Shift

Three quarters of women and children seeking refuge from domestic abuse are currently turned away because there simply aren't enough places for them to go.

Behind every statistic is a woman trying to find safety, a child trying to rebuild their life, support services doing everything they can with limited resources.

In this episode, Jenny Ross speaks with Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women's Aid, the national charity working to end domestic abuse and support a network of more than 200 life-saving organisations across England.

Farah reflects on the progress made over the past fifty years of the women's movement, the challenges survivors continue to face in accessing support, and the importance of changing not only services but the systems and cultures that allow abuse to continue.

Together they discuss family courts, prevention, public attitudes, policy change and why ending violence against women and girls requires all of us to play a part.

This is a thoughtful, powerful and hopeful conversation about justice, leadership and creating a society where women and children can live free from abuse.

Find out more about Women's Aid: https://www.womensaid.org.uk/

Series 2 Editor: Brendan O'Donnell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a GP decides that the people most often excluded from healthcare deserve a service designed around their needs?

In this episode, Jenny Ross speaks with Dr Catherine Hewitt, founder of Maple Access Practice in Northampton—a pioneering surgery created for people experiencing homelessness, people who use drugs, asylum seekers, street workers, and members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Catherine reflects on building a practice from the ground up, the importance of understanding trauma rather than judging behaviour, and what she learned from working alongside patients whose lives were shaped by exclusion, poverty and stigma.

Above all, this is a conversation about compassion, dignity and seeing the person behind the label.

It also carries a wider message: that the stigma attached to some of the most marginalised people in our society is neither inevitable nor acceptable, and that Catherine's approach points to a better, more humane society.

Edited by Brendan O'Donnell.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Catherine Ross has an important message for our times—about seeing past the stigma attached to certain groups of people in our societies.

What happens when a GP decides that the people most often excluded from healthcare deserve a service designed around their needs?

In this episode, Jenny Ross speaks with Dr Ross, founder of Maple Access Practice in Northampton—a pioneering surgery created for people experiencing homelessness, people who use drugs, asylum seekers, street workers, and members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Catherine reflects on building a practice from the ground up, the importance of understanding trauma rather than judging behaviour, and what she learned from working alongside patients whose lives were shaped by exclusion, poverty and stigma.

Above all, this is a conversation about compassion, dignity and seeing the person behind the label.

(Edited & produced by Brendan O'Donnell).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenny Ross speaks with Joey Mander from Coventry Youth Activists (CYA), a group of young disabled people campaigning to break down barriers, challenge discrimination and create change in their communities.

Joey shares how CYA supports young people to become campaigners, leaders and advocates, while also creating a space of friendship, belonging and mutual support.

He reflects on the power of collective action, the importance of joy and creativity in activism, and why disabled people must be at the centre of decisions that affect their lives.

Together they discuss online hate speech, disability rights, confidence and the everyday assumptions that continue to limit opportunities for disabled people.

This is an inspiring, thoughtful and often joyful conversation about community, courage and the power of young people coming together to create change.

For programme notes and more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women arriving in the UK can face language barriers and isolation — but community spaces can make a huge difference.

In this episode, Jenny Ross speaks with Sara Hutchinson, CEO of Beyond the Page, an English language teaching and community arts organisation based in Thanet, Kent. 

Sara talks about the organisation’s United Mothers project, which supports women through informal ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) groups.

Together they discuss the power of women-only spaces, the friendships and solidarity that emerge through shared experience, and the many challenges the women face. 

Sara also reflects on social justice, community belonging, and why migrant women are so often misunderstood.

This is thoughtful and hopeful conversation about resilience, identity, care and the importance of creating spaces where people feel that they belong.

For programme notes and more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A young boy spends three hours peering through a microscope at spider skins, completely absorbed by what he is seeing. Later, he brings his mum back so he can show her everything he has learned, despite her fear of spiders.

Discovery Planet, a community interest company based in Ramsgate, creates exciting, pop-up science events in everyday public spaces, bringing scientists face to face with young learners.

Jenny Ross speaks with Nicky Hildesley, one of Discovery Planet's founders. Nicky shares how a temporary pop-up planetarium in a disused theatre grew into an award-winning organisation that helps people discover new interests, build confidence and see new possibilities for themselves.

This is a joyful, inspiring conversation about the transformative impact of giving people opportunities to explore and discover.

For programme notes and more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through services like befriending and volunteer transport, volunteers are helping people stay connected, rebuild confidence, and live more independently—often making a life-changing difference in quiet, unseen ways.

In this thoughtful and inspiring episode, Jenny Ross from Collective Discovery speaks with Emma Cooney, Charity Manager at Kent Coast Volunteering, about the power of volunteering to strengthen communities and transform lives.

We explore how giving time and skills can benefit both individuals and communities—how Kent Coast Volunteering has innovated to reach people in new ways—and why more sustainable funding is essential to support this vital work.

For programme notes and more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After school, the door opens and children tumble in—dropping their bags, grabbing toast, and filling the room with chatter about their day. They let off steam, feel safe, and simply be themselves, with space to play freely.

At the Pavilion Youth and Community Café in Broadstairs, these small, everyday moments help confidence grow, friendships form, and vital life skills take shape.

In this episode, Jenny Ross visits founder Victoria Suchak, who has created a place many describe as feeling like home, in what was previously a dilapidated and abandoned old cricket pavilion in a public park.

Victoria shares how the youth club began, what it takes to sustain it, and why spaces where young people feel known and valued matter so much.

Her story is a reminder that meaningful change often happens through quiet determination and a deep understanding of what people need.

For more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many older people are isolated and overlooked, and live in conditions that are hard to imagine—sometimes without heating, proper food, or basic household necessities.

In this powerful episode, Jenny Ross speaks with Vanessa Wood, CEO of Age UK Thanet, whose team works tirelessly to connect older people to their communities, counter loneliness, and support wellbeing.

We hear about the eye-opening challenges older people face, the dedication of Vanessa and her colleagues, and the hope and resilience that comes from meaningful connection and care.

This conversation is both moving and inspiring, showing how committed changemakers running targeted interventions can completely transform people's lives.

For more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Through guerrilla dance performances on beaches, high streets, shopping centres, and public spaces, groups of older women are taking dance out into the world—playfully and powerfully disrupting assumptions and inviting audiences to see ageing differently.

In this joyous and inspiring episode, Jenny Ross from Collective Discovery speaks with Sian Stevenson, Creative Director of Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company, about a very different story of ageing—one of creativity, connection, power, and joy. We explore how movement and performance can build confidence, challenge stereotypes, and celebrate the strength and resilience of older women.

For more on Collective Discovery, see our website or LinkedIn. We welcome feedback at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.