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Changemaker Q&A
By Humanitarian Changemakers NetworkSociety & Culture
Changemaker Q&A episodes
- 68. Tiyana’s 2026 Predictions: What the Year Ahead will Hold for Social Changemakers
Stepping into 2026 invites both uncertainty and opportunity, and this episode maps out the major social impact trends likely to shape the year ahead. Tiyana explores how digital influencers are increasingly functioning as de-facto political interpreters, why shifts in narrative strategy may strengthen the political right, and how anti-intellectual sentiment continues to gain visibility in public discourse. She examines emerging pressures within the not-for-profit sector—from widening divides in fundraising capacity to changes in volunteering—and considers what these shifts mean for practitioners working across activism, policy, and community development. Despite the challenges, the episode ends on a hopeful note, reflecting on the growing momentum of grassroots movements and the expanding appeal of the “great turning,” a narrative that frames this moment as one of profound collective possibility.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
32 min - 67. From One Act of Kindness to a Movement: Rethinking Homelessness and Violence Prevention
What begins as a simple gesture of helping one person can spark a movement that reshapes communities. Sean shares his unexpected journey from preparing for a career in law enforcement to founding a grassroots homeless shelter that grew into multiple agencies. Along the way, he reflects on misconceptions about homelessness, systemic barriers that keep people on the streets, and the urgent need for preventative approaches—whether addressing long-term housing, addiction, or even mass shootings. His story is a powerful reminder of how compassion, persistence, and unconventional thinking can open pathways to change.
About Our Guest: Sean began feeding people experiencing homelessness shortly after high school, and in 1997 his encounter with John McCormick, a homeless man in need of urgent care, marked the start of a lifelong commitment to advocacy. What began with offering housing to one person quickly grew, as hospitals started referring patients without stable housing to him, and almost overnight he found himself running the largest shelter in the county. Despite facing legal challenges from the city, Sean successfully defended the shelter’s right to operate, ensuring its continued role as a vital service provider. In addition to his work in homelessness, he founded the Mass Shooting Prevention Center Crisis Hotline, a confidential service designed to help individuals considering acts of violence access support before tragedy occurs. His work reflects a dedication to compassion, prevention, and practical action in addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
37 min - 66. Why Social Change Is (and Should Be) Slow
Change rarely happens all at once — and in this reflective episode, Tiyana explores why social transformation is, and must be, a slow process. Drawing on the metaphor of a forest ecosystem, she examines how enduring change depends on deep-rooted, structural shifts as well as quick, visible wins that sustain our energy and hope. Tiyana discusses why it can feel like progress is stalling, how to stay grounded when setbacks appear, and what we can learn from nature about growth, decay, and renewal. With insight drawn from systems thinking and changemaker practice, this episode offers a grounding reminder that meaningful transformation unfolds at many speeds — and that patience, resilience, and care are all part of the work.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
32 min - 65. Parenting In a Climate Crisis: Raising Curious Kids with Bridget Shirvell
How do we raise children in the midst of the climate crisis without being overwhelmed by fear or guilt? Bridget shares her story of growing up close to food systems, becoming a climate journalist, and navigating the decision to become a parent in an uncertain world. She offers practical strategies for helping children process eco-anxiety, cultivating curiosity as a lifelong skill, and balancing personal lifestyle choices with the need for collective action. This conversation is filled with honesty, resilience, and hope—reminding us that even small steps can build a foundation for change.
About Our Guest: Bridget Shirvell is a freelance journalist and the author of Parenting in a Climate Crisis, a book that explores the challenges and opportunities of raising children in an era of climate change. With a focus on environmental issues, social justice, and family dynamics, Bridget’s writing delves into the emotional and practical aspects of navigating climate concerns while parenting. Her work has been featured in various publications, including Teen Vogue, Fast Company and Martha Stewart Living, where she combines personal insights with expert perspectives to inspire and inform readers.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
30 min - 64. Stop Trying to Win: The Art of Conversations That Build Understanding
Many changemakers struggle with how to have meaningful conversations about social issues — especially when others just don’t seem to see things the same way. In this episode, Tiyana explores how we can approach dialogue in a way that builds understanding rather than deepens division. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Socratic method, she shares practical tools and mindsets that can help you engage with curiosity, humility, and respect — even when you disagree. You’ll learn how to ask better questions, find common ground, and move beyond persuasion toward genuine connection.
Whether you’re talking to friends, colleagues, or family members about the issues you care most about, this episode will help you shift from trying to “win” conversations to cultivating understanding — one dialogue at a time.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
32 min - 63. Engaging Volunteers for Impact: Karen Knight on Building Volunteer Programs
Karen Knight is a volunteer engagement specialist with a fascinating career journey from cabinet maker to consultant. In this episode, Karen shares her insights on how volunteering has shifted over the years, from traditional long-term commitments to today’s demand for flexibility and project-based opportunities. We discuss strategies for attracting and retaining volunteers, how to avoid saviourism in community work, and what leaders can do to prevent burnout while building meaningful and impactful volunteer programs.
About Our Guest: Karen Knight has been providing volunteer engagement advice, mentoring and training for social impact organizations for close to 30 years. An internationally-recognized author, presenter and thought leader, Karen is known for challenging the standard thinking around volunteerism, turning a spotlight on overlooked problems and bringing creative solutions to long-standing issues.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
40 min - 62. Finding Your Changemaker Niche: Your Why, How, and What
Clarity doesn’t come from waiting for a lightning-bolt moment — it emerges through learning, doing, and reflecting. In this episode, Tiyana explores one of the most common questions for changemakers: How do I find clarity about my niche or purpose? Drawing on her own experience in academia and social impact practice, she unpacks two essential foundations of changemaking — knowledge and skills — and shows how the combination of these elements shapes the unique contribution each person brings to the world. She explains why your niche isn’t something you design from scratch, but something that emerges from how you apply what you know and what you can do in real-world contexts.
Using frameworks like Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why,” Tiyana walks listeners through how to identify their purpose, understand the methods and strategies that best express it, and articulate the tangible work that brings it to life. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or seeking greater alignment between your work and your deeper values, this episode offers practical tools and reflections to help you locate your place in the ecosystem of change — and to live and work with greater clarity, authenticity, and purpose.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
28 min - 61. Guerrilla Scholarship: Lifelong Learning Beyond Academia with Dr Sheldon Greaves
Dr Sheldon, author of The Guerrilla Scholar’s Handbook, shares how learning and scholarship can thrive beyond the walls of universities. From training intelligence professionals to co-founding a university and even building amateur rockets, his career exemplifies the unconventional pursuit of knowledge. This conversation explores the core skills and habits that support guerrilla scholarship, practical ways to access knowledge outside of academia, and why building networks of curious, committed people may be the future of higher learning.
About Our Guest: Dr. Sheldon Greaves is the author of The Guerrilla Scholar's Handbook. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley while living and working in Silicon Valley during the dot.com boom. Pursuing his doctorate on a shoestring while indulging other interests, he developed a different approach to a life of the mind. Throughout his long and varied career, Sheldon has used the tools of “guerrilla scholarship” to do interesting intellectual work outside of academia.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
38 min - 60. The Undercurrent of Change: Building and Sustaining Social Movements
What truly defines a movement—and how does it differ from a protest or campaign? This episode unpacks the anatomy of social movements and explores how lasting transformation happens when individuals, organisations, and communities align around shared visions for change. From the abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement to modern climate justice movements like Fridays for Future, we explore how collective action shifts worldviews, redistributes power, and builds new cultural and political realities.Drawing on examples throughout history, the discussion reveals how movements operate like ecosystems—complex, adaptive, and sustained through relationships, storytelling, and persistence. It also considers why some movements succeed where others falter, and how both individuals and organisations can play meaningful roles in sustaining momentum for long-term change.
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
37 min - 59. From Ocean Trash to Shampoo Bars: Making Haircare Sustainable with Greg Daley
Social entrepreneur Greg Daley, founder of SeaBar, shares his journey from a career in high-end hairstyling to creating an innovative, eco-conscious haircare brand. Frustrated by the wastefulness of traditional shampoo and conditioner bottles, Greg developed bar shampoos in reusable applicators, designed to minimise plastic waste while also funding ocean cleanups with every purchase. He discusses the surprising truths about recycling, the environmental cost of everyday products, and how storytelling can amplify positive change.
About Our Guest: Greg stumbled into the beauty industry by accidentally building one of the largest hair related accounts on Instagram. Since that time he has owned and sold a product company featured on Shark Tank, co-founded an ocean cleanup organization, and recently started a hair care company called SeaBar, that makes disposable plastic free hair care, and picks up ocean trash with every item sold.
Clean the ocean every time you wash your hair with SeaBar: https://seabar.com
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
Join the Changemaker Q&A Community & ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE
💬 If you find this podcast valuable, it would really help us out to leave a rating & review wherever you're listening.
Social Impact Foundations FREE Training Bundle
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
Follow Tiyana on Instagram: @tiyanaj
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
42 min
About Changemaker Q&A
From the publisher's feed
Changemaker Q&A is a podcast for grassroots changemakers—activists, students, volunteers, entrepreneurs, social workers, advocates, and anyone striving for impact. Host Dr Tiyana J answers real…
community questions and interviews inspiring guests who share stories, lessons, and practical strategies for driving change. Produced by the Humanitarian Changemakers Network and brought to you by the School of Social Impact, the show offers insights and encouragement for every step of your changemaking journey.