

Third Sector Podcast
Third Sector
A weekly podcast from Third Sector, the UK’s leading publication for everyone who needs to know what’s going on in the voluntary and not-for-profit sector.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 29, 2025 • 38min
How Trussell is trying to drive systems change
Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Emma Revie, co-chief executive of Trussell, and the strategy and change management specialist Martyn Drake.Emma explains why Trussell’s mission statement has been altered to place the provision of food aid second to its aim of eliminating the need for food banks. She stresses the need to work with others to drive systems change and shares her belief that resources should never be taken away from long-term solutions in order to provide a temporary fix.Martyn shares examples of other charities that have recognised the need to change strategic direction to avoid being enablers of the problems they are trying to solve.He describes the importance of granting staff at all levels of an organisation the autonomy to work flexibly with other partners in order to achieve shared goals.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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 snips
Aug 22, 2025 • 29min
An impact measurement overhaul at DofE
Join Ruth Marvel, the Chief Executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, as she dives into the charity’s innovative impact measurement framework. She shares the significance of a theory of change co-created with young people to guide their initiatives. Ruth emphasizes the use of national open data sets to validate the program’s effectiveness, especially for marginalized groups. Transparency in data reporting and adapting to evolving youth needs are also key topics, showcasing the intersection of data, policy, and youth enrichment.

Aug 15, 2025 • 32min
How the Dogs Trust is dealing with new demands
Lucinda Rouse visits the Dogs Trust’s head office to meet the charity’s chief executive, Owen Sharp.Owen talks about the recent restructure of Dogs Trust as part of a new strategy and shares some of the lessons he has learned from an ongoing redundancy process involving 300 staff.He gives his view on ways in which the voluntary sector could be responding differently to current instability, such as taking a less siloed approach to shared challenges.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.Subscribe to the Third Sector Podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 8, 2025 • 32min
Founder’s syndrome and how to avoid it
Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Toby Freeman, chief executive of the Robin Cancer Trust, and the charity finance and governance specialist Pesh Framjee.Toby shares his experiences of founding a charity to which he has a deep personal connection, and outlines the ways in which he is preparing the organisation for his departure.Pesh puts forward his view that founder’s syndrome is a relatively uncommon occurrence. He stresses the importance of succession-planning in founder-led charities and the need to nurture future leaders within the existing team.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.Subscribe to the Third Sector Podcast on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 1, 2025 • 33min
Reasons to be optimistic as a charity in a changing world
Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Nicole Sykes, director of policy, communications and research at the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.They discuss some recent research by Lloyds Banking Group that found charities are the second-most trusted source of financial advice after family members. They consider how charities can best respond to the finding, and why it should be a cause for celebration.They cover a range of other topical issues affecting the sector, from the emergence of the impact economy to the need for charities to adapt to new ways of finding information with the advent of AI.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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 25, 2025 • 34min
Why more funders should consider a shift to participatory grantmaking
In this insightful discussion, guest Natasha Friend, Director of Camden Giving, emphasizes the transformative power of participatory grantmaking. She shares how Camden Giving devolves funding decisions to community panels made up of those directly affected by local challenges. The conversation dives into the shift from traditional funding models to empowering communities, highlighting the importance of shared decision-making and community engagement. Natasha and Robin Morgan-Chu also discuss the role of funders in fostering inclusivity and enhancing local empowerment.

5 snips
Jul 23, 2025 • 12min
Bonus episode: What you need to know about the Civil Society Covenant
Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle dive into the newly launched Civil Society Covenant, a groundbreaking framework for collaboration between government and civil society. They discuss key insights from leaders like Prime Minister Keir Starmer, highlighting the commitment to inclusivity and equity. The conversation covers transparency and accountability in the charity sector, addressing the pressing financial challenges charities face. They also explore recent government reforms aimed at improving funding and fair compensation for services. It's a hopeful look at the future of charity-government relations.

Jul 18, 2025 • 38min
How to engage Gen Z in your charitable mission
Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by are joined by Dan Lawes, co-chief executive of the youth democracy charity My Life My Say, to consider how charities working in all cause areas can interact effectively with younger people.Dan explains how My Life My Say engaged with brands including Tinder, Lime and Snapchat to promote its 'Give an X' campaign to encourage young people to vote in the 2024 general election as part of its wider youth outreach activities. He also provides his perspective on voluntary sector leadership as a younger-than-average chief executive.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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 11, 2025 • 29min
The path to financial security in the face of shrinking grants
Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Nihara Krause, chief executive of the youth mental health charity Stem4, to talk about the organisation’s quest for long-term sustainability in the face of falling grant income.Nihara describes the challenges faced by Stem4 in developing partnership and merger prospects, as the charity has sought to stay afloat since the Covid-19 pandemic.She outlines the internal changes made to commercialise some of the charity’s products and foster a more entrepreneurial mindset, with a greater focus on profit.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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 4, 2025 • 32min
Demystifying apprenticeship schemes for charities
Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Gary Laybourne, chief executive of the sports coaching apprenticeship charity Coach Core.Gary outlines some of the voluntary sector roles that are compatible with existing apprenticeship schemes and explains the practicalities of taking on an apprentice.He describes ways in which charities can offset the cost and commitments associated with taking on an apprentice, including through corporate partners and sharing a role with another organisation.Find the government’s guidance on employing an apprentice here and Not Going to Uni resources here. Listen to When Charity Goes Wrong.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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


