The Social Change Pod

The Social Change Pod

Explore the world of social change with The Social Change Pod, a platform for conversations that matter. From grassroots activism to innovative funding models, each episode delves into the trends, ideas, and stories shaping the future of community-driven movements. Join thought leaders, change-makers, and community builders as they share practical advice, discuss the latest in participatory grantmaking, and reflect on the power of collective action. Whether you're leading a social movement, working in the nonprofit sector, or just passionate about making a difference, this podcast offers inspiration and actionable insights. Podcast produced by The Social Change Nest and The Social Change Agency. Previously published under the name 'SCA Podcast'.

  1. 034: Rethinking Funding: Why Put Your Trust in Place-Based Groups

    May 19

    034: Rethinking Funding: Why Put Your Trust in Place-Based Groups

    Join The Social Change Nest's Rufaro Mudavanho together with Elijah Williams from Brent Giving and Andy Crosbie and Rich Gibbons from Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders, on the latest episode of The Social Change Pod as they explore the power of place-based community work, highlighting how organisations like Gateshead Community Bridge Builders and Brent Giving empower local voices through participatory decision-making and funding. Together, they unpack what community-led decision-making looks like in practice, why funding needs to support capacity and relationships as well as projects, and how the ripple effects of place-based work can reach far beyond what is easy to measure. This episode is packed with honest reflections, practical insight, and big questions for funders, community groups, and anyone interested in how change really happens on the ground. Want to learn more about Gateshead Community Bridge Builders and Brent Giving, or explore how The Social Change Nest can support place-based work? Get in touch to find out how we can help. If you'd like to join the discussion on place-based work and what's going on in our communities, join us at our Wild Times un-conference on the 15th of September. You can find more information by visiting www.wildtimesuk.org. Host: Rufaro Mudavanhu, The Social Change Nest Guests: Elijah Williams, Brent Giving, Andy Crosbie, Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders, Rich Gibbons, Gateshead Community Bridgebuilders Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    48 min

  2. 11/13/2025

    033: Paying People Fairly: Building Trust and Equity

    Join The Social Change Nest's CEO, Esther Foreman and Rachel Smith, Creative Director of Make/Shift, on the latest episode of The Social Change Pod as they unpack what it really looks like to pay people fairly for their time, energy, and expertise, exploring how Payment for Involvement works in practice when you’re navigating the “messy middle” between big institutions and grassroots communities. They also dive into how tools like Open Collective can bridge that gap by making funding more transparent. This episode is packed with practical insights, honest reflections, and advice. So if you’re looking to make your approach to community involvement fairer and more accessible, you won’t want to miss it. Want help designing a fair and equitable payment for involvement policy for your organisation? Are you interested in learning more about Open Collective? Get in touch to find out how we can help. Hosts: Esther Foreman, The Social Change Nest Guests: Rachel Smith from Make/Shift Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    34 min

  3. 10/08/2024

    032: Fair Pay for Lived Experience: Lessons from Bristol City Council

    Today we are talking about the mammoth topic of Payment for Involvement, part of our Payment for Involvement podcast series that we’ve been running over the past couple of months since the launch of the payment for Involvement playbook. In the previous episode, we explored why it’s so important for organisations to recognise and value lived experience and to pay people for their involvement. In this episode we’re joined by three, absolutely brilliant guests from Bristol City Council. They share their journey of creating and implementing a payment for involvement policy in a local authority and discuss the practicalities of how you actually pay people as well.This episode is really jam packed with insightful learnings from their first hand experience. So whether you’re from a local authority, a nonprofit, or really just any organisation that’s looking to engage more equitably and fairly with the communities that you’re serving, you won’t want to miss it. Want help designing a fair and equitable payment for involvement policy for your organisation? Get in touch to find out how we can help. Hosts: Saoirse Barry, The Social Change Nest Guests: Robyn Taylor, Megan Belcher and Ellie Stevens from Bristol City Council Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    24 min

  4. 04/30/2024

    031: Payment for Involvement - When Compensation Affects Benefits

    What happens when you compensate people for their involvement, but doing so negatively impacts their eligibility for government benefits?   Together, we'll unpack why paying people for their lived experience is the right thing to do, but also explore the challenges of doing this effectively without disrupting people's benefits.   This is something we've been grappling with as an organisation for the last six months, and over the course of this three part mini-series we'll be sharing everything we've learned along the way.   p.s. Keep a look out for the launch of our free 'Payment for Involvement Playbook'. Designed to help you create a fair payment for involvement policy for your organisation. Hosts: Julia Fausing and Rachel Krengel, The Social Change Agency Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    19 min

  5. 04/05/2023

    030: Join our board as a Non-Executive Director

    Are you a renegade anarchist who loves rules, compliance and risk management? We're looking for a new Non-Executive Director to join The Social Change Nest board. In this episode Pete Treganna (Non-Executive Director) and Sapna Patel (Operations Director) discuss what the role involves and why we'd love for you to apply! Interested in being on the board of The Social Change Nest? Find out more and apply at https://thesocialchangenestorg/vacancies/ Host: Pete Treganna and Sapna Patel, The Social Change Agency/Nest Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    13 min

  6. 02/21/2023

    029: We're in this together - Reflecting on movement trends in 2023

    Tactics employed by social movements are evolving, strikes are enjoying unprecedented levels of public support, and communities are increasingly taking matters into their own hands. Anya Stern and Aggie Taylor discuss some of the movement trends they've been observing in 2023. What trends have you been noticing? Share your thoughts by tagging us on Twitter @SocialChangeAg Host: Anya Stern and Aggie Taylor, The Social Change Agency Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    20 min

  7. 10/31/2022

    028: What makes an effective protest movement with James Ozden from Social Change Lab

    Esther Foreman and Rachel Krengel from The Social Change Agency meet up with James Ozden, Director at Social Change Lab to explore what it takes to build an effective protest movement. Topics covered include: - why some protest movements flourish (and some don't) - whether disruptive tactics work - the importance of shared identity and collaboration - the need for more funding to be directed to towards social movements - how to avoid volunteer burn out - and much, much more! You can find out more about Social Change Lab at socialchangelab.org and find James Ozden on Twitter at @JamesOzden. Visit us at thesocialchangeagency.org Follow us on Twitter at @SocialChangeAg Host: Esther Foreman and Rachel Krengel, The Social Change Agency Guests: James Ozden, Social Change Labe Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    25 min

  8. 09/02/2022

    027: Innovating funding with Chris Manion from the British Science Association

    Today we're speaking with the Head of Grants at the British Science Association, Chris Manion. We'll be discussing The Ideas Fund, an innovative public engagement program that provides grants for community groups and researchers who have new ideas for addressing local challenges related to mental health and wellbeing. We'll also be looking at the role funders play in bringing about social change, the power imbalances that accompany grant giving and what funders can do to ensure they address this imbalance. You can find out more about The Ideas Fund at www.theideasfund.org If you are a funder and you would like to meet with other funders to discuss the challenges, ideas, and opportunities relating to grant making, then head over to www.losingcontrol.org Visit us at thesocialchangeagency.org Follow us on Twitter at @SocialChangeAg Host: Maisie Palmer Guests: Chris Manion, British Science Association Theme music by Loyalty Freak Music

    18 min
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About

Explore the world of social change with The Social Change Pod, a platform for conversations that matter. From grassroots activism to innovative funding models, each episode delves into the trends, ideas, and stories shaping the future of community-driven movements. Join thought leaders, change-makers, and community builders as they share practical advice, discuss the latest in participatory grantmaking, and reflect on the power of collective action. Whether you're leading a social movement, working in the nonprofit sector, or just passionate about making a difference, this podcast offers inspiration and actionable insights. Podcast produced by The Social Change Nest and The Social Change Agency. Previously published under the name 'SCA Podcast'.

Information

  • Creator
    The Social Change Pod
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright The Social Change Pod
  • Show Website
    The Social Change Pod