Third Sector Podcast

Lucinda Rouse and Dami Adewale are joined by Kirsty MacDonald, deputy principal for advancement at the Royal Academy of Music, to discuss the charity’s ongoing campaign to raise £100m.

Kirsty describes how the academy saw annual fundraising revenues grow from £1.5m to £18m in less than a decade, after investing in necessary systems and infrastructure including research, data and due diligence functions.

She stresses the importance of fostering long-term relationships with major donors, bringing them into the wider academy family using a variety of methods including one-to-one pairings with staff in the fundraising team and beyond.

The episode also features snippets from a recent Third Sector interview with Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Hilary talks about changing perceptions around dementia, the controversy caused by ARUK’s 2023 advertising campaign and the importance of role models for working mothers.

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.

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

Lucinda Rouse and Andy Ricketts are joined by Zahra Hedges, chief executive of the youth empowerment charity Winning Scotland, and Helen Rafferty, senior programme manager at the education charity Shine.

Zahra explains how a theory of change has helped Winning Scotland to identify and prioritise its most fruitful activities and reassure its board and donors. She provides insight into how the charity has developed a more streamlined data collection process.

Helen describes how Shine is using a theory of change to make evaluation an integral and ongoing part of its programmes. She lays out the collaborative development process which enables stakeholders to reflect on and challenge assumptions.

Also in the episode, senior reporter Emily Harle shares snippets from her interview with Acevo’s chief executive, Jane Ide, in which they discuss pay and equality in the voluntary sector following the release of Acevo's Pay and Equalities Survey 2024.

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.

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

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Burt are joined by Ndidi Okezie, chief executive of UK Youth, to discuss the need for the voluntary sector to overcome its siloed approach to solving systemic problems.

Ndidi explains how UK Youth is pushing for a more integrated approach to delivering youth services through a new initiative called the Joined Up Institute.

She shares her views on the role funders can play in generating action from evidence, and the need for bold leadership to drive an intentional process of learning between charities.

Charity Changed My Life features the story of a service user who received support from For Baby’s Sake, a charity that helps families with experience of domestic abuse to give their baby the best start in life.

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.

Lucinda Rouse travels to the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon, to meet the charity’s senior statistician, Stuart Norris, and find out about his pathway to a career in data science.

Stuart describes how he combined a background in ecology with his long-standing interest in computers to find his niche in the voluntary sector. He explains how his team combines open source data with internal information to create platforms that are used to inform the charity’s strategic decision-making.

He suggests ways in which applicants to data roles can stand out, and stresses the importance of soft skills on top of technical know-how.

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

And senior reporter Emily Harle shares snippets from her recent interview with Dan Corry, outgoing chief executive of the think tank NPC.

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.

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

Lucinda Rouse and Emily Harle are joined by Fozia Irfan, director of impact and influence at BBC Children in Need, to reflect on the challenges facing charities and grantmakers in the present funding climate.

Fozia describes the role of funders such as Children in Need to convene networks spread across the UK and create communities of practice to provide more holistic and structural solutions to issues such as child poverty.

She stresses her belief that funders should do more than simply issue grants by using their platform to empower and, where necessary, change public perceptions about the communities they support.

Also in the episode, Emily and Lucinda discuss the mixed reaction to the news that the National Citizen Service programme will close in March 2025.

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.

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