The End of Charity

In a world where need is spiralling out of control and new, radical forces are shaping the landscape for doing good, can charity be the answer to the world’s social and environmental problems?Lucinda Rouse presents The End of Charity, a new podcast series from the makers of Third Sector. Guided by some of the leading voices of the philanthropy world, as well as radicals who believe the current model is on the brink of implosion, Lucinda asks: what are the flaws and contradictions baked into the ways charities work? How has the sector’s problematic past shaped its present? And who are the disruptors – from MrBeast to Extinction Rebellion – who could shake it up for good?The End of Charity launches 19 March.

Last year the UK food bank network the Trussell Trust distributed almost 3 million emergency food parcels, 1 million of which were for children, up from 50,000 a decade ago.How has the UK landed in such a severe hunger crisis – and can food banks ever be the solution?In episode one of The End of Charity, journalist Lucinda Rouse hears from the Trussell Trust’s chief executive, Emma Revie, about the need to reimagine our social contract at a time when demand for charities is greater than ever.And the philanthropy expert Rhodri Davies traces the history of charity from its mediaeval and Victorian origins to its present state – where “something is fundamentally broken.” Read the transcript.

Meet Jimmy Donaldson, perhaps better known as MrBeast – the 25-year-old YouTuber who some say is on the verge of sparking a revolution in online philanthropy. With more than 236 million YouTube subscribers and an estimated net worth of $500m, MrBeast has turned his focus from filling houses with Lego bricks to curing blind people and building wells. Lucinda asks Darren Margolias, the executive director of Jimmy’s charitable venture Beast Philanthropy, why MrBeast’s storytelling may have the edge over charities in reaching a younger generation of potential donors. Plus, the philanthropy expert Rhodri Davies and the anti-racism consultant Martha Awojobi ask: is there anything charities could learn from the ways MrBeast taps into the natural human instinct to give back? And exactly how ethical are his approaches to making the world a better place?Listen to The End of Charity: Can MrBeast save humanity? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your podcast platform of choice.Read the transcript.

Why donate to a charity if you can just help out a fellow human yourself – or buy a piece of premium fashion that promises to generate a similar result?In episode three of The End of Charity, Lucinda Rouse explores two very different alternatives to the charity model: mutual aid theory, and the rise of buzzy “for good” business.The activist and founder of Mutual Aid UK, Eshe Kiama Zuri, discusses mutual aid as an alternative to the “oppressive dynamics” of traditional charitable structures, suggesting that charities could act more effectively and meet community needs by devolving funding to grassroots organisations.Theo Clay, the former policy manager of the think tank New Philanthropy Capital, identifies the UK’s charity "deserts" – causes and geographical areas that receive insufficient funding. And the finance and enterprise development expert Tej Dhami explores the opportunities and pitfalls for businesses looking to capitalise on socially conscious customers whilst attempting to solve some of the world's biggest problems.Read the transcript.

In May 2018, three climate activists called time on lukewarm campaigning over the climate crisis. They wanted a different and radical approach.The plan: mass civil disobedience. The name: Extinction Rebellion. And the first major act of the movement? Stage an occupation – of the Greenpeace offices in London. Why is it that charities are so often perceived to be “the opposite of disruptive?” Experts including The Wildlife Trusts’ chief executive, Craig Bennett, and the domestic violence campaigner Janey Starling outline the legislative and political challenges that defang charities’ ability to campaign. Lucinda also speaks to Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, and the Trussell Trust’s Emma Revie about the tussle encountered by charities seeking to both deliver services and advocate for change. With commentary from the philanthropy expert Rhodri Davies.Read the transcript.

When The Times newspaper’s chief reporter, Sean O’Neill, broke the story that senior Oxfam aid workers had been accused of sexual misconduct while working in the disaster zone of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, it sent shockwaves around the charity sector and wider society. O’Neill reflects on his memories of the scandal; and experts including Chilande Kuloba-Warria and Martha Awojobi discuss how the very foundations of charity can create imbalances of power – and environments in which abuse can thrive. How do the ways we think about the “haves” and “have-nots” perpetuate these inequalities? And how have the historical roots of charitable work steered us in this direction? Kolbassia Haoussou, director of survivor leadership and influencing at Freedom from Torture, suggests how the balance can be tipped to allow the people that charities exist to serve to exercise power on their own terms. With commentary from the philanthropy expert Rhodri Davies.

In November 2023, the finance officer of West Norfolk Carers came to a devastating realisation: after more than a year of rejected funding applications, the charity wouldn’t be able to stay afloat for longer than four months.Several months earlier, the Lankelly Chase Foundation, a grantmaker tackling severe social disadvantage and extreme marginalisation, had reached a similarly terminal conclusion.After finding that its very existence perpetuated past harms and injustices, the foundation’s leaders decided the best way forward was to shut down.In the final episode of The End of Charity, Lucinda Rouse is joined by Jane Evans and Julian Corner, the chief executives of West Norfolk Carers and Lankelly Chase, respectively, to ask: what’s next for the charity sector?Rhodri Davies, Martha Awojobi and Eshe Kiama Zuri consider the road ahead for doing good, while Steve O’Donnell, a recipient of West Norfolk Carers’ services, lays out the impact of the recent rash of charity closures on vulnerable citizens.Read the transcript.If you have enjoyed The End of Charity, please consider rating and reviewing the series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your podcast platform of choice.Series writer and presenter: Lucinda RouseEditor: Emily BurtExecutive producer: Ollie PeartProduction manager: Louise HillSeries producers: Riham Maged, Penny Bell, Matt HillStudio producers: Nav Pal, Inga Marsen, Til OwenArt director: David RobinsonVideographer: Julian DoddVideo producer: Til OwenSub-editor: Rachel Jerden-Cooke Contributing editor: Andy RickettsVoicing support: Emily Harle, Dami AdewaleConcept developer: Rebecca Cooney

In a session recorded at the Third Sector Conference, Lucinda and Emily are joined by Rhodri Davies, director of Why Philanthropy Matters, to reflect on some of the themes covered in Third Sector’s recent podcast documentary, The End of Charity.These include the rise of influencer philanthropists, such as the YouTube megastar MrBeast, and their potential role in attracting a new, younger support base for charities. They discuss the need for charities to sustain the momentum in tackling historical power imbalances in the voluntary sector, as articulated in an interview clip from series contributor Chilande Kuloba-Warria. They also question the very role of charity in the modern day.Listen to The End of Charity.Read Rhodri’s article in the Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing.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 lucinda.rouse@haymarket.com 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.