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Ep 39. Siobhan McCarthy Morton, CEO Adventure Ashram: A small but mighty force against human trafficking
37 Plays2 years ago
There are 8 million people affected by human trafficking in India every year, and over 50 million globally. According to the UN, 79% of human trafficking is for sexual exploitation and 20% of all trafficking victims are children.
Adventure Ashram is a small but mighty charity that is looking to change this!
Driven by a spirit of adventure and freedom, the Adventure Ashram focuses on supporting grassroots anti-trafficking and education projects in South India. In this episode I speak with their CEO, Siobhan McCarthy Morton.
Adventure Ashram’s Vision is a world without injustice, in which all people can enjoy their rights, their self-determination and their freedom.
We talk about Adventure Ashram’s partnership delivery model, and Siobhan tells us about mobilising for their iconic Yoga Stops Traffick global event, with a team of just 3, showcasing the power of collective action.
Siobhan also sounds a rallying cry for the value and importance of small charities, with a reminder that all charities, no matter how large or small, are made up of a community of people who care deeply about a cause, and this, is what makes them powerful change-makers.
Recorded December 2022.
Guest Biography
Siobhan McCarthy Morton is the CEO of Adventure Ashram, a small charity currently supporting grassroots projects in India, with a focus on anti-trafficking, education and accessible health care. Founded by an adventurous group of motor bikers in 2007, the charity has raised over £1.5 million to date, and helped thousands of women and children access freedom and opportunities.
Siobhan joined Adventure Ashram in 2022, having previously spent six years at the children’s heart charity ECHO, initially as their Communications and Volunteering Manager before being promoted to Head of Operations. Prior to that Siobhan was Head of Marketing at the grant-making organisation, The Freemasons’ Grand Charity.
Siobhan is also a Trustee at Women’s Aid in Luton because she believes that all women and children should be able to choose their path in life, free from harm.
Siobhan is currently studying for a Master’s in Voluntary Sector Management at Bayes Business School and lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two young sons.
Links
https://www.adventureashram.org/
https://yogastopstraffick.org/
https://www.adventureashram.org/karma-curry-feb-2023
Adventure Ashram is a small but mighty charity that is looking to change this!
Driven by a spirit of adventure and freedom, the Adventure Ashram focuses on supporting grassroots anti-trafficking and education projects in South India. In this episode I speak with their CEO, Siobhan McCarthy Morton.
Adventure Ashram’s Vision is a world without injustice, in which all people can enjoy their rights, their self-determination and their freedom.
We talk about Adventure Ashram’s partnership delivery model, and Siobhan tells us about mobilising for their iconic Yoga Stops Traffick global event, with a team of just 3, showcasing the power of collective action.
Siobhan also sounds a rallying cry for the value and importance of small charities, with a reminder that all charities, no matter how large or small, are made up of a community of people who care deeply about a cause, and this, is what makes them powerful change-makers.
Recorded December 2022.
Guest Biography
Siobhan McCarthy Morton is the CEO of Adventure Ashram, a small charity currently supporting grassroots projects in India, with a focus on anti-trafficking, education and accessible health care. Founded by an adventurous group of motor bikers in 2007, the charity has raised over £1.5 million to date, and helped thousands of women and children access freedom and opportunities.
Siobhan joined Adventure Ashram in 2022, having previously spent six years at the children’s heart charity ECHO, initially as their Communications and Volunteering Manager before being promoted to Head of Operations. Prior to that Siobhan was Head of Marketing at the grant-making organisation, The Freemasons’ Grand Charity.
Siobhan is also a Trustee at Women’s Aid in Luton because she believes that all women and children should be able to choose their path in life, free from harm.
Siobhan is currently studying for a Master’s in Voluntary Sector Management at Bayes Business School and lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two young sons.
Links
https://www.adventureashram.org/
https://yogastopstraffick.org/
https://www.adventureashram.org/karma-curry-feb-2023
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Transcript
Managing Negativity: Focus on What You Can Control
00:00:00
Speaker
You've got to think things hopefully will get better at some point. Yes, we don't know when that's going to be, but down with this doom and gloom. So I think for me, the first piece of advice I have is to focus on what you can control and not what you can't. Let's not catastrophise following this overload of negativity about what we cannot control. And certainly as small charities, what have we got in our back pocket? Well, we can be really creative. We can be agile, dare I say adventurous in our thinking.
Season Four Launch: Inspirational Charity Conversations
00:00:29
Speaker
Venture Ashram, we may be small, but we've got all of these different amazing fundraising activities planned and a really amazing global campaign in Yoga Stops traffic. And so that's what I'm going to try and focus on in the next six months is moving forward positively as much as we can.
00:00:53
Speaker
Welcome to season four of the Charity CEO podcast, the podcast for charity leaders by charity leaders, bringing you inspirational and meaningful conversations with leaders who are driving change in the nonprofit space. I'm truly delighted and humbled that the show has been named in the Charity Times top 10 charity podcasts for 2022. Thank you all for that incredible endorsement. I'm Divya O'Connor, and here's the show.
Human Trafficking in India: Adventure Ashram's Mission
00:01:21
Speaker
There are eight million people affected by human trafficking in India every year. According to the UN, 79% of human trafficking is for sexual exploitation, and 20% of all trafficking victims are children. Adventure Ashram is a small but mighty charity that is looking to change this. Driven by a spirit of adventure and freedom, the Adventure Ashram focuses on supporting grassroots anti-trafficking and education projects in South India. I speak today with their CEO, Siobhan Makati-Morton.
00:01:51
Speaker
We talk about Adventure Ashram's partnership delivery model, and Siobhan tells us about mobilising for their iconic Yoga Stops traffic global event with a team of just three, showcasing the power of collective action. Siobhan also sounds a rallying cry for the value and importance of small charities, with a reminder that all charities, no matter how large or small, are made up of a community of people who care deeply about a cause, and this is what makes them powerful change-makers. Enjoy the conversation.
Adventure Ashram's Projects and Initiatives with Siobhan Makati-Morton
00:02:21
Speaker
Hi Siobhan, welcome to the Charity CEO podcast. Great to have you on the show. Oh, thank you, Debbie. I'm really, really excited to be here. Now, I know that this podcast is only going to be released in the new year, but as we are recording this literally two days before Christmas, I thought I would incorporate a bit of a festive theme in our icebreaker questions and carry on the festive feeling for a bit longer. Great, I love it, yes. It's a very strange time that period before Christmas, so yes.
00:02:48
Speaker
Indeed, and you have a beautiful Christmas tree in the background, so yeah, let's go for it. Question one, how old were you when you found out that Santa wasn't real?
00:02:59
Speaker
Oh my goodness, what are you talking about? Well, hopefully we have no children listening to the podcast and having their dream show. Is that 18 plus? No, I'm just kidding. Gosh, that is such a good question. I actually don't even know if I can tell you the answer because I can't really remember exactly when. I think it must have been
00:03:20
Speaker
probably, I guess, when I was around nine or 10. But I don't actually have that memory of this crashing, terrible discovery. So I don't know. It must have been a sort of slow realization, perhaps. But yes, I don't have a sort of traumatic memory about it. So that's good, at least. Well, that is good. So my son is seven, and I kind of think this might
00:03:40
Speaker
be the last year that he still believes in Santa Claus and, you know, we're going to put out the mince pies and get stockings out and the carrot for the reindeer. Oh, gosh, that reminded me. I don't think I bought any carrots. OK, you need to do a quick shop today or tomorrow. Question two, mince pie or Christmas pudding?
00:03:57
Speaker
oh this is a tough one because i'm not actually a huge fan of either of them if i'm honest i'll really eat like one mince pie a year basically is my quantity that i'll have i think probably i would go with christmas pudding although i would say cheese is the ultimate answer instead of either of those
00:04:13
Speaker
Oh, okay. Yeah, fine. I will give you cheese. Mince pie is mine. And they always say you can never have too many mince pies at Christmas. So enjoy your cheese instead. Question three. What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?
00:04:29
Speaker
That's a surprisingly tough question at this stage in life, I think. What do I want Santa to bring me? I would like Santa to bring me some lovely comforting items like nice pajamas and lovely bath oils for all of those comfy moments over the Christmas holiday where we all hopefully get some nice rest and relaxation after a crazy year. So not very exciting.
00:04:55
Speaker
But yes, that's where I'm at, I think. Indeed, I was having a conversation with a charity CEO just yesterday and his wish was very similar. Just some peace and quiet, 24 hours of peace and quiet and rest and relaxation. Oh, absolutely. So coming now to a little bit more of a professional footing. Question four, what is your professional superpower?
00:05:16
Speaker
So professional superpower, I think, having thought a bit about it, I've actually sort of discovered it in the last couple of years. And it's been a bit of a surprise because what I would say is probably optimism, really, and the kind of ongoing ability to find optimism and a way forward and be positive about things. And it's funny because I think prior to the pandemic, I probably wouldn't have necessarily said that about myself.
00:05:39
Speaker
However, over the last challenging few years, I definitely have noticed that it's an ability to just really try and always see the best in things and think things are going to get better and just keep going. And so yeah, that's what I would suggest.
00:05:54
Speaker
Well, that is such an important superpower, Siobhan. I mean, the lovely Devs, or Cork Tyler, just released her missive a couple of days ago, and she talked about charity sector leaders being purveyors of hope. And so that is definitely a superpower that I think all of us in the sector have. So coming to our final icebreaker now, Siobhan, if you had the opportunity to interview anyone in the world dead or alive, who would it be and what one question would you like to ask them?
00:06:21
Speaker
The way I've been sort of picturing if I could interview anybody is just saying, if I could just invite somebody around for takeaway, sit here, have a glass of wine, ask them some questions. At this point in my life and the stage where we're all at, I think my answer is Brene Brown, actually. And my reasoning for that is I would love to just sit down with her and sort of have a bit of a laugh, but just say, look,
00:06:44
Speaker
What's the 10-point plan for the next year? Help all of us charity leaders to figure this out. And I imagine listening to her, she'd probably end it with saying something like, you've got this already. It would hopefully be really reassuring in a positive meeting. But yeah, that's my thinking. No, just because I think she's somebody that just looks like she'd be a great laugh and a good chat as well as obviously being helpful in lots of ways.
00:07:09
Speaker
Brilliant. So Brené Brown, if you are listening to this podcast, what Siobhan really wants for Christmas is a 10 point plan to give us all in the sector some guidance. I love that. That would be fantastic to get that perspective from Brené Brown. Siobhan, you are the CEO of the charity, The Adventure Ashram. Tell us about your organization's vision and mission.
00:07:33
Speaker
All right, so Adventure Ashram is a really interesting little charity that I have been CEO of since the spring of this year. And it was set up about 15 years ago by a group of adventure motorbikers, quite quirky in that respect. It's a group of sort of friends and companions and adventure motorbikers who really loved traveling in India and
00:07:54
Speaker
took lots of trips there and basically decided that they wanted to be able to give back to this country that they loved and have a great passion for and respect for. And so Adventure Ashram really is born out of that desire to give back to the India country that they loved and
00:08:11
Speaker
Here we are 15 years later and now we are well established and we fund a variety of different programs. So we focus on supporting survivors of human trafficking and we also support education projects too.
00:08:26
Speaker
Well, thank you Siobhan. I was going to ask you where the adventure bit comes from. So thanks for clearing that up. And I must say I'm quite jealous because I know that you have just come back from a trip to India and you, I don't believe went to my hometown of Chennai, but you were quite close to Chennai in Bangalore. And the last time I visited India was over three years ago, pre COVID. So I want to hear all about your trip. Tell us where you went, what you saw there and who you met.
00:08:55
Speaker
Oh, amazing. Yes, it's such an amazing place. So yeah, over three years, I bet you can't wait to get back. Indeed. Yes. It was really, really wonderful trip. It's my first time going out there to actually visit the projects in person. So I flew into Bangalore and traveled straight to Mysore, which is the base for Odinadi Siva Trust, which is one of our partner charities there.
00:09:15
Speaker
and it's an amazing organisation that's been running for over 30 years now and essentially it provides refuge to survivors of human trafficking and also people who've experienced issues such as domestic violence, domestic servitude and it provides sort of a safe space and a safe home. It also carries out rescues for women and children who have been
00:09:39
Speaker
human trafficking forced into sexual exploitation and so rescues people from brothels and does all sorts of important work. So in addition to obviously providing a home and rescuing people from really challenging situations, it also is really focused ultimately on empowering people to really live the best lives that they can. And so it's not just about providing safety, it's also about
00:10:03
Speaker
helping people to move forward in their lives and so it obviously provides a path to education for the children that it supports and in addition to that it has employment opportunities as a real focus so it has its own on-site beauty parlour and training school so that young women can train to become beauticians and it also has an on-site bakery and in addition to that there is a mechanical workshop and that is something that adventure ashram
00:10:29
Speaker
have completely sort of instigated and funded and supported from the start. I know that the issue of human trafficking and sex trafficking in particular is a very big one in India. And it is estimated that around 8 million people are affected by human trafficking in India. And of course, women and girls are particularly at risk accounting for 71% of all people who are trafficked worldwide. Siobhan, can you tell us a bit more about this issue and sort of the wider context of human trafficking?
00:10:57
Speaker
Yes, I think regarding human trafficking, obviously poverty is a key driver often, making women and children exceptionally vulnerable to exploitation. So, for example, when I was at Odonadi in Mysore recently and speaking to members of the rescue team there, they talked about the fact that they have definitely seen a rise in young women who have been trafficked really, you know, their families thinking that they have enabled them to be maybe
00:11:24
Speaker
entering a marriage or finding work and actually what's been happening is that they've really been misled and essentially this young woman or child is often the case is then trafficked into a situation of sexual exploitation and they're removed from their families etc and so they've definitely seen a rise and things like that occurring.
00:11:42
Speaker
Siobhan, I was honoured to join you in October at the Ohm Yoga Show in London where I took part in your Yoga Stops traffic mini event and I know that the annual worldwide Yoga Stops traffic event is coming up in March. Tell us about that event, how it started and how it is helping bring attention to this really serious issue of human trafficking and modern slavery.
00:12:05
Speaker
Thank you so much for coming to the Yoga Show. That was fantastic. We were so excited to meet you there. And to be honest, we were just really excited to be at the show because Yoga Stops Traffic really is our flagship campaign. It's a really fantastic global movement. It was created originally by two yoga teachers in Mysore who were volunteers.
00:12:24
Speaker
and they worked with Odinadi and they knew the power of their work and the importance of it and so they created Yoga Stops Traffic and essentially what they've done is connect yoga enthusiasts with yoga studios, yoga teachers
00:12:38
Speaker
companies connected with yoga and all of them together have created this annual campaign whereby we raise money from different classes that take place or individual donations or by sponsorship and all of it comes together to support Odenadi each year. So if people want to get involved in Yoga Stops traffic this year as the global event coming up in March, how can they get involved and how can they support it?
00:13:03
Speaker
So we would absolutely love people to get involved with YogaStops traffic and there's lots of different ways. So please check out our website and if you are a yoga enthusiast, you can get involved by joining one of our classes. We have hundreds taking place each year and they take place all over the world. We've got activities lined up in Paris and all sorts of different places. So please check out. You can join a class or you can also join classes online.
00:13:27
Speaker
Or, you know, you can set up a regular donation, you can set up an individual donation. What also really, really helps us is just to help us by sharing what we're doing. Share it with friends, share it on your social media. Really what Yoga Stops Traffic is about is building this positive community. And we are all connected. We're connected with our friends in Mysore who are all going to be creating this amazing flagship event where they get hundreds and hundreds of people to practice yoga in front of Mysore Palace, where they literally stop traffic.
00:13:57
Speaker
And it's all about promoting the importance of this message of stop human trafficking. And it's just such a powerful message and a powerful way for us to connect lots and lots of people all across the world. So March 11th, 2023, we're asking anyone with an interest in it, please get involved. There's lots of different ways and it really, really will make such a big difference to the women and children who are helped at Odonati.
00:14:20
Speaker
And the website is adventureashram.org. And we will include links in the show notes as well. I must say, Siobhan, when I did the class back in October at the OM Yoga Show, we did, I think it was a set of 35 sun salutations all at once continuously. And I don't think I've ever done that before, but it felt really empowering. And to do it for a good cause as well is fantastic.
00:14:44
Speaker
Oh, that's amazing. Yes, it was brilliant to have you there. And it was wonderful to be at the show and actually meet so many amazing people because that was a first for us. And it's just a reminder coming out of code as well, I think, is that, yes, we've got our online, we've got our social media, but actually so often nothing beats meeting people face to face and meeting so many people at the show who took an interest, came and chatted with us, donated, offered to set up their in classes. That is just really amazing as well and so valuable.
00:15:10
Speaker
Absolutely. And hopefully in 2023, the whole charity sector will see a lot more in-person fundraising and in-person events coming back to sit alongside. Oh, I hope so. Yes, to sit alongside the great work that's happening digitally and online as well. Siobhan, you mentioned education projects. And I know that you support education projects in South India, again, through a grassroots delivery partner on the ground there, I understand.
00:15:36
Speaker
Tell us about that program. That's correct. We also support a small charity called the Grace Charitable Trust, and they are based in the Mudumalai Province, which is south of Mysore, and it's actually a large tiger reserve. So very, very remote area, beautiful area, might I add, having just been there. I think it's one of those things where you read about it, you think, okay, and then you get there and you're like, wow. And I did actually see wild elephants when I was there, which I would never have expected.
00:16:02
Speaker
Yes, I have been to the Mother Malay Tiger Reserve and it is beautiful. Oh, amazing, yeah. It is stunning, yes. However, saying that, here I'm saying, oh wow, it's stunning, I saw wild elephants. Of course, the reality for many of the villages living there and remote villages is that it's not just, oh wow, I saw a wild elephant today. Life is very, very difficult for a lot of the people who live there.
00:16:24
Speaker
The Grace Childable Trust was set up essentially to help very remote villages with lots of the people living there in experiencing great hardship without running water or electricity or transport opportunities. So it's not easy to travel to school, etc. And so what we have done is we have funded a network of school buses that cover about six different routes across the region, which take children from these remote villages to school and home every day.
00:16:52
Speaker
And in addition to that, we've set up tuition centres. So we at Adventure Ashram have paid for about three tuition centres and I believe there's about seven in total now, which we help to fund across the year. And so the reason for those is that often if families don't necessarily have any electricity, etc, the children might not be able to do their homework easily. And so the tuition centres provide almost a hub for the village where we pay a teacher to come along in the evenings and so children can come from like six o'clock
00:17:21
Speaker
to eight o'clock or nine and they can sit and they can do their homework together, they can get help with their homework and it just helps to ensure that they have that opportunity really to kind of focus in on their education and make sure that they are able to complete their homework etc. So the Grey's Childable Trust is very small and it's been set up with help from Adventure Ashram and other supporters too, essentially
00:17:43
Speaker
now helps about 250 children a year. And so we're helping with things like funding school uniforms and books, et cetera. And yeah, so the transport and the charity there works with the schools. And so there's additional needs we might be able to help in other ways. So for example,
00:18:00
Speaker
Obviously during COVID when the schools were shut and everybody was in lockdown, a lot of the families then experienced different levels of hardship. And so for a lot of people, they really struggled with things like accessing food simply because they weren't able to travel or people lost job opportunities, et cetera. And so one of the things that we did was provide emergency food packages. And so Grace Charitable Trust using funds provided by Adventure Ashram went
00:18:27
Speaker
to each of the villages and provided food for the people living there. And when I was recently there, one of the mothers came up and sort of said, I just want to say thank you for that additional help because that actually really kept us going during this difficult time. And so it's obviously like all of these things, it's when you're able to actually speak to people and meet them and hear firsthand the different things that they've benefited from really, really helps to see the value in that.
00:18:52
Speaker
So it sounds like you have a really great collaborative partnership delivery model with both the Oda Nadi Trust as well as the Grace Charitable Trust. How do you select projects and partners?
00:19:04
Speaker
So historically, I am actually the third CEO for Adventure Ashram, having just joined this year. And so there's been two people ahead of me. And so historically, I understand the projects were selected through being in Mysore. And essentially, as far as Odenadi is concerned, is hearing about the work and meeting Stanley in Parachute, the amazing founders of Odenadi, who are still integral and very much involved in everything to do with it.
00:19:31
Speaker
and recognising the sort of importance and value of the work and then growing the partnership from there. So, Adventure Ashram actually took a lead role in providing a home for boys specifically. And so the accommodation that they'd had previously wasn't really as suitable as it should have been. And so Adventure Ashram fundraised to build the Ojanadi boys home.
00:19:55
Speaker
and now I visited that recently and it's you know on the edge of my sore in a beautiful setting this lovely home currently is housing about 22 boys and those boys are all children who have experienced obviously very difficult challenges and may have experienced things like domestic servitude themselves or they could also some of them are children of women who have been forced into
00:20:18
Speaker
prostitution, things like that. And so it was just lovely being able to visit the home and see it sat in this lovely surrounding, very peaceful with lots of beautiful garden, lots of trees and fruit growing.
00:20:31
Speaker
and they're cared for wonderfully by a group of staff. And just seeing that Adventure Ashram essentially has sort of helped Odonati by funding that and continues to fund and support the finances of that home. And so that's been one of the big ways that we've supported, but obviously now through Yoga Stops Traffic, we also provide a huge amount of funding for the Odonati girls as well. And so we will, the funds raised from Yoga Stops Traffic really are
00:20:58
Speaker
aimed at providing housing and all of the support services that the women and children access there and it really is it's very much a holistic approach to caring for everybody there so it's not just to kind of here's a home with some beds and some food you know it's everything it's really counselling and you know making sure that everyone's okay and
00:21:19
Speaker
in terms of their physical well-being. So every morning they all wake, practice either yoga or karate, for example, and there's all sorts of different programs and things for everybody. So I suppose really when I think about everything that Odinati does for these girls and boys and the women that it helps, it provides so much to really help them move forward in life, to help them heal and then
00:21:43
Speaker
find jobs and move forward in a way and it's great hearing some of the stories of what young people have gone on to become. There's people who've lived at Odenadi who are now lawyers and journalists and working in all sorts of different fields and are happy and healthy and living really. The life that they deserve and I think
00:22:00
Speaker
What I find brilliant about Adventure Ashram is it started off really from a very positive sense. They just did that, wanting to give back. A group of people who came together and said, right, we love this place. What can we do to make a good difference here? And ultimately, adventurers, what does that mean? It's about having freedom to go off and have an adventure and that idea that you can go off and do something that you want to do and have that self-determination.
00:22:27
Speaker
Really, the two combined together to me is that helping the women and children that are supported at O'Donati or actually also by Grace Charitable Trust in providing education and therefore a chance for a better future is really that hope that they can determine their futures themselves as well and find their own adventures.
00:22:44
Speaker
I love that you're on. I grew up in India, and although it was in the big city of Chennai, what I definitely saw was a lot of disparity and inequalities. And I'm so pleased to hear the work that the adventure is from is doing in India. And I'm pleased to be able to help shine a spotlight on your great work and hopefully be able to garner some more support for your work in India through this podcast.
Economic Challenges and Strategic Responses
00:23:08
Speaker
So tell us about your future plans at the Adventure Ashroom. Are you looking to expand and take on new projects? So in terms of future plans, I think there's a couple of thoughts there. I think we have been hit hard over the last couple of years. I'm not going to shy away from that as many, many other charities are facing the same situation. It has been tough. And so we're coming into the new year now. And my desire at the moment is I want to start this new year really like a firecracker, not a damp squib. We need to kind of
00:23:38
Speaker
rally the troops, so to speak. We've got lots of exciting fundraisers planned in the next six months. We've got karma curry events. We've got yoga stops traffic. We have the UK car and bike rally as well and a film night. I mean, it's all go. Are you showing a Bollywood film? Yes. Can I have some suggestions?
00:23:57
Speaker
I'll put my thinking hat on. I'm not up to speed with the latest Bollywood hits, I must admit, but I can certainly have a look and get back to you. But yeah, I think for me it's about, right, let's forget this doom and gloom if we can. There are opportunities out there and now is the time for us to be fundraising in the best way we can in positive ways. Let's have fun to
00:24:19
Speaker
do what we need to do which is raise as much money as possible to support the projects that we want to support. And with strengthened finances and being in a strong position our aim is obviously we would love to be able to support more projects. I certainly would love to pursue that. We do have plans, we've got a big motorbike ride trip in Thailand in October of 2023 and
00:24:42
Speaker
That is designed also to provide support for a charity which helps refugees on the Thai-Myanmar border. So we do have plans to provide additional support in actually a different place, which is exciting. And that's all in plan at the moment. And again, if the people are keen, please check it out and join the trip if you would like.
00:25:02
Speaker
But yeah, I think for myself, it's to expand and look at lots of new horizons. You also need to ensure that you're financially resilient and strong and also thinking of priorities for the future and future plans. One main issue for me in a priority is ensuring
00:25:21
Speaker
that we work in a sustainable way with our partners. So we're here to support them with capacity building. You know, I'd love to be able to help them access the funding from other sources as well, both the Grace Charitable Trust and the Odinar Deceiver Trust. There's always a responsibility to do that in the charity field, especially when you're working internationally like ourselves.
00:25:41
Speaker
We're very much here as a helping hand. We obviously don't operate ourselves independently in India, but we are here very much as supporters and friends and partners of the charities that we work with. And moving forward, if everything works out, then it would be absolutely fantastic to work with other charities. I would absolutely love to. And I know that there's many, many fantastic organisations working in India in the same or similar fields. And so
00:26:04
Speaker
Yes, it's definitely something that we're considering. Well, Siobhan, the Thailand on the road adventure with purpose event sounds very exciting. And I love your attitude about starting like a firecracker and not a damp squib. Absolutely brilliant, positive support and fun. Do let me know when the next karma curry night is because I would love to join you. I'd love that, obviously. Indeed. Do you have one planned for the first half of the year?
00:26:34
Speaker
Yes we do actually so Saturday the 25th of February we're having a kamikari night at an award-winning no less restaurant in Brick Lane so yes please tickets are going on sale very soon and yes obviously we I would a hundred percent love to welcome you there that would be amazing.
00:26:51
Speaker
Well, you heard it here first, folks. The next Karama Curry Night on the 25th of February, 2023. Get your tickets in now for a fantastic night at a curry house in Brick Lane. Siobhan, you talked there about financial resilience and capacity building for your partners on the ground in India. And I know that Adventure Ashram is a small charity. You've got three members of staff, is that right?
00:27:18
Speaker
That's right, we've only got three, we're all part-time, so it's a tight ship, put it that way. And because of that, obviously, we rely very heavily on some amazing volunteers who support us in all sorts of different ways. We see not only our trustee board, but we have volunteers assisting with our admin and finance administration, as well as, of course, fundraising, event planning, communications, all of that.
00:27:40
Speaker
Yes, volunteers, and in particular volunteer trustees, have a vital role to play in charities. Siobhan, I understand that you are currently looking for new trustees to join the board of Adventure Ashram. Tell us what you need.
00:27:52
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. And yes, funnily enough, we are actually recruiting for new trustees at the moment. So if anyone would be interested in coming on our board and supporting Adventure Ashram as a trustee, please do get in touch. We are especially interested, obviously, of hearing from more women who have lived or cultural experience of India. That is an area we recognise we would definitely like to have more input from people on the board. So if that is something that we would be interested in, please, please do get in touch.
00:28:19
Speaker
Yes indeed having that volunteer support as a small charity or as any charity of any size is absolutely vital and I know Siobhan that being the CEO of one small charity and trustee of another yourself I wanted to ask what advice you have for other sector leaders out there who are also running small charities that might be actually struggling in this current environment with the cost of living crisis
00:28:43
Speaker
and high inflation and everything that is going on right now. So what advice do you have to other small charity leaders in the sector because I know the sector is full of small charities that provide a really valuable and vital service.
00:28:59
Speaker
That's right. I really do think that there is very much a place for small charities in this country and there are small charities. In fact, the majority of charities actually are smaller and we provide all sorts of services both within the UK and help across the globe. I'm also a trustee for Women's Aid in Luton, that's right, which is a
00:29:17
Speaker
refuge for women who are experiencing domestic abuse, women and children and that currently runs five refuge houses in Luton and of course they are also affected by things like the cost of living crisis and the energy crisis. I could sit here and talk about the numerous problems, we could probably talk about that together for hours on end. I don't think anyone wants to hear it anymore, the reality is we all know what we're facing and
00:29:41
Speaker
I know that charity CEOs this year has been very, very tough for everyone working in the sector. And I think finally, actually, that is really starting to come to the fore. I noticed that Jeremy Hunt was filmed yesterday speaking in Parliament about the issues facing charities and hopefully promising to provide some kind of support for that in the new year.
00:30:02
Speaker
Yes, it's about time, government. Oh yeah, I look towards hearing more about that eagerly and I'm just pleased that actually it's being raised. The BBC have also published an article this week, something along the lines of the huge mountain charities are facing due to a lack of donations received.
00:30:17
Speaker
This is the issue, isn't it? There are lots and lots of conflicting issues. You know, women's aid in luton and charities like that are struggling. But advice and tips, I think, having thought about this, we've all had nights, I'm sure, in the last six months where you wake up at three in the morning and obviously that's the time when you all the worst things and the worst thoughts that you could have file into your head and
00:30:37
Speaker
I've reached a point where, yes, let's listen to Deborah or Cocteiro. I saw her piece as well and I thought, yes, she always has such brilliant advice.
Small Charities: Creativity and Agility in Tough Times
00:30:45
Speaker
And yes, I think you've got to think things hopefully will get better at some point. Yes, we don't know when that's going to be, but down with this doom and gloom. So I think for me, the first piece of advice I have is to focus on what you can control and not what you can't.
00:31:00
Speaker
And I think it's very easy to get caught up in there is so much that we can focus on that's negative and difficult and beyond our control. I saw another piece of good advice by another CEO sort of saying, don't spend 90% of your time kind of staring at your terrifying financial forecasting or what have you.
00:31:18
Speaker
For some people, I think that's what I really think for this new year, is let's not catastrophise following this overload of negativity about what we cannot control. And certainly as small charities, what have we got in our back pocket? Well, we can be really creative, we can be agile, dare I say adventurous in our thinking.
00:31:38
Speaker
venture ashram we may be small but we've got all of these different amazing fundraising activities planned and a really amazing global campaign in yoga stops traffic and so that's what i'm going to try and focus on in the next six months is moving forward positively as much as we can obviously this is about connecting with people the role of ceo can feel quite lonely at times and you're sort of there between your board and then everyone else and your supporters and
00:32:05
Speaker
donors and staff and volunteers. But what I've realized really is that every charity, be it small or large, is really a community. We all exist because of a community of lots and lots of different people who help in different ways. And almost the CEO role feels a bit like stewarding that community. And so I'm just hoping in the next six to 12 months to rally the troops, you know, connect with all of our past supporters who have been incredibly generous over the years to Adventure Ashram
00:32:34
Speaker
provided huge financial support. Also connect with lots of other people who are really passionate about the same things that we're passionate about, who may be passionate about India and trying to support people there or may be interested in taking on a bit of an adventure to raise money for a good cause. I'm going to be focusing on what I can control and trying to ignore all of those terrible things that I really cannot do anything about.
Leadership Insights and Evolving Impact Measurement
00:32:59
Speaker
absolutely agree with you there Siobhan, focus on what you can control, don't get consumed by negativity and be creative, agile and adventurous in your thinking. I love that bit about being adventurous in your thinking and yes completely agree with you that charities are communities and our role as leaders, as chief executives is to steward that community. I think oftentimes there's a lot of talk in the sector that there's too many charities, 170,000 charities and
00:33:27
Speaker
should perhaps merge. But I really think each charity has been set up in order to serve the needs of a particular beneficiary group because those needs were not being served. And so there is huge value that is provided by each organisation. And if small charities weren't there, actually that group of beneficiaries probably wouldn't be served.
00:33:49
Speaker
And so we have a vital role to play. And yes, I know Debs is also going to be on the third sector podcast in January. So I look forward to hearing more of her wonderful advice for the year to come.
00:34:02
Speaker
Oh absolutely, can't wait to listen to that myself and yes I think you've just hit on some really important points there actually is that obviously there are fantastic big organisations clearly working in the field of human trafficking and modern slavery doing absolutely brilliant work globally and they should be supported. All charities deserve and need support for people sort of saying are there too many small charities
00:34:26
Speaker
adventure ashram may be small but actually with the resources that we have which are fairly limited we are managing to support and provide support to lots and lots of different people in different ways and that's pretty special too and so I think it's important to give your help if you can to a variety of organizations ideally. I really think at this point I don't want to sound kind of flippant in a sense or
00:34:48
Speaker
recklessly optimistic about just driving forward and hoping for the best but recognizing things are very very challenging for numerous people who are experiencing lots of hardship in the UK and globally. That is the truth but at the same time what I would say to people is do you want to wake up in a year's time where actually the majority of these small charities have all shut actually because people just haven't been able to support them or
00:35:13
Speaker
they haven't been able to garner the support they and help that they need and therefore win a situation where you've really only got the absolute biggies and I don't know if people do want to live in that world it is nice to have variety and it is nice to have the small charities reality is if you want to come and volunteer with adventure ashram or you want more information about the projects we support or you'd be interested in holding a karma curry night and you want to find out what that means I'm actually at the end of the phone I'm at the end of an email and if you
00:35:40
Speaker
want to find out more and you want to speak to me you'd be able to speak to me because we're small and we're here to really just connect with as many people as possible and be transparent and all of those wonderful things and I think that being a small charity that really is possible. Small but mighty Siobhan, definitely small but mighty and very very important. So if people do want to connect with you where can they find you?
00:36:03
Speaker
So you can find us on our website which is www.adventureashram.org and my email address is chevonne at adventureashram.org and yeah please do feel free to get in touch. I would love to be flooded with questions.
00:36:18
Speaker
Brilliant. Siobhan, I'd love to actually hear more about your own leadership journey. I know that this is your first chief executive role with the adventure Ashram. Tell us how you ended up where you are today. Oh, right. Yes, so that's correct. I've only really been in my first CEO role for about eight or nine months now, so it feels very much an honour to be included on this podcast, might I add? Oh, delighted to have you. You're very welcome.
00:36:43
Speaker
yes i think it's like anyone's career history is quite interesting isn't it i've worked in the charity sector now for about fifteen or so years and so i started out actually really in marketing communications i had in my earlier in my career i actually worked in the architecture industry on their marketing teams and so that's where i
00:37:01
Speaker
started out all those years ago. And then I volunteered quite a lot. And if I'm honest, I think through my volunteering is actually was my path into the sector actually in terms of employment. So I volunteered for a small organization which provided grant funding to medical aid charities in Southeast Asia. And then I moved on from there. I became the head of marketing at a large grant making organization. And I found that really interesting because obviously working for a grant maker
00:37:30
Speaker
You obviously learn lots and lots about lots of different charities. And a lot of what we really focused on in our marketing was really sharing their story. So it was quite an interesting way of really being able to kind of get connected with, I suppose, and learn more about the sector as a whole and a variety of different organizations.
00:37:49
Speaker
And then the role that I had prior to my current role was actually at the Children's Heart Charity called Echo. And this is another small charity, but doing really, really fantastic work supporting families of children with hard conditions who are supported by the Evelina London Hospital Networks. And so they provide support to families all across South East England. And I worked there for about six years and I joined originally as the communications and volunteering manager.
00:38:17
Speaker
So as is often the way with smaller charities, my role evolved over time. And I ended up as the head of operations, worked closely with the CEO there, Samantha Johnson, who has been really fantastic for Echo. It's gone on a real journey since I joined and since clearly Sam joined and now is very established, supporting lots and lots of families who've experienced really tough times. Certainly during COVID, it was very tough for lots and lots of families and Echo really, we provided a lot of help.
00:38:45
Speaker
and we're a linchpin in terms of providing information for people. Well, thank you, Siobhan. I'm always fascinated to hear leadership journeys and stories as to how people's careers evolve. And I'm actually really curious about your experience being a grant maker and how that connects into how you're thinking about impact and measuring impact at the Adventure Ashram.
00:39:07
Speaker
So yes, so when I was working at the grant maker, obviously I was head of marketing, so I wasn't actually making choices on the grants per se, but I worked very, very closely with the head of grants there and it really provided an opportunity to get in depth information about how lots and lots of charities and they've had they funded lots of different
Future Expansion Plans and Vibrancy in Charity Sector
00:39:25
Speaker
sort of categories of charity and so yeah in terms of impact and I mean to be honest that's over six years ago now and I think I don't know if you'd agree but that conversation about impact it's changed in that time really and how we view it. Yes absolutely. And so for me yes it is a priority really that we think about how we measure the impact of what we're doing and for us obviously working closely with our partner charities in India it's really about working with them to ensure that we're able to demonstrate the value of their work
00:39:55
Speaker
So I think really when I consider how we can support the charities in terms of measuring impact, etc, it's really about working with them to ensure that we are able to demonstrate the value of the work that they do. And it's not for me just a data exercise. It's not just about listing numbers anymore. It's really about how we can work with one another to show that we
00:40:17
Speaker
really understand what their priorities are, the challenges that they're facing and also the difference that they're making in people's lives. And for me, it's important that we are able to do that in such a way that we are able to explain to our funders, obviously, and our donors and supporters, the value in their work.
00:40:33
Speaker
Yes, you're absolutely right Siobhan. The conversation and thinking around impact and impact measurement has changed. In fact, I was at a conference hosted by the Joseph Rountree Foundation a few months ago where there were lots of grant makers present and the CEO of Esme Fairburn was talking about how Esme are actually now looking to move their thinking from
00:40:56
Speaker
requiring charities to show evidence of impact to actually requiring them to show evidence of progress which much more fits along the lines of what are the outcomes of the work and what is the difference that you are making to people's lives and oftentimes it's much more qualitative and nuanced than you can show through log frames and numbers as you very rightly say.
00:41:20
Speaker
Wow. I mean, I think that's really interesting to hear. I think the change of direction actually is quite needed. And I know it's difficult, you know, as a trustee of Women's Aid in Luton, I know that impact measurement is obviously a major factor when you're applying for lots of grants and trust fundraising. And I think it would be really, really nice for it to be less of a box seeking exercise. And there's lots of different ways. Hopefully we can really show the value in people's work.
00:41:46
Speaker
Yes, and perhaps the whole sector, particularly the grant making sector, will allow charities to be creative and agile and adventurous in how they are approaching their work, to use your phrase from a little earlier in our conversation. And looking back Siobhan, what advice would you give to yourself on day one of taking up the CEO role at Adventure Ashram?
00:42:08
Speaker
I think the advice I would give myself on day one really is just to embrace it. You're not alone is what I would say. Yes, you might be taking on the CEO role and it's a small team, but I've got some valuable support in my trustee board who really are there at the end of a phone if I need it.
00:42:26
Speaker
just embrace it. It's an amazing opportunity for me to take on this role. I love the idea of adventure. I was one of those kids that just read adventure books and watched adventure programs as much as I could and so for me just taking on this role is just an absolute honor because it is combining some of my own sort of personal interests with
00:42:45
Speaker
obviously a cause that I care really really passionately about through both being a trustee at Women's Aid in Newton and also now the CEO and Adventurer Ashram. For me really being able to help people pursue their own dreams in life and have their own personal freedoms and be able to just make decisions to live the life that they really deserve to live is really nothing short of a privilege if I'm honest. So yes that would be my advice is embrace it all and as we've said don't be looking at all that doom and gloom and letting it get to you.
00:43:14
Speaker
I love that, Siobhan, so embrace the adventure and enable others to find and follow their own adventures. Oh, absolutely. That really is the key for me, is the bottom line is we are here, the people we're helping and supporting, ideally, I want them to be able to find their own adventures in life and live a life of happiness and the life they deserve.
00:43:35
Speaker
Well, thank you Siobhan. It's been absolutely brilliant speaking with you today. And in closing now, do you have any final thoughts or further reflections that you would like to share? What is one thing that you would like listeners to take away from this conversation? This is something I always ask all my guests as we finish our conversations.
00:43:52
Speaker
One thing I would like to say is we're really lucky in the UK to have such a vibrant charity sector. We've got so many charitable organisations and the reason that they've been successful for so many years is because we have so many people who are willing to give and whether that's them
00:44:07
Speaker
generous donations, it's their time, it's their commitment and help. I think we're really lucky to live in a society with so many people who really want to help and give back and so really it's just recognizing that I think and doing what you can. I know lots of people are struggling right now and simply cannot donate but there's all sorts of ways we can support one another whether it's sharing stories or through financial donations or giving some time if you can
Empowering Dreams and Freedoms through Charity Support
00:44:35
Speaker
or
00:44:35
Speaker
Just really let's celebrate the charity sector and let's do what we can all together to make sure that in a year's time it is as vibrant as it has been and is today. Well, thank you Siobhan. Thank you for the work that you, your team and your partners are doing in India. I'm so pleased to hear it and thank you for being a guest on the show.
00:44:55
Speaker
Oh, thank you so much. It's an absolute honor to be here. Big fan of the show. So I was delighted, in fact, to be invited. And I think it's fantastic. So yes, thank you for obviously shining a spotlight on so many different causes and smaller charities such as Adventure Ashram, because it is a huge honor and help for us, I'm sure. Thank you.
00:45:18
Speaker
Thank you Siobhan for that reminder that being able to pursue our dreams and our own adventures can sometimes be a privilege, and that not everyone is awarded that same privilege. For many of us in the charity sector, helping people pursue their dreams in life and enabling them to have the personal freedom to make their own decisions is both a duty and a calling. And in today's world, where we continue to see atrocities such as sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking, this work is needed more than ever.
00:45:49
Speaker
I hope you enjoyed this latest episode of the Charity CEO podcast. A show that, thanks to you, our listeners, has repeatedly reached the number one spot in Apple's nonprofit podcast category. If you found this conversation valuable, please share or tag us on Twitter or LinkedIn or Instagram, and make sure you subscribe to the show by clicking the subscribe button on your podcast app.
00:46:11
Speaker
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