The Charity Changemakers Podcast

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.

The Charity Changemakers Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 47 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Charity Changemakers Podcast, a business show with 47 episodes published.

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  Episode #15

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

  Sep 10, 202645 minS3

  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 career The gendered confidence gap behind that hesitation, and how she moved past it Why "you have to like people to be good at HR" is a myth Trusteeship as the smartest, lowest-risk way to test a move into the sector The breadth and loneliness of sitting on a charity exec team Why charity leaders need more peer-to-peer networks, not fewer Leaving Guide Dogs to build Zephyr People - a portfolio life of consultancy, interim work and coaching Burnout, 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 sector Imposter syndrome and the shift to a growth mindset The realities - and the myths - of a career in HR and people leadership Trusteeship as a deliberate route into charity leadership The breadth and complexity of sitting on a charity exec team Portfolio careers - consultancy, interim work, fractional roles and coaching Peer-to-peer networks and why the charity sector needs more of them Burnout, trauma-informed coaching and leading through change Inclusive leadership and making space for every voice Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quickfire questions 07:11 The phone call that changed everything - falling into charity leadership 10:46 Overcoming imposter syndrome to become a Chief People Officer 18:40 Why trusteeship is the smartest way in from commercial 22:17 The hardest part of stepping up - holding the breadth of an exec role 26:58 The power - and the gap - in charity peer-to-peer networks 32:06 Leaving Guide Dogs and launching Zephyr People 35:53 Coaching, burnout and why change feels so hard in charity culture 38:40 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

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  Episode #13

  Season 3 | Ep 4 Julie Randles on why every charity leader should sit on a board

  Aug 13, 202638 minS3

  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 level Sitting on a board teaches you what it is really like to be a CEO Charity job applications reward detail, not passion statements Proven programmes often can not scale because funding lags behind demand Lived experience across a team changes how a charity works, not just what it says Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quick fire questions 04:00 From WHSmith to Save the Children, an unlikely route into charity 11:00 Why volunteering and trusteeship open doors 19:40 Inside Power2, Teens and Toddlers and the programmes that followed 24:40 The funding gap holding back proven impact 35:15 How to actually get a charity sector job 38:40 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

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  Episode #12

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

  Jul 30, 202642 minS3

  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 sector Why business skills transfer directly into nonprofit leadership The value of career mentors, and being bold enough to ask for them Building a team culture around honest feedback and psychological safety Navigating funding setbacks without losing team morale Why the best charities are mission driven and commercially disciplined Chapters 00:00 Introduction and background 05:17 Getting into the charity sector 09:24 The two year plan that became a career 14:05 Building a team culture that isn't built by accident 18:18 Mentors, and being bold in who you ask 25:57 Success, setbacks, and what continues when you're not in the room 40:20 Why charities need mission and commercial discipline #CharitySector #NonProfitLeadership #CharityCareers #LeadershipLessons #ThirdSector #CharityChangemakers #Podcast

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  Episode #11

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

  Jul 16, 202646 minS3

  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 plan The moment that shifted focus from fun and games to child protection and basic needs Why a genuine, equal partnership model with local teams is central to impact How being a small charity enabled a fast pivot to emergency food relief during COVID The value of excellent donor stewardship in sustaining long-term growth Learning to set boundaries and protect wellbeing as a charity leader Chapters 00:00 Introduction and quick-fire questions 04:35 Olivia's route into the charity sector 07:12 Gap year in Uganda and the founding of Kids Club Kampala 17:03 The return trip and the moment that changed everything 23:44 Registering as a charity and building the UK–Uganda partnership 28:03 Why small charities can be more adaptable than large NGOs 31:02 Pivoting to emergency food relief during COVID 32:15 Olivia's personal journey to becoming full-time Chief Executive 37:36 The power of donor stewardship 39:56 Kids Club Kampala today: education, family strengthening and child protection 42:06 Reflecting on impact, pride and sustaining yourself for the long run #podcast #charity #careers #internationaldevelopment #nonprofitleadership #charitychangemakers

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  Episode #10

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

  Jul 2, 202647 minS3

  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 leadership What 23 years in the military actually teaches you about listening, chaos, and getting things done Why Ru walked into Hamelin's board interview and told them not to close it The Klingon Cloak of Care and what it costs people with learning disabilities and autism Why community building is the most important thing charities can do right now The danger of chief executives confusing their ambition with organisational readiness What chief exec loneliness really looks like and how Ru manages it Why letting a support worker leave to train as a nurse is a mark of success, not failure How 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

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