Third Sector

Lucinda and Andy are joined by Denise Hayward, chief executive of Volunteer Now, which supports and promotes volunteering across Northern Ireland, and Margaret Starkie, partnership and communications manager at Volunteer Scotland.In a conversation recorded before the general election announcement, they discuss the trajectory for volunteering in their respective nations, including the impact of short-term funding patterns on charities’ ability to support their volunteers. They outline the need for more government support and suggest ways of attracting cause-driven younger people into volunteering and trustee roles, including better communication about the flexibility of volunteering commitments.Charity Changed My Life features the story of Kyle McIntosh, who received a scholarship and mentorship from the Longford Trust after being released from prison, enabling him to complete a mathematics degree and land a dream job.Do you have stories of people whose lives have been transformed for the better than