Changemaker Q&A

We often talk about systems change in the context of economics, climate, or governance. But some of the most profound system failures sit quietly in classrooms. In a recent episode of Changemaker Q&A, Russell shared a story that challenges assumptions about intelligence, literacy, and what’s actually possible when we rethink how learning works. His journey […]

Resilience gets talked about a lot in the social change space. We tell ourselves to “stay strong” and “keep going”. But when funding falls through, relationships break down, projects stall, or self-doubt creeps in, resilience can feel less like a virtue and more like a vague slogan. In a recent conversation on Changemaker Q&A, Michael

There is a growing tension many people are quietly carrying. On one hand, we are told to pursue success, productivity, status, and financial security. We are encouraged to climb career ladders, maximise opportunities, and build impressive lives. On the other hand, many people look around at the state of the world and feel an increasing

One of the most common assumptions about modern society is that cultural change is now happening at unprecedented speed. Every day, new conversations emerge online. Public opinion appears to shift overnight. Social media trends move rapidly, political discourse changes constantly, and younger generations often seem to navigate entirely different moral and cultural landscapes from those

Most changemakers are trained to think in terms of strategies, systems, leverage points, and outcomes. We map problems, design interventions, and try to move complex social systems toward more just and sustainable futures. Yet one of the most powerful teachers of change is often overlooked: the living world itself. In a recent episode of Changemaker

After 100 episodes of Changemaker Q&A, one lesson keeps returning again and again: meaningful change is far messier, more relational, and more human than most frameworks or strategies prepare us for. Across conversations with grassroots activists, nonprofit leaders, artists, researchers, entrepreneurs, community organisers, and systems thinkers, a pattern has emerged. The people creating the most

Some episodes are about tactics. This one is about something more foundational. It is about what happens when care stops being an individual impulse and becomes something designed, organised, and sustained—especially in the places where people are most vulnerable. In this conversation, Heidi traces the path that led her into the not-for-profit world, and it

In social change work, there is often a strong focus on strategy, innovation, and systems design. Organisations invest significant time developing theories of change, mapping stakeholders, identifying leverage points, and designing interventions intended to shift complex social problems. Yet many change efforts succeed or fail for a far simpler reason: the presence or absence of

Across social change spaces, there is no shortage of strong ideas, compelling evidence, or well-intentioned projects. What is often missing is not substance, but translation. This episode of Changemaker Q&A, featuring Dominic Colenso, explores why communication and storytelling are not peripheral skills for changemakers, but core infrastructures of impact. The conversation reframes communication away from