Join us for the Charity Sofa Sessions, a space for charity leaders in Brighton to:
step away from the grind
stop overthinking on their own
gain fresh perspectives on common challenges.
These are warm and relaxed two-hour gatherings offering:
non-judgemental conversation
practical ideas
connection with others in similar situations.
What to expect
Each session follows the same simple format. Here's what a typical session looks like:
Arrive, grab a drink, and settle in.
Our special guests - experts in the day's theme - will join us on the sofas for an open, informal conversation: sharing their perspectives, insights, and real-world learnings.
You'll have plenty of time to ask questions before moving into small groups.
Together, you'll examine the specific challenges you're facing on the day’s theme, drawing on the collective experience of the group to find practical, actionable solutions.
We'll close by coming back together to share what we've learned.
You will leave with:
Practical ideas to put into practice
Clarity on something you've been stuck on
Renewed energy to tackle what's ahead
About us
We noticed an appetite for practical solutions and honest, shared experience.So we created the Sofa Sessions - a dedicated space for expert insight, open conversations and practical problem solving.
Why ‘sofa sessions?’
Because the events are relaxed and informal, and include comfortable seating (plus good snacks). Like a fireside chat, but on a sofa.
20th May, 10am - 12pm
You might be here looking for info on our planned session on the messy art of good governance.⭐ I'm afraid we had to postpone the event.But, there is more to come!Why not drop us a line here and we'll keep you posted about the next Charity Sofa Session?See you soon.
Previous Sofa Sessions:
Friday, 24th April, 10am-12pm
Our theme:
Overwhelm, what is it, why is it so prevalent in our sector, and what can we do about it?
Joining us on the Sofa, our experts were:
Pam Howard: psychotherapist, professional mentor and senior academic at Brighton University, with specific experience in burnout and professional overwhelm.
Gary Bishop, charity founder, CEO, leadership coach and fellow struggler with overwhelm and burnout.
Why this theme?
Many of the charity leaders we speak to are stressed, overworked, and overwhelmed. This is borne out by research from Fair Collective which shows:
85% of small charity leaders in England experienced poor mental health due to their role.
Of this, 20% reported a severe impact with incidences of suicidal thoughts, hospitalisation and burn out.
Those working in health, education, or with children and young people experienced the worst impact on their mental health.
Let us know if you have any questions, or would like us to let you know about our next event. We'd love to hear from you.