From the team at Third Sector comes The Diff – a new podcast that spotlights the work of small charities and not-for-profits.

In the first episode of our pilot mini-series, airing 13-17 November, we ask: what causes a knife crime epidemic – and what would it take to end one?

Patrick Green, chief executive of the Ben Kinsella Trust, and Nathaniel Peat, founder of the Safety Box CIC, discuss the multi-layered factors driving knife crime in the UK, and explain how their work helps to tackle the crisis. Hosted by Rhianna Dhillon.

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Lucinda and Andy are joined by Katy Saunders, director at Social Finance, and Mark Jarman-Howe, chief executive of St Helena Hospice, to discuss how charities can make effective use of social investment mechanisms.

Katy explains how the social investment market works and describes its growth over the past decade, presenting opportunities to charities to be both investors and recipients of social finance.

Mark describes St Helena’s journey into social investment as traditional fundraising streams failed to keep up with rising demand. He explains how the charity now provides lottery services to 35 other charities, with an annual turnover of £5m.

They also discuss the potential risks and downsides of social investment, stressing the importance for charities to conduct due diligence into potential partners and acknowledge that grant funding is often preferable.

Earlier in the episode, senior news reporter Emily Harle discusses ways in which charities can engage politicians in the wake of party conference season and with a general election around the corner.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

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Lucinda and Emily are joined by Rebecca Gray, chief executive of Maudsley Charity, a grant-maker for mental health projects.

Rebecca describes how the recruitment of a new board in 2018 helped the charity to change its approach to funding across thematic, strategic programme areas with input from stakeholders to help influence the charity’s direction of travel.

She explains how the charity balances considerations of need, potential for change and the most appropriate type of funding to make a difference, investing in local projects targeting social groups that lack trust in statutory mental health services, with a view to generating a national ripple effect.

Charity Changed My Life features the story of Lydia Eccleston, who received life-changing support from Endometriosis UK that enabled her to confirm and manage her diagnosis with the chronic condition and the realities it presents.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

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Lucinda takes a look behind the scenes at Barnardo’s as she shadows a day in the life of Becky Rice, the charity’s senior policy adviser for mental health and wellbeing.

Becky outlines the different aspects of her job: from conducting research to responding to government announcements and speaking to children, young people, practitioners and parents to ensure their perspectives and priorities are at the forefront of the charity’s policy recommendations.

She describes her professional path to her current role and provides tips for anyone interested in joining the policy profession, as well as outlining the key qualities she looks for in a budding policy adviser.

Lucinda is joined by Third Sector’s editor, Emily Burt, to reflect on the visit. 

Also in the episode, reporter Rory Poulter provides insight into a range of leading sector perspectives on how charities can collaborate effectively.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

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Lucinda and Rory are joined by Sophie Tebbetts, head of programmes at the food poverty charity FoodCycle, to learn about the different techniques used to attract and retain the charity’s 15,000 volunteers.

Sophie explains how FoodCycle’s roots in universities have informed its volunteer strategy and enabled it to maintain a healthy roster of volunteers, most of whom fall within the 25 to 45 age range. 

She stresses the importance of flexibility and streamlined induction processes, as well as open communication channels with the charity’s core team and events to recognise and celebrate the critical role played by FoodCycle’s volunteers.

Charity Changed My Life features the story of the forces veteran Brian Brown, who received vital support from Help for Heroes during his recovery from an alcohol addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Also in the episode, Rory sheds light on the news of strike-off action initiated against the English National Opera and the surprise departure of its music director.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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Lucinda and Emily introduce The Diff: a new podcast from Third Sector, currently in its pilot stage, which champions the work of small charities, grassroots organisations and social enterprises working on the front line.

The episode features snippets of conversations between The Diff’s host, Rhianna Dhillon, and five guests. These consist of Meg Doherty, founder of the social enterprise Fat Macy’s; Tom Slatter, head of insights and impact at the social mobility charity The Brokerage; the poet and educator Christian Foley; Alex Smith, senior adviser at the Obama Foundation; and Ben Sweet, manager at Love Squared.

Rhianna and her guests provide their perspectives on the sector and some of the shared societal problems that charities are working to overcome.

The Diff is produced by Inga Marsden, Til Owen, Jide Eguakun, Babajide Osikoya and Nav Pal.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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Lucinda and Rory are joined by the talent director Paul Cullen to discuss how charities can form fruitful partnerships with celebrities. 

Paul provides his take on the move by numerous charities to distance themselves from Russell Brand in the wake of the multiple sexual abuse allegations made against the comedian.

The talent director suggests different ways in which charities can gain value from celebrity involvement, from fundraising to policy, as well as manage the associated risks of a charity-celebrity partnership.

Also in this episode, senior reporter Emily Harle looks at Alzheimer Scotland’s public criticism of a video released by Alzheimer’s Research UK, which aims to depict the reality of living with dementia.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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Lucinda and Andy are joined by Duncan Shrubsole, director of policy, communications and research at the Lloyds Bank Foundation, and Elizabeth Jiménez-Yáñez, policy and communications manager at the Latin American Women's Rights Service (Lawrs), to talk about charities’ influencing work. 

Duncan highlights the importance of enabling grassroots organisations to influence policy by amplifying their voices, while acknowledging the difficulties of doing so. 

He gives his thoughts on the outlook for influencing work in the current political climate and explains how the Lloyds Bank Foundation is helping to strengthen the capacity, capability and confidence of small charities to engage in influencing work.

Elizabeth describes Lawrs’ work to raise awareness of the plight of Latin American women in the UK who have an insecure immigration status and are experiencing domestic violence. 

She suggests different ways that charities can influence through storytelling and stresses the importance of working in coalition with other organisations, particularly on issues the government is less receptive to. 

Also in the episode, senior reporter Emily Harle makes her podcast debut, commenting on the worrying outlook for sector infrastructure bodies following the announcement that Children England will close after 81 years.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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Lucinda and Emily are joined by James Cusack, chief executive of Autistica, to debunk some common misconceptions about neurodivergence and neurodiversity.

James, who is autistic, describes his own professional journey and his conviction that workplaces are enriched by colleagues who think in different ways.

He suggests basic workplace adjustments to accommodate neurodiversity to the benefit of all employees and points listeners to Autistica’s Employer’s Guide to Neurodiversity for further guidance.

Also in the episode, news editor Andy Ricketts shares his thoughts on new social media guidance published by the Charity Commission which has allayed the concerns of some in the sector about the role trustees are expected to play in monitoring employees’ social media activity. 

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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Lucinda and Emily are joined by the fundraising consultant Lynda Harwood-Compton to discuss successful partnerships between charities and corporate entities.

Lynda, who was the head of philanthropy and partnerships at the Brain Tumour Charity until August, describes a general shift in mentality by corporates to be more strategic in identifying charities with a shared purpose and values, as well as an evolution from corporate social responsibility to environmental sustainability. 

She highlights three very different but equally effective corporate partnerships: Overgate Hospice and the Yorkshire Soap Company; the Marine Conservation Society and Fat Face; and Together for Short Lives and Morrisons. 

Lucy Crisp, head of corporate partnerships at Together for Short Lives, joins the discussion and explains how the Morrisons partnership leans on individual stores’ existing connection with children’s hospices. 

Also in the episode, reporter Rory Poulter provides his perspective on the findings of C&E Advisory’s latest Corporate-NGO Partnerships Barometer, including a predominant focus on the cost-of-living crisis and a likely shift to the use of artificial intelligence to select partners.

Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better thanks to your charity? If so, we’d like to hear them! All it takes is a short voice message to be featured on this podcast. Email [email protected] for further information.

Tell us what you think of the Third Sector Podcast! Please take five minutes to let us know how we can bring you the most relevant, useful content. To fill in the survey, click here.

Read the transcript.

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