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PODCAST

Spark Changemakers

The Spark Changemakers podcast is for everyone who wants to change the world but isn"t sure where to start. We’re igniting a changemaker movement, where everyday people like you and me feel inspired and empowered to create positive change. We’re here to give you the tools, insights and inspiration to connect to your Spark – your passion and purpose - so you can be who you came here to be. Each episode we"ll be talking to an inspiring changemaker who will share their personal journey of how they

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All Episodes

01:08:23

The Radical Power of Being Human: Maff Potts on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/10/09

What if changing the world didn't have to start with a grand idea? What if sometimes it looked like putting the kettle on, sitting down on a sofa and having a conversation with another human being?In this episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki talks to Maff Potts, founder of the Association of Camerados and author of Friends and Purpose: Stories from Sofas on Streets and Some Confounding Ideas for Tough Times, about the extraordinary power of ordinary human connection.After spending 20

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50:19

Making Public Services More Human: Rae Baker on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/10/02

In this episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki talks to Rae Baker, founder of Think Team, about how we move beyond collaboration in theory and start putting it into practice.Rae is an experienced coach, facilitator and consultant with more than a decade of experience in engagement, partnership working and collaboration across the public sector.Having worked within local government, health and other public bodies in Wales, Rae founded Think Team to help organisations do the work they're

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01:14:20

Helping the Helpers: Robert Haines on Self-Trust,...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/09/25

What happens when you're brilliant at helping everyone else, but struggle to follow your own advice?In this episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki talks to Robert Haines, Jungian coach, speaker and founder of Engineering Your Life, about the inner work that allows us to create change without losing ourselves in the process.After a successful 37-year career in engineering, Robert experienced what he describes as a major life reset. A painful divorce led him into trauma therapy, recovery and

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50:25

The Relational Infrastructure of Change: Laura...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/09/18

In this episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki talks to Laura Burling, founder of Co-designed Solutions, an independent relational practice working alongside people, communities and organisations to create the conditions for meaningful change.Drawing on more than 20 years of lived and learnt experience across health, education, local government, charities and communities, Laura explores why relationships aren't simply a "nice to have" in systems change – they are part of the essential

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48:22

The Power of Sound for Neurodivergent Children with...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/09/11

What if, when a child is overwhelmed, we stopped asking them to do something to calm down and instead changed what was happening around them?In this episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki Giant talks to Nicola Maria Rose, founder of HushAway®, a Sound Sanctuary created specifically for sensitive and neurodivergent children.Drawing on her experience as a nursery owner, neurodivergent-inclusive coach, ADHD coach and sound therapy practitioner, Nikki explains why so many traditional

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57:27

Grounds for Good: Coffee, Gin & Changemaking with Dr...

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/09/04

After 30 years as an NHS consultant psychiatrist, Dr Rosie Oretti was approaching retirement when a volunteering shift at a homelessness café sparked an unexpected question: what happens to all those used coffee grounds?That question eventually became Grounds for Good — a multi award winning circular economy business transforming waste coffee grounds into premium spirits, while supporting people affected by homelessness.In this episode, Nikki talks to Rosie about starting again at 59, moving from a

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02:40

Season Four Trailer: Spark Changemakers Podcast

Spark Changemakers ·

2026/09/01

Welcome to the Spark Changemakers Podcast - we're back for season four with more incredible changemakers who are putting their Spark into action.Hosted by Nikki Giant, this podcast is dedicated to helping people discover their inner spark – the passion, joy, and purpose that drives them to make a difference in the world. Whether you’re already a changemaker or just starting to explore how you can create a positive impact, this podcast is for you.In this trailer, Nikki shares what you can expect from

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01:14:48

Biophilic Education: Creating sustainable, ethical...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/11/14

In this final episode of Season 3, Nikki Giant is joined by Rosina Dorelli, founder of Da Vinci Life Skills CIC and BE Hubs Cambridge, a Biophilic Education (BE) home education learning hub, which offers the Da Vinci curriculum.Rosina shares her inspiring journey from artist to educational innovator, leading a movement toward biophilic education – a new pedagogy that weaves together creativity, sustainability, ethics and a deep connection with nature.The mission of Da Vinci Life Skills is to inspire

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54:58

From Roles to Ripples: Deepa Iyer on Ecosystems,...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/11/07

In this soulful and practical conversation, Nikki sits down with Deepa Iyer — author of Social Change Now, host of the Solidarity Is This podcast, and Senior Director at the Building Movement Project — to explore how real change happens when we see our work as an ecosystem of interdependent roles. We unpack the 10 roles from Deepa’s framework (Visionaries, Builders, Disruptors, Caregivers, Experimenters, Weavers, Storytellers, Healers, Guides, Frontline Responders) and how teams, networks, and even

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59:13

Mentoring from the Inside Out: Ricardo Erasmus on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/10/31

In this uplifting episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki sits down with Ricardo Erasmus — transformational life coach, motivational speaker, youth mentor, TEDx speaker, and founder of Paradigm Shift Academy.Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, and now based in Wales, Ricardo shares his remarkable journey from the Cape Flats — a community scarred by apartheid — to becoming a global voice for empowerment and purpose.Drawing on his guiding philosophy of Ubuntu — “I am because we are”,

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50:18

The Power of Relationships: Neil Denton on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/10/24

In this heart-opening episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki sits down with Neil Denton - mediator, professor, and co-lead of The Relationships Project - to explore why relationships are not “soft extras,” but the very foundation of healthier, happier, more resilient communities.Neil shares the vision behind The Relationships Project: embedding relationship-centred practice across schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and governments. Together, Nikki and Neil reflect on why relationships

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45:56

From Dream Machine to Doing the Work: Sash...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/10/17

In this inspiring conversation, 21-year-old changemaker Sash Jayasinghe shares how a wake-up moment in Sri Lanka sparked a year of intentional action: founding 4Lanka, a social-impact venture to help South Asian young people discover purpose, build confidence, and turn ideas into reality.Sash recalls bringing Simon Squibb’s Dream Machine to the first comprehensive school in Wales — and watching students light up as a two-minute chat turned vague hopes into real, do-able dreams.We also explore

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56:07

Changing the System from the Inside: Ceri Reed on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/10/10

In this inspiring conversation, Nikki speaks with Ceri Reed, founder of Parents Voices in Wales, a not‑for‑profit organisation championing the voices of parents, carers and young people with lived experience of neurodiversity and/or poor mental health.Ceri shares her deeply personal journey into advocacy, the importance of early intervention, and why centring relationships and co‑production is the key to transforming systems. From challenging outdated approaches to education, to embedding

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59:21

Play with Purpose: Reimagining Childhood through...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/10/03

In the latest episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki speaks with Joanne Baldock, founder of Heol Chwarae Rôl – Role Play Lane, a vibrant community hub in South Wales using imaginative play to support children, families, and young people with additional needs.From her roots in teaching to creating an inclusive, joyful space where learning happens through real-world role play, Joanne shares how her passion for creativity, community, and compassion sparked the creation of a social enterprise

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01:07:01

Leading with Heart: How One School in New Zealand is...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/09/26

In this powerful episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki sits down with Shannon McDougall, the principal of Tokoiti School in South Otago, New Zealand — a small rural school with a mighty vision. Shannon shares how he's turned his lifelong passion for equity, wellbeing and creativity into a living, breathing culture of authenticity and connection.From making education completely free for every child, to developing Te Noho Tahi — a holistic wellbeing model that centres human presence over

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01:20:12

Rewilding Childhood: Raising a New Kind of Hero with...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/09/19

In this deeply reflective episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki Giant is joined by Gary Lougher, founder of 2nd Ascent Coaching and the creator of Heroic Kids - a storytelling-based mentorship program helping children and their families reconnect with emotional intelligence, resilience, and their true nature.From his own corporate burnout, to his journey into working with children and families, Gary shares his profound insights into trauma, evolutionary mismatch, toxic culture, and the

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55:01

From Burnout to Breakthrough: Claire Watson on...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/09/12

In this heartfelt and deeply inspiring episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki sits down with her sister, Claire Watson - educator, spiritual guide, and founder of Zen Clubs.Claire shares her powerful journey from burnout and breast cancer to personal transformation and soul purpose. With warmth, wisdom and humour, she talks about the challenges of teaching, the impact of toxic stress, and how her healing journey helped her reconnect with childhood foundations of spirituality and

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49:21

Invisible Walls: Keeping Families Connected —...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/09/05

In this moving and eye-opening episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki Giant sits down with Ryan Wood and Julie Jones from Invisible Walls, a not-for-profit organisation in Wales working with children and families when a parent is in prison.Ryan and Julie share how Invisible Walls was born from a desire to keep families connected, and why something as simple as a school report shared across prison walls can change the course of a child’s life. With honesty and compassion, they describe the

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01:08:13

One Rhyme at a Time: Duke Al on OCD, Creativity, and...

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/08/29

In this deeply moving episode of The Spark Changemakers Podcast, Nikki Giant is joined by spoken word poet, author, hip-hop artist, and creative practitioner Duke Al. Known for his raw, honest storytelling and lyrical brilliance, Duke opens up about how poetry became his lifeline while navigating OCD, intrusive thoughts, and later, a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.Together, they explore the transformative power of creative expression, the stigma surrounding mental health, and the beauty that can arise

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02:26

Season Three Trailer: Spark Changemakers

Spark Changemakers ·

2025/08/22

Calling all changemakers! We’re back with season 3 of the Spark Changemakers Podcast, the show for people who want to change the world, leading with passion and purpose. Hosted by Nikki Giant, founder of The Spark Movement, our third season brings a whole host of changemakers from across the globe to inspire you to find your Spark. If you feel a call to do something meaningful in life, and you want your work to also be your joy, then this show is for you.New episodes will drop every Friday at 8am

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