summitfundraising.co.uk/from-scratch/ Connect with Louise on LinkedIn (Louise Morris, Summit Fundraising) or visit summitfundraising.co.uk

  2. Sep 10

    Season 3 | E15 Kathryn Ward on why growth mindset beats a perfect CV in charity leadership

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Kathryn Ward, a people leader, consultant, interim, fractional and coach who spent six years as Chief People Officer at Guide Dogs before founding her own consultancy, Zephyr People. Kathryn shares the moment a headhunter first called about the Guide Dogs role in January 2019 - and why she turned it down, convinced she didn't have the right background. By the time they called back in April, a shift from a fixed to a growth mindset had changed her answer, and it shaped how she's approached every big career decision since. Together, Adam and Kathryn unpack: Why she nearly said no to the job that defined her charity careerThe gendered confidence gap behind that hesitation, and how she moved past itWhy "you have to like people to be good at HR" is a mythTrusteeship as the smartest, lowest-risk way to test a move into the sectorThe breadth and loneliness of sitting on a charity exec teamWhy charity leaders need more peer-to-peer networks, not fewerLeaving Guide Dogs to build Zephyr People - a portfolio life of consultancy, interim work and coachingBurnout, trauma-informed coaching, and why change is so hard for people who've self-actualised through their cause Kathryn also reflects candidly on loneliness in leadership, the staff reps she still stays in touch with more than former senior colleagues, and why making space for quieter voices has become central to how she leads. This is a warm, practical conversation for anyone weighing a move into the charity sector, sitting on the fence about a trustee role, or wondering whether "good enough" really is good enough to take the next step. Takeaways Career journey from commercial HR into the charity sectorImposter syndrome and the shift to a growth mindsetThe realities - and the myths - of a career in HR and people leadershipTrusteeship as a deliberate route into charity leadershipThe breadth and complexity of sitting on a charity exec teamPortfolio careers - consultancy, interim work, fractional roles and coachingPeer-to-peer networks and why the charity sector needs more of themBurnout, trauma-informed coaching and leading through changeInclusive leadership and making space for every voice Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quickfire questions07:11 The phone call that changed everything - falling into charity leadership10:46 Overcoming imposter syndrome to become a Chief People Officer18:40 Why trusteeship is the smartest way in from commercial22:17 The hardest part of stepping up - holding the breadth of an exec role26:58 The power - and the gap - in charity peer-to-peer networks32:06 Leaving Guide Dogs and launching Zephyr People35:53 Coaching, burnout and why change feels so hard in charity culture38:40 Leadership lessons learned the hard way If you enjoyed the episode, please like, share and leave a review. Your support helps more charity leaders and changemakers discover the show. #CharitySector #CharityLeadership #NonProfitLeadership #CharityCareers #HRLeadership #PeopleAndCulture #Coaching #CharityChangemakers

  3. Aug 27

    Season 3 | E14 David Craig on why becoming a trustee might be the smartest career move you'll make

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by David Craig, Chief Executive of Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, for a conversation about a career that was never planned. David talks candidly about falling into the sector almost by accident – from processing invoices in a hospitality company, into its public relations team running charity-of-the-year partnerships, and from there into professional fundraising with no formal background in it at all. He shares the pivotal, deeply personal moment that reshaped his path: after his son was born ten weeks premature, David became a trustee of Bliss, the charity for newborn babies, and helped establish Bliss Scotland from scratch. That experience of sitting on the other side of the boardroom table gave him his first real grounding in governance and strategy, and set him on course for his first chief executive role at 38. Eleven years into leading Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance, David reflects on what's kept him in one organisation for so long in a sector where leaders typically move on every five to seven years, what it's like leading a team whose work is genuinely life or death, why he's already thinking about succession planning, and why – whatever the job title – he still describes himself first as a fundraiser. Takeaways A career that began entirely by accident, from accounts admin to public relations to professional fundraisingHow corporate charity-of-the-year partnerships can be a genuine route into the sectorWhy a personal crisis – his son's premature birth – led David to become a trustee of BlissThe case for taking on a trusteeship as a deliberate career development moveBecoming a first-time chief executive at 38, at Falkirk FC's Community FoundationWhy David still calls himself "a fundraiser" despite the CEO titleWhat's kept him at Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance for eleven years and countingSuccession planning, and the responsibility of leaving an organisation in a stable positionLeadership lessons learned the hard way: listening, clarity, and a culture of "no surprises" Chapters 00:01 Introduction and quickfire questions05:41 Falling into fundraising by accident15:39 Recruitment consultancy and becoming head of fundraising at the Tulliken Trust18:56 A premature birth, a chance leaflet, and becoming a Bliss trustee28:22 First CEO role: rebuilding Falkirk FC's Community Foundation31:47 Joining Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance38:06 Eleven years on: why David has stayed, and planning for succession43:40 The leadership lesson David learned the hard way #CharitySector #AirAmbulance #CharityLeadership #NonProfitLeadership #CharityCareers #Trusteeship #Fundraising #CharityChangemakers

  4. Aug 13

    Season 3 | Ep 13 Julie Randles on why every charity leader should sit on a board

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Julie Randles, Chief Executive of Power2, a children and young people's charity based in Ashton under Lyne, working across Greater Manchester, the North West, West Midlands and Greater London. Julie's route into the sector was anything but obvious, starting on the WHSmith graduate scheme, moving through Waterstones and children's publishing, then into charity by way of unpaid volunteering at Save the Children. She talks candidly about why volunteering and trusteeship are two of the most underrated routes into senior charity leadership, what running Power2's Teens and Toddlers programme has taught her about self worth, and why the gap between proven impact and available funding remains one of the sector's biggest frustrations. Julie also reflects on the hardest leadership lesson of her career, learning when passion needs a little less heart on the sleeve. Takeaways Volunteering can be the fastest route into a charity career, even at a senior levelSitting on a board teaches you what it is really like to be a CEOCharity job applications reward detail, not passion statementsProven programmes often can not scale because funding lags behind demandLived experience across a team changes how a charity works, not just what it says Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quick fire questions04:00 From WHSmith to Save the Children, an unlikely route into charity11:00 Why volunteering and trusteeship open doors19:40 Inside Power2, Teens and Toddlers and the programmes that followed24:40 The funding gap holding back proven impact35:15 How to actually get a charity sector job38:40 The hardest leadership lesson Julie has learned If you enjoyed the episode, please like, share and leave a review. Your support helps more charity leaders and changemakers discover the show. Visit the Power2 website here. #CharitySector #NonprofitLeadership #CharityChangemakers #Power2 #CharityCareers #Trusteeship #SocialImpact

  5. Jul 30

    Season 3 | E12 Roxanne Lawrance on why she brought her business brain to the charity sector

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Roxanne Lawrance, CEO of Teens Unite, a charity supporting young people aged 13 to 24 living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis. Roxanne never planned a career in the sector. She built a commercial career in business analysis and contact centre management before volunteering with Teens Unite while on maternity leave, telling the founders she'd stay for two years. Nearly nine years on, she's leading the organisation. Roxanne and Adam unpack how she moved from founder led leadership to running the charity herself, the mentors and "be bold" mindset that shaped her career, and why she believes the best charities operate with the same commercial discipline as any business, just with a different kind of profit. A candid conversation on team culture, handling funding setbacks, and what it really takes to lead in the charity sector. Takeaways Career journey from commercial leadership into the charity sectorWhy business skills transfer directly into nonprofit leadershipThe value of career mentors, and being bold enough to ask for themBuilding a team culture around honest feedback and psychological safetyNavigating funding setbacks without losing team moraleWhy the best charities are mission driven and commercially disciplined Chapters 00:00 Introduction and background05:17 Getting into the charity sector09:24 The two year plan that became a career14:05 Building a team culture that isn't built by accident18:18 Mentors, and being bold in who you ask25:57 Success, setbacks, and what continues when you're not in the room40:20 Why charities need mission and commercial discipline #CharitySector #NonProfitLeadership #CharityCareers #LeadershipLessons #ThirdSector #CharityChangemakers #Podcast

  6. Jul 16

    Season 3 | E11 Olivia Barker White on turning a gap year moment into a children's charity

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Olivia Barker White, co-founder and Chief Executive of Kids Club Kampala, an international children's charity now working across Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Olivia traces her journey from an 18-year-old on a gap year in Uganda to running a 20-year-old organisation that has supported over 1.5 million people. She's candid about the discomfort of "voluntourism," the moment that turned a fun kids' football club into something much bigger, and why she believes small, agile charities are often better placed than large NGOs to respond to real need on the ground. Together, Adam and Olivia unpack: the ethics of gap years and international volunteering, the accidental, organic route into founding a charity, why a community-led partnership model (not a UK-charity-knows-best model) has been central to Kids Club Kampala's growth, how being small allowed the charity to pivot fast during COVID and feed thousands when larger NGOs pulled their staff out, and why donor stewardship and thanking supporters well has quietly driven two decades of growth. Olivia also reflects honestly on pride, burnout, boundaries, and learning that she isn't personally responsible for solving everything – and why looking after her own wellbeing is what keeps the charity sustainable for the long run. Takeaways The ethics of gap years, volunteering and avoiding "white saviourism"How Kids Club Kampala started organically from a gap year friendship, with no strategy or planThe moment that shifted focus from fun and games to child protection and basic needsWhy a genuine, equal partnership model with local teams is central to impactHow being a small charity enabled a fast pivot to emergency food relief during COVIDThe value of excellent donor stewardship in sustaining long-term growthLearning to set boundaries and protect wellbeing as a charity leader Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quick-fire questions04:35 Olivia's route into the charity sector07:12 Gap year in Uganda and the founding of Kids Club Kampala17:03 The return trip and the moment that changed everything23:44 Registering as a charity and building the UK–Uganda partnership28:03 Why small charities can be more adaptable than large NGOs31:02 Pivoting to emergency food relief during COVID32:15 Olivia's personal journey to becoming full-time Chief Executive37:36 The power of donor stewardship39:56 Kids Club Kampala today: education, family strengthening and child protection42:06 Reflecting on impact, pride and sustaining yourself for the long run #podcast #charity #careers #internationaldevelopment #nonprofitleadership #charitychangemakers

  7. Jul 2

    Season 3 | Ep 10 Ru Watkins on why he chose to save Hamelin instead of close it

    In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Ru Watkins, Chief Executive of Hamelin, a learning disability and autism charity growing rapidly across Essex and East Anglia. Ru brings a career unlike most in the sector. After 23 years in the British Army, he moved into corporate roles with BT and others before a phone call from a headhunter changed his direction entirely. That call led him to Noah's Ark Children's Hospice in North London, a struggling organisation with something worth saving. It was the first of what would become a defining theme across his leadership career: walking into complexity, listening hard, and building something better. His arrival at Hamelin tells that story at its most vivid. He was called in to close the charity down. Instead, he walked the sites, listened to families, and went back to the board with a different proposition entirely: invest and grow. Four and a quarter years later, Hamelin supports nearly 1,750 people and families, has moved from 100% statutory reliance to 60% self-generated income, and holds significant reserves. In this conversation, Adam and Ru explore: How a chance phone call took Ru from corporate burnout to charity leadershipWhat 23 years in the military actually teaches you about listening, chaos, and getting things doneWhy Ru walked into Hamelin's board interview and told them not to close itThe Klingon Cloak of Care and what it costs people with learning disabilities and autismWhy community building is the most important thing charities can do right nowThe danger of chief executives confusing their ambition with organisational readinessWhat chief exec loneliness really looks like and how Ru manages itWhy letting a support worker leave to train as a nurse is a mark of success, not failureHow Hamelin is getting young adults with learning disabilities into employment Ru is direct, self-aware, and genuinely funny. This is a conversation about what bold, values-led leadership looks like in practice, not in theory. Find out more about Hamelin: www.hamelin.org.uk

  8. Jun 18

    Season 3 | Ep 9 Rushab Shah on fixing charity's data problem with an F1 mindset

    What does Formula One have to teach the charity sector about impact? Quite a lot, as it turns out. In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam is joined by Rushab Shah, founder and CEO of OneHive, a tech for good organisation helping youth charities streamline their admin and scale their impact. Rushab's route to the sector is anything but conventional. After studying mechanical engineering at Warwick, he worked in the F1 supply chain, drove test cars around tracks for a living, and led digital strategy for a business decarbonising maritime transport across the Shetland Islands. Running a youth club for disabled young people throughout university kept the mission close. When the engineering career reached its ceiling, he looked at the charity sector with an engineer's eye and spotted something striking: charities spend enormous time delivering programmes and then enormous time analysing what happened. By which point, it's too late to change anything. In Formula One, you know what the lap time will be by the end of the first corner. What if youth charities could work the same way? That question became OneHive, now supporting around 30,000 young people across 18 youth-focused organisations, with a county council investing to roll the platform across 10 charities simultaneously. Adam and Rushab explore: Why charities are measuring impact too late, and what real-time data actually changes on the groundHow a shared interest in Thomas Tank Engine taught Rushab more about inclusion than any disability trainingThe "say yes to everything" approach that built a career in five years and a startup from scratchWhy small and medium charities are currently beating large ones at adopting techThe tension between failing fast and working with vulnerable young peopleThe honest lesson on when to pitch and when to shut up and listen A candid, practical conversation about what genuine sector transformation looks like when someone builds it from the ground up. Find out more about OneHive at onehive.ai Chapters [00:00] Introduction and quickfire questions [05:00] A 17-year-old hosting a residential for young people with disabilities [08:30] From F1 data to the charity sector, and what the gap revealed [13:00] Building a career by saying yes to everything [16:15] How TutorHive became OneHive [21:20] What OneHive looks like today, 30,000 beneficiaries and growing [24:00] Real-time safeguarding, the Joe example [29:00] Sceptics, screen time and why tech is the solution but not the answer [34:20] The THRIVE framework and plans for Manchester and beyond [38:00] The personal cost of always saying yes [40:45] The hardest leadership lesson: knowing when to stop pitching #CharityChangemakers #TechForGood #CharitySector #YouthWork #SocialImpact #NonprofitLeadership #DataForGood #DigitalTransformation

See All (48)

About

The Charity Changemakers Podcast dives deep into the world of non-profit leadership. Join us as we interview the CEOs and directors who are making a real impact in our communities. Each episode unveils the journeys that led these passionate individuals to the third sector. We explore the inspiring stories behind their charities, the challenges they navigate, and the exciting opportunities they're tackling. Get ready to be motivated by the power of giving and discover how you can get involved in creating positive change.

Information