What really drives social change—policy or culture? In this episode, we unpack a persistent misconception in the world of activism and advocacy: that visible policy wins are the ultimate measure of transformation. While mass demonstrations may not always lead to immediate legislative reform, they often signal deeper cultural currents at work. Drawing on sociology, anthropology, and systems thinking, this conversation explores the distinction between policy and culture, and why culture—though slower and less tangible—represents the deepest leverage point for long-term change. From values and norms to mental models, worldviews, and collective narratives, we look at how culture shapes what societies consider possible, and why ignoring it can limit our impact. Using Margaret Archer’s morphogenetic approach and Donella Meadows’ systems thinking, the episode reframes social change as a process rooted not just in structures and laws, but in the shared stories and paradigms that guide human action.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
It's no secret I love gardening, so I'm thrilled to be chatting with Matthieu, a regenerative garden designer whose journey began on his family farm and has taken him from early experiments with radishes, to academic study in landscape architecture, to transformative experiences in the Amazon Rainforest. Matthieu shares how permaculture principles reshaped his understanding of nature, why regenerative farming is key to reversing climate change, and how gardening—even in small urban spaces—can reconnect us with the natural world.
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About Our Guest: Matthieu Mehuys is an award-winning author and passionate landscape architect whose journey from a family farm in Belgium to regenerative farming practices has led him to believe that landscape architects can indeed change the world.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
After six weeks of full-time work, launching the School of Social Impact’s first paid program, continuing to run the Humanitarian Changemakers Network, and preparing for a major conference, I came out of one of the busiest seasons of my life without burning out. In this episode, I share the five key strategies that helped me stay energised, avoid exhaustion, and keep momentum going. These lessons aren’t a permanent framework for balance, but they are practical tools to help you get through those intense seasons where hustle is unavoidable.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
What is the point of life? In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Alex, author of The Philosophy, to explore what it truly means to question the status quo and reimagine how we live. From rethinking success and human connection to challenging capitalism and discussing transformative ideas like universal basic income, Alex invites us to consider whether the world we’ve built is the one we truly want. Grounded in three core values—respect, empathy, and gratitude—this conversation offers a roadmap for individuals and communities seeking a more humane, connected, and purpose-driven future.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this episode of Changemaker Q&A, we dive into a core question at the heart of social impact work: how should we understand change itself? Drawing on research presented at the Research for Development Impact Conference in Sydney, we explore why linear models of growth and progress fall short, and how a more holistic, non-linear lens can transform the way changemakers design strategies and interventions. From Indigenous wisdom traditions to systems thinking and critical realism, this episode unpacks the idea of change as a “dynamic unfolding” of continuity, discontinuity, and emergence—and why embracing this perspective is crucial for effective and sustainable development.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
What does it take to show up as a leader in a changing world? In this insightful episode, I spoke with author and leadership strategist Dave Chauhan about his groundbreaking concept of nautical leadership—a model designed for navigating uncertainty with purpose, adaptability, and courage. Drawing from his corporate experience, personal fears, and historical analogies, Dave explores why leadership is more than titles and KPIs. He unpacks the three pillars of nautical leadership—anchored purpose, adaptive wayfinding, and decisive action—and offers practical strategies for leaders in business and social change. From Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic voyage to modern organisational challenges, this conversation reveals how leaders can thrive in an unpredictable world while creating meaningful impact.
Learn more about Dave and his work at https://www.davechauhan.com/
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
I recently asked our community which 'story of our time' they believed in, and I was surprised by the responses. It got me thinking, do we have a moral imagination problem? Moral imagination is the ability to envision alternatives to the world as it currently exists. Drawing on Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects and her “three stories of our time”—business as usual, the great unravelling, and the great turning—we reflect on how people locate themselves within these narratives, what that means for changemaking, and why so many feel stuck between despair and hope. We unpack how cultivating moral imagination can open the door to more just, ecological, and regenerative futures, and why strengthening our social change literacy is a crucial step in moving from story two to story three.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
Have you ever wondered how small business can build stronger communities? In this episode, we sit down with Janneh Wright, founder and CEO of Primus Business Management, to explore how small businesses can create meaningful social impact while staying financially sustainable. Janneh shares his journey from immigrating to the United States to building a 23-year-old back-office management firm supporting small businesses and nonprofits. We discuss the unique challenges entrepreneurs face, the essential “Three Cs” – compliance, culture, and consistency – and how these principles can help businesses thrive. Janneh also offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, insights on balancing work and life, and his perspective on the future of small business in an AI-driven world.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
This episode explores the essential but often misunderstood distinction between Change Theory and Theory of Change. Change Theory offers general, research-informed explanations of how change occurs, drawing on decades of scholarship from psychology, sociology, organisational studies, economics, and environmental science. Theory of Change, on the other hand, is a context-specific framework that sets out the causal pathways, assumptions, and milestones through which a particular initiative aims to achieve its intended outcomes. We examine how these two concepts intersect, outline the different types of change theories—descriptive, predictive, and explanatory—and explain why grounding a Theory of Change in robust theoretical foundations is critical for designing, evaluating, and refining effective interventions.
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In this episode, I speak with Jeff Hardy, founder of Care for Peace, whose life journey has taken him from serving as a U.S. Coast Guard Hospital Corpsman during the Vietnam War to building health and community development centres in Myanmar. Jeff shares how the simple act of caregiving revealed to him a profound relationship between care and peace, and how this insight has grown into a philosophy, a foundation, and a call for what he terms the “Second Human Evolution.” Together, we discuss grassroots development, the importance of process in shaping change, and how peace can be cultivated in the everyday act of caring for one another.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this episode, we explore the power of shared vision in driving systems change—shifting from reactive responses to proactive, values-aligned transformation. Drawing on real-world applications of the VISION Framework developed during my PhD, I discuss how changemaking is less about fixing what’s broken and more about working together to realise what could be. When we co-create visions that reflect the hopes of all involved, we move beyond abstract ideals toward a ‘concrete utopia’—a shared future in which everyone sees their values and aspirations reflected.
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In this thought-provoking conversation, investigative author and wellness advocate Michael J. Dorfman reflects on more than five decades of critical inquiry into systems of power—from the Vietnam War and Big Tobacco to vaccine mandates and digital censorship. Now in his 80s, Dorfman shares insights into the role of independent thinking in an era of algorithmic control, the importance of whole-food plant-based living for personal and collective health, and the philosophical distinction between belief and knowledge. A wide-ranging discussion that challenges the mainstream and invites listeners to reclaim their agency in both thought and action.
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In this episode, we explore the critical role of systems thinking in understanding and responding to some of Australia’s most pressing issues: youth crime, the housing crisis, bushfires, and mental health. These challenges are characterised by intricate interdependencies across social, economic, and environmental domains, defying simplistic solutions. Drawing on recent research and policy analysis, we discuss how systems thinking reveals the underlying feedback loops and interconnected factors that conventional approaches often overlook. Through these case studies, listeners will gain insight into why integrated, multi-sectoral strategies are essential for creating effective, sustainable outcomes in complex policy environments.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
What happens when a stand-up comedian, spiritual teacher, and musician turns his attention to the fractures in our political and emotional landscapes? In this moving and poetic episode, Scott Grace—also known as the Spiritual Dr. Seuss—joins us to explore how humour, creativity, and compassion can help us navigate increasingly polarised times.
From rhymed wisdom and political poetry to musical improvisation and intergenerational reflection, Scott shares insights from his newest passion project Going Beyond Red and Blue: Staying Human in Divided Times. Together, we explore how grief, curiosity, and light-heartedness can become tools for collective healing.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this episode, we honour the late Joanna Macy by exploring her influential body of work, The Work That Reconnects—a framework that weaves together deep ecology, systems thinking, spirituality, and social change. We delve into the three dominant cultural narratives she identified, the four-part spiral that guides transformative practice, and the five vows that support ongoing commitment to the Great Turning. This episode invites changemakers to reflect on grief, gratitude, and the role of collective consciousness in shaping a just and life-sustaining future.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this deeply reflective episode from the HCN archives, we speak with holistic health coach Francesca Bleckner about the invisible foundations of wellbeing in an age of burnout, disconnection, and digital overload. Drawing on her decades-long journey through fitness, fatigue, and transformation, Francesca shares how breathwork, spirituality, and a return to simplicity can unlock vitality and presence in even the busiest lives. For social changemakers, activists, and anyone seeking to show up more powerfully for others without sacrificing themselves—this conversation is an essential reset. From redefining health to decoding the early warning signs of burnout, this is about healing at the roots, not just managing the symptoms.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this evocative conversation from the HCN archives, author and spiritual teacher Wajid Hassan shares his extraordinary life journey—from working as a field service engineer in England to becoming a union actor in Hollywood, and eventually emerging as a spiritual guide and author of The Struggle for World Sanity. Through intimate recollections and reflections, Hassan discusses the intersection of spirituality, environmentalism, and humanitarianism—urging listeners to reimagine activism not merely as material or political effort, but as a deep, soul-driven practice. This episode is an invitation to young changemakers to consider their inner worlds as powerful agents in reshaping the future of our planet.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation from the HCN archives, Dr Pamela Gurley shares the compelling story of her journey from military medic to multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, author, academic and advocate. Speaking with honesty and clarity, Dr Gurley reflects on how trauma, identity, and purpose intersect across personal and professional realms. With practical wisdom for changemakers, she unpacks the importance of self-definition, emotional literacy, and stepping into your power—especially when it feels uncertain. For anyone navigating career pivots, grappling with self-doubt, or seeking to write their own narrative, this episode is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when you choose to believe in your own voice.
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The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J & guests and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
In a digital age marked by relentless information flows, viral content, and algorithmic influence, changemakers face a critical challenge: how to consume news and media in a way that is both mindful and analytically rigorous. This episode explores the profound transformation of the information ecosystem—where traditional journalistic gatekeepers have been replaced by decentralised, opaque, and often polarising networks of content distribution.We examine how disinformation, echo chambers, algorithmic curation, and information overload undermine public reason and weaken democratic discourse. In response, we offer a dual framework of mindful and critical news consumption—emphasising attentiveness, intentionality, emotional regulation, and source evaluation. These are not simply cognitive skills but civic practices that empower changemakers to navigate complex narratives, challenge dominant frames, and model integrity in public discourse.
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Changemaker Q&A is a Humanitarian Changemakers Network podcast. Ask a question via Spotify, or head to humanitarianchangemakers.net/podcast. If your question is answered, you’ll receive some Changemaker Co goodies on us!
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.
What if the problem with many social change efforts isn’t poor strategy, but flawed assumptions about how change actually happens? In this episode, we interrogate the limitations of linear causality in complex social systems. While logic models and strategic plans often rely on neat, input-output frameworks, real-world change is rarely so predictable. Social phenomena such as poverty, climate injustice, or gender-based violence are shaped by webs of intersecting forces — historical, institutional, relational, and psychological — which resist simplistic cause-and-effect explanations.We explore a more nuanced framework for understanding social change, grounded in the concept of multidimensional causal structure. This includes four interrelated dimensions: causal conditions (the contexts that enable change), causal mechanisms (the processes that drive it), causal powers (the latent potential within systems), and causal capacities (the realised ability to act).
📰 Read the accompanying article for this podcast episode here.
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Beginner Changemaking Essentials Bundle FREE course & The Changemaker In You ebook.
Follow HCN on Instagram @humanitarianchangemakers
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Changemaker Q&A is a Humanitarian Changemakers Network podcast. Ask a question via Spotify, or head to humanitarianchangemakers.net/podcast. If your question is answered, you’ll receive some Changemaker Co goodies on us!
The views expressed in this podcast are those of Tiyana J and are not reflective of all members of the Humanitarian Changemakers Network.