12:40, 30 September 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
One thing that this humble writer loves is a good podcast and today is the best time for me to share that love with you all as it’s World Podcast Day!
So tune in and take a look at my podcast app as I introduce you to my favourite charity and social change-based shows.
I think it is no surprise that the Third Sector Podcast has become a must-listen for anyone passionate about the charity and voluntary sector. With its thought-provoking conversations, expert guests, and up-to-date coverage of key issues – from funding challenges to policy changes – it brings the heartbeat of the sector to life.
Hosted by Third Sector journalists, the podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at what really matters to non-profits across the UK. Whether you're a charity worker or simply curious, it’s an engaging way to stay informed and inspired.
Listen here: https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/podcasts
There’s something genuinely uplifting about People Fixing the World, a BBC World Service podcast that travels the globe in search of real, workable solutions to huge global problems. From community inventions to tech innovations, it’s full of stories that prove change is possible.
If you’re a fan of positive stories and podcasts that balances realism with hope, this one’s well worth adding to your playlist – just search for it wherever you usually listen.
Listen here: BBC World Service | People Fixing The World
Brought to you by the Climate Group, an international non-profit working with businesses and governments on climate action, 50 Shades of Green is a fresh and surprisingly witty look at how climate solutions are already reshaping our world. It’s ideal if you’re keen to learn about practical progress, without being preached at.
Just type the title into your podcast app and get ready to hear some seriously good green ideas: Climate Group | 50 Shades of Green
Raw, honest and long overdue, Class Divide is an award-nominated series created by people who’ve lived the inequalities they’re talking about. It takes the city of Brighton & Hove as a backdrop to look into the UK’s class system with sharp insight and personal experience, tackling issues like housing, education, and social mobility.
If you're tired of top-down commentary and want to hear the real story from the ground up, this one’s for you. Listen here: https://www.classdivide.co.uk/podcast
The team behind Third Sector magazine returns to our list – this time with a bold limited series: The End of Charity. This thought-provoking podcast steps back to ask some tough but timely questions: Is the traditional charity model still fit for purpose? What could giving look like in a future that’s more collaborative, community-led, and possibly no longer called “charity” at all? Whether you work in the sector or simply care about how we drive social change, this series is well worth your time.
Have a listen here or read through the episode transcripts: Third Sector Magazine | The End Of Charity
Ever wonder what society would look like if we rebalanced things between the young and the old? The What If? Podcast by the Intergenerational Foundation dives into questions of housing, pensions, education and climate – through the lens of fairness across generations.
It’s part policy chat, part imaginative future-thinking, and it’ll leave you questioning the status quo in all the right ways. Well worth a listen, head here: https://www.if.org.uk/what-if-podcast/
Straight from one of the UK’s most iconic institutions, the Natural History Museum’s Our Broken Planet podcast combines environmental science with gripping storytelling. It explores the root causes of the planet’s most urgent problems, from extinction to pollution and what can still be done.
It’s informative without being overwhelming, and a great way to bring their Our Broken Planet exhibition (which we have written about here) into your headphones. Available via the Museum’s site or your usual podcast provider: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/our-broken-planet-podcast.
This is one for those that like to get a bit academic with their listening. Hosted by the Academy of Social Sciences, The We Society dives into how we live together – and what needs to change. Social scientists and thought leaders tackle big topics like inequality, democracy, and belonging, with clarity and insight.
It’s a brilliant one for anyone curious about the ‘why’ behind today’s biggest issues and there is 8 seasons available to sink your teeth into: https://acss.org.uk/we-society-podcast/
