ChangeMakers

How do elections and new governments change how we make change?In the wake of the election of a new Labour Government in the UK, we talk with Matthew McGregor from 38 Degrees about what the new government might mean for progressive political strategy. We explore Matthew’s background and his time working with unions and the Obama campaign to learn more about 38 Degrees and its digital first strategy for engaging thousands of everyday UK citizens in political life.We explore the tensions and challenges that come from pushing for change when social democratic governments are in power and the need to agitate for more as well as celebrate the  change we can win. We explore how the focus of progressive campaigning shifts from stopping the outrages to offering solutions and some of the nuances in navigating that work - straddling disappointment and delivery, and when and how to press for greater ambition.For anyone chewing over what the UK election means (or what elections mean generally for political strategy) - this is a chat to get you thinking about some of the choices that lie ahead.For more on 38 Degrees go HERE.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall

There is a lot of talk about the need for diversity, but what does diversity actually mean? In this conversation Rathana Chea shares how he has learnt how to value the power of difference and connection across his time in making social change, sharing insights from social movements while he was in school, to community organising, to working with Greenpeace International and now working to create the Multicultural Leadership Initiative as part of the Australian climate movement.This conversation cuts through the platitudes that often dominate “diversity talk”, responding to the language of awkward politeness with a practice of kindness and clarity about how to create space where people of colour can lead and thrive because they are driving movements that speak to their own needs and interests.For more on the Multicultural Leadership Initiative see HERE.You can follow Rathana on LinkedIn HERE.You can find more about Rathana at his website HERE.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.TattersallChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk/.

In this special UK national election episode we are joined by Marc Stears from UCL Policy Lab and Martha MacKenzie from Civic Power to talk about the 2025 national election from the perspective of participatory and everyday politics.Civic Power Fund and the UCL Policy Lab are sponsors of this podcast, and this episode was conducted in London in the middle of the election campaign. It explores the context of electoral politics, how the election is creating a space for people’s involvement in politics and what all of this means for people after the election.ChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk/.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.org (where you can also sign up to our email list!)On Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LinkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall

The UK’s Nana’s against Fracking are a grassroots movement that spread across regional UK communities to stop gas fracking. The movement was led by a legion of women who had never, or only at a distance, been involved in making change, but felt compelled to act when they found out about the catastrophic effects of fracking on the environment and community Tina and the Nanas were a magnificent example of people seeking and achieving ordinary hope - showing the kind of community power that lies in all of us.This episode is a ChangeMakers #UKSpecial.Nanas against Fracking take some inspiration from their sisters the Knitting Nanna’s in Australia! ChangeMakers produced an episode on gas extraction in the Northern Rivers that features these Nanas back in our first season, and you can find it on ACAST or on our website.You can find the UK Nanas on X/Twitter here @UK_Nanas and Tina Rothery @tinalouiseUK.ChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.org (where you can also sign up to our email list!)On Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LinkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall

How on earth can any of us challenge might of authoritarian government? Samuel Chu has been contesting government over-reach and human rights abuses in China, Russia, Belarus and more - and as a US citizen and community organiser has a refreshing take on how we can all contribute to a movement against authoritarianism.In this episode he explores how community organising has helped him think strategically about building democratic alliances across countries, and building democratic capacity everywhere.Samuel has previously been on ChangeMakers to talk about the Hong Kong Security Act in May 2020There is more information about Samuel on his website - https://www.samuelmchu.com/.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall

While we know that too many women live with the ever-present threat of violence our societies seem to struggle with what to do about it. While we have refuges services, and at times the issue is raised in national debate, we seem unable to address the problem at its core.In the UK, Love and Power is a new organisation that is seeking to end vioelcne aganst women by putting women who have expeirenced domestic violence at the centre of the debate. Love and Power combines the insight and knowledge that comes from lived experience with the strategies of community organising to bring a new approach to an old problem.In this ChangeMaker Chat we talk with Charlotte Fischer and Martha Jephcott the founders of Love and Power. Marthe grew up in a violent household and brings her own experience of the limits of service provision to the movement, she combines this with Charlotte's experience as a community organiser to create a new kind of women's movement that seeks to show the public dimensions of women's expeirences as a way to find political solutions to the probelm of violence.You can find out more about love and power here - https://www.loveandpower.co.uk. You can follow them on socials - @loveandpowerorg for both X and instagram.ChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk/.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall

If you are in Australia you probably know of Andrew Denton the comedian, but did you know he is also a highly successful changemaker? In this chat Andrew shares his journey of a life that began in comedy, then ventured into long form interviews with the popular television show “Enough Rope”, then a decade ago took him to a decision to try and change the laws on Voluntary Assisted Dying.Andrew shares what it was like to come to social change as a novice - and to learn the many steps of how to make powerful change with others. And despite the constant theme of death - the chat is also pretty funny.For more information on Go Gentle - https://www.gogentleaustralia.org.au/For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.TattersallChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk/.

What are some of the skills or insights shared by some of America’s extraordinary change makers, people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Alicia Garza or Loretta Ross? In particular, what can these people teach us about how to build larger movements for change?Anand Giridhardhas, author of Persuaders, talks us through what he discovered when he interviewed these and other American change makers. In this chat Anand shares the story behind why he came to write this book - about his own story as a bridge builder between cultures and the lessons he learnt about how people navigate change.The chat then turns to his book Persuaders - identifying lessons about how persuaders communicate, how they work across difference, and how important it is for movements to be able to think about the kind of implications that change making has on communities while they are prosecuting change with communities.This chat is all about Persuaders, but Anand has written four powerful books: India Calling, True American, Winners Take All and Persuaders. You can find out more about Anand here - https://www.anand.ly/.ChangeMakers 2024 is supported by the Civic Power Fund and work with the UCL Policy Lab. This year they are supporting ChangeMakers to bring together a collection of Chats filled with extraordinary ideas and everyday experience to understand how we can change the world, www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/ucl-policy-lab and www.civicpower.org.uk/.For more on ChangeMakers check us out:Via our Website - https://changemakerspodcast.orgOn Facebook, Instagram, Threads - https://www.facebook.com/ChangeMakersPodcast/On X/Twitter - @changemakers99 or @amandatattsOn LInkedIn - Amanda.Tattersall