Latest Pilotlight News

How George House Trust tackles HIV stigma
World AIDS Day is marked on the 1 December each year and is an opportunity to remember those we’ve lost to HIV, to remind people of the local and global inequalities relating to HIV, to reflect on the progress made in the HIV response and to look forward with hope to the future.

SELFA's seven-year triumph
In 2016 SELFA Children's Charity were recipients of a Weston Charity Award, which not only supported the organisation with a core grant of £6,500 from the Garfield Weston Foundation, but also began a period of transformation through the Pilotlight 360 programme.

Creating better charity boards
Governance can be a challenge for charities. It's also often the key to the door that needs to be unlocked before a charity can get to the next stage in its development. Each board faces individual challenges, but over time, we have seen certain trends emerge when exploring the governance of an organisation.

Soaring high for Eagle’s Nest Project
Eagle’s Nest Project is a charity set up to work with young people aged 11-18 that are struggling to engage in mainstream education, often as a result of early childhood trauma. It offers alternative education solutions that build confidence and to equip them for more positive engagement in education and society moving forwards.

Taking the next step: Transformation from Pilotlighter to Trustee
Amelie Busch, Investment Director at Big Society Capital, shares her experience of Pilotlight 360, what she learned, and how the experience helped her become a trustee.

How charities can help business embed a values-led culture
Helping charities as a volunteer is a great way for people to give to the community. This is particularly the case for skilled volunteering – where you are using your workplace or professional skills to make a difference. Seven out of ten charities are looking for support in the form of professional skills, but only four out of ten find it. Charities need skilled support.
Corporate Social Responsibility News

Green action, not greenwash or greenhush
Some writers predict that the world cannot avoid an environmental collapse, others that we have it within our power to mitigate the worst effects of climate change and to make the transition to a sustainable economy.

100,000 skilled volunteers needed to support the UK’s environmental charities, says Pilotlight
New research from Pilotlight estimates that 100,000 skilled “climate volunteers” are needed to accelerate environmental action in the UK. Published today, the findings reveal an urgent need amongst environmental charities for professional support from skilled volunteers.

The Big Help Out and the volunteer push
The coronation kicks off more than a new cushion on the throne. It also marks the start of a push for volunteers through a programme called the Big Help Out.

UK Pro Bono Association – a new collaboration to promote skills-based volunteering
One of the first questions a charity should ask of itself is whether it can achieve its charitable objects on its own, or whether doing so requires co-operation.

The future of work is out
Now, after lockdown and working from home, it’s trends such as the ‘great resignation’ and the rise of the ‘quiet quitters’, the future of work is here - it is, as they say, just unevenly spread.

New research highlights the potential £17bn impact of employers developing a ‘workout’ culture that connects employees to the community
New research from Pilotlight highlights the strong demand from the UK workforce for their employers to do more to support skills-based volunteering in the community. The research, published today in a report called 'Give your culture a workout', includes new attitudinal research on the public support for employers to do more in this area and outlines the tangible benefits this would bring for the employers themselves.

Pilotlight and Barclays launches its largest cohort of support for charities in a single month
Pilotlight and our Partner Business Barclays launched 11 projects in September 2022. It’s the biggest cohort of projects launched with a Partner Business in a four-week period yet. The cohort includes Inclusive Leadership and Pilotlight Insight and Pilotlight Direction programmes.

250 West Midlands business leaders to coach local charities tackling the cost of living crisis
With the support of The National Lottery Community Fund to expand its work in the region, Pilotlight aims to partner with at least 250 experienced senior business leaders who will provide strategic coaching to help local charities become more effective and resilient.

Are we passed the peak of volunteering?
A wave of informal volunteering helped charities and community groups to play a critical role for communities over the pandemic. Now that the cost of living crisis is hitting home, the role for the voluntary sector is once more key, but this time it is not clear that volunteering - or emergency funding - will be able to help.

A vision for volunteering
Last month our Programme Manager Jonas Fathy spoke at the annual general meeting of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on volunteering. Pilotlight had been one of many charities working with the NCVO to develop the Vision for Volunteering, and Jonas had been asked to share Pilotlight’s perspective on the Vision.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion News

Using learning and development to accelerate opportunities for diverse staff
Diversity and inclusion are key components of any successful business. Not only does a diverse workforce foster a culture of innovation and creativity, but it also allows a company to tap into a wider pool of talent and perspectives.

Walking the talk: our commitment to DEI
Over the last year, led by our staff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, we have run a series of learning events, where colleagues come together to learn from the work and lived experience of our partner charities.

We’ve been awarded silver!
We’re delighted to share that we’ve achieved a Silver Status Award under the Inclusive Employers Standard.

Women in leadership: Challenging stereotypes and making waves
In my current role at Pilotlight, I have the pleasure to work with impact-driven leaders every day, tirelessly doing their bit to tackle society’s biggest challenges. I am proud that 75% of my project portfolio is organisations led by women.

If you could give one piece of leadership advice to inspire women, what would it be?
When I think of women in leadership roles, I tend to think of Jacina Ardern (Prime Minister of New Zealand) or Michelle Obama (Former First Lady) and the lessons they’ve modelled to the world; kindness, tenacity, assertiveness.

Inclusion on an accelerator
The shift to new patterns of work coming out of the pandemic is helping to spur a new generation of progressive employment practices. In time, I believe, these will come to define the workplace of the future.

10 Pilotlighters to join our community via our 2022 Ignite Initiative
Pilotlight is delighted to announce that, for the second consecutive year, we have 10 driven and ambitious Pilotlighters joining our community via

Picking up the pace on diversity
Whether this is an insight or simply a new cliché in the making, I don’t know but so many areas of personal or organisational development today are described as a ‘journey’ and this feels apt for us.

Becoming better allies: The best way to hear is to listen first
Today marks World Hearing Day. Organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) annually.

Why inclusivity and flexibility go hand in hand
As I write this, I am probably in the best health I’ve been in for two years. I have an immune system disorder and fibromyalgia. I’ve spent years schlepping on trains, planes and automobiles to attend meetings and visit offices, getting exhausted and exposing myself to infections as I travel.

Why every organisation needs an inclusive board
When entering a boardroom, my biggest worry was Norm. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Norm. Norm can genuinely be a nice person.
Pilotlight announces 21 Pilotlighters for its 2021 Ignite Initiative
Pilotlight is delighted to announce the 21 driven and ambitious Pilotlighters joining the charity via our Ignite Initiative.
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey
As a charity founded to support charities in their efforts to help more people, we share the common goal of tackling social disadvantage in all its
Race and the voluntary sector
Today we release the 'Learning and Listening for Mutual Action: surfacing and building the evidence base to support Black African, Black Caribbean, Asian and other Minoritised Ethnic led voluntary sector organisations' report that asks the vital question: what are the support needs of organisations led by, for, and with BAME communities?
Leadership News

Embracing change through volunteering
Little did I know that a seemingly simple email was about to change my perspective in a big way. It was from Pilotlight. Thanking their ‘Pilotlighters’, both past and present, for their contribution to the skills-based volunteering programmes they run in partnership with Barclays. And whilst reading it, the thought struck me that I actually had a lot to thank Pilotlight for.

When Yes Means No
Something I hear frequently from charity leaders, especially founders, is ‘We can’t say no to someone who needs help!

How to cope at the top
'It's lonely at the top' is a phrase we often hear.

Women in leadership: Challenging stereotypes and making waves
In my current role at Pilotlight, I have the pleasure to work with impact-driven leaders every day, tirelessly doing their bit to tackle society’s biggest challenges. I am proud that 75% of my project portfolio is organisations led by women.

Five things I have learned coming into the charity sector
I joined Comic Relief almost two years ago now, at a moment of great change, joining during the pandemic. It was a great personal change. I'd worked at this other agency for a long time, was quite comfortable and then decided to jump in and work on this side of the fence.

If you could give one piece of leadership advice to inspire women, what would it be?
When I think of women in leadership roles, I tend to think of Jacina Ardern (Prime Minister of New Zealand) or Michelle Obama (Former First Lady) and the lessons they’ve modelled to the world; kindness, tenacity, assertiveness.

‘The traditional definition of a leader has eroded,’ eight women leaders share advice on inclusive leadership
At seven years old I was a tree-climbing, dress-hating, future astronaut. Aged 17 not much had changed. From an early age, both of my parents encouraged me to strive for whatever I wanted to be, whatever I wanted to do. It was well into my adolescence before I even stopped to consider that being a girl – or more accurately not being a boy - might be a barrier in my future.

Be a risk-taker and fail forward, advise two women leaders to black CEOs of tomorrow
I have always been close to my mum and my older sister. I would say my mum is an inspiration to me; I always behave in fear of disappointing her; she's anchored me throughout my life.

Why every organisation needs an inclusive board
When entering a boardroom, my biggest worry was Norm. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Norm. Norm can genuinely be a nice person.
Women in leadership: tips from the top
Every year when I see daffodils begin to poke through winter's coat, it reminds me that spring is coming.
Learning and Development News

How charities can help business embed a values-led culture
Helping charities as a volunteer is a great way for people to give to the community. This is particularly the case for skilled volunteering – where you are using your workplace or professional skills to make a difference. Seven out of ten charities are looking for support in the form of professional skills, but only four out of ten find it. Charities need skilled support.

Pilotlight’s recipe for developing interpersonal skills in staff
In today’s fast-paced business environment, having a skilled workforce isn’t enough to guarantee success. Companies invest heavily in training and development programmes to enhance the technical skills, but these hard skills alone are not enough to guarantee success.

Stepping into the learning & development limelight
As a social enterprise focused on supporting charities, Pilotlight is sometimes perceived as an outlier in the corporate learning and development sector. This year we’ve challenged ourselves to better understand the impact of our programmes on employees and the return on investment for their employers.

Driving business success through investing in your people
Learning and Talent teams are more focused than ever on employee engagement and retention. So how can business better engage its people and provide compelling learning opportunities that address shifting strategic priorities?

Learning to swim: lessons in leadership
My first leadership experience was when I was quite young. Soon after leaving university, I found myself leading a small grassroots project in South Africa providing training to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. I knew very little about running a project, and equally little about leadership. I had the job title of a leader and people to be led but really, I didn’t know what to do.

New research highlights the potential £17bn impact of employers developing a ‘workout’ culture that connects employees to the community
New research from Pilotlight highlights the strong demand from the UK workforce for their employers to do more to support skills-based volunteering in the community. The research, published today in a report called 'Give your culture a workout', includes new attitudinal research on the public support for employers to do more in this area and outlines the tangible benefits this would bring for the employers themselves.

How to survive and thrive as a charity in a financial crisis
It is hard to start a charity, but it is also hard to kill one. This is a resilience, characteristic of charities, that we have a purpose that moves people to act, and we have a culture that allows for different forms of participation. In this post, I want to look at three tips for financial resilience for charities.

Growing support for carers both locally and nationally
When we worked with Kathy Verges in 2010, she was CEO at Crossroads Care Havering, which had a turnover of around £600k. Kathy retired as Chief Officer in January 2022. After a series of mergers Kathy led the charity on to re-brand to create TuVida, which had national reach and a turnover of £14m. She reflects on her work with Pilotlight.

It’s back to school for some, but now is the best time for anyone to learn new skills
This September is a special one in our house, our little boy waves goodbye to nursery, and we’re preparing ourselves for his first day at school.

15 tips that could help your charity now
Since the start of September, 50 senior leaders from Barclays have joined forces with 10 charities from across the UK to address some of the key challenges they are facing as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Igniting change, it all starts with a conversation
Our latest initiative, Conversation for Change, distils the essence of our strategic development programmes into a single, 90-minute virtual meeting with up to eight senior business leaders.
Can you add values to your CV?
We all have the ability to behave with values, just as we are all (or nearly all) born with the ability to sing.
Charity Trustee News

Taking the next step: Transformation from Pilotlighter to Trustee
Amelie Busch, Investment Director at Big Society Capital, shares her experience of Pilotlight 360, what she learned, and how the experience helped her become a trustee.

Creating better charity boards
Governance can be a challenge for charities. It's also often the key to the door that needs to be unlocked before a charity can get to the next stage in its development. Each board faces individual challenges, but over time, we have seen certain trends emerge when exploring the governance of an organisation.

Pilotlight welcomes four new trustees to its Board
Pilotlight is delighted to welcome Finia Kuhlmann, Amanda Rothwell, Faiz Siddiqui and Angela Halliday to its Board of Trustees.

Seeking Leaders with Purpose
One of the key attributes that I seek in leaders is the ability to bring the outside in to the business – to be able to listen to and engage with a wide range of internal and external audiences that have a stake in the way they operate.

Becoming a better board member
Over my time at Pilotlight, I’ve worked with all kinds of charity boards — the good, bad and even the ugly. I’ve also had the delight in seeing many of our Pilotlighters go from working with a charity for the first time, to being inspired enough to become a trustee after participating in one our programmes.

The purposeful leader: how I became the chair of a small charity
I’ve spent my career focused on how to build organisations that engage employees so they give their best. I’ve experienced economic booms and busts, a technological revolution in the way we live and work, and the increased globalisation of business. The consistent theme throughout my 35 year career, is that people give their best when they truly believe in their organisation’s mission.
Leaping into the unknown
I knew I wanted a challenge that took me out of my comfort zone.
Latest Events

Weston Charity Awards: Everything you need to know
Join our virtual Zoom session where we'll be covering topics such as: the support on offer, who is eligible to apply, the application process and what to expect.

Weston Charity Awards: The impact of winning
In this online Zoom session, you'll be able to hear from a past award winner about the benefits and impact experienced after winning the Weston Charity Awards.

Weston Charity Awards: Your questions answered
Do you have questions that you need answers to before you submit your application form to the Weston Charity Awards?