Virtue & Virtuosity

I'm launching a new podcast with Kit Powney - the AI Survival Guide for Charities and Changemakers.

Subscribe here for the new podcast and our weekly newsletter https://substack.com/@charityaisurvivalguide

Podcast on Spotify, Youtube, Apple - just search for the AI Survival Guide for Charities and Changemakers, and subscribe now to get the latest episodes when they are released.

In the final part of the festive special, Stuart and Kevin look forward to 2026 and discuss the five key agenda items around Digital Technology, Data and AI for every leader to have on their agenda for the year.

If you missed parts 1 and 2 of this special - why not listen to them first?

In the second section of our three-part festive special, Stuart talks with Kevin Antao and looks forward to 2026 to talk about what we can expect in the world of Charity, Digital Tech, and AI.

Watch out for the final part between Christmas and New Year - looking at practical actions you can take as a leader to prepare your organisation for 2026.

In the first of three parts, Stuart talks with Kevin Antao and reviews the change we've seen in 2025.

Following this over the next few days, we're releasing two more episodes - the next is looking forward, and the final one is on what CTO's and CEO's can be doing to prepare for 2026.

Stuart talks with Third Sector Lab founder, Ross McCulloch, and Elysha from Radiate Hiring, all about their experiences with matching people to Digital Trustee roles. Ross outlines the Digital Trustee programme run by his company and talks a little about the 'Trustee speed-dating' sessions he runs.

Stuart talks with AI100 winners Kit Powney from Tearfund and Trevor Gordon from Save the Children.

They talk about innovations and approaches within their organisations, and also talk about the many lessons they've learned from collaborating with people within their sector and more broadly in the past few months.

Bonus Episode!

In case you're on a half-term break - or about to go on one - we've just given you a short one this week! Why not have a listen to highlights from the 25th Anniversary Charity IT Leaders conference, presented by myself and regular host (and trustee of CITL), Jane Huntington.

Today we talk with three amazing people - Su Crichton, Freddie Quek, and Mark Dearnley. All of them have chosen to volunteer their time as a digital trustee for a charity. We talk about what it is like to be a trustee, the skills they bring, and the interactions between the board and the internal team. We also talk about what it is like - and what you should consider if you are thinking of becoming a trustee. We also discuss Tech Commitees - why have one Digital Trustee, when you could have six?

Gemma Caulwell at Ark discusses how they are pushing ahead with a variety of AI pilots with teachers in their schools. She outlines the results from trials of AI software for marking student’s essays in English and History, and also talks about other AI tools they are trialling to enable teachers to work more effectively, and dedicate more of their time to education, and less to administration.

AI - and Artificial General Intelligence - both seem like they are all about Science and Technology. Yet, the way we talk about them, and the narrative in the media is so much more about belief than science.

In this episode, we talk with CEO of Aestora, Stephanie Antonian, about what she's seen in her experiences of AI since working on ethics for Google - and we discuss what the future might hold, and what role charity could play.