Ewan Aitken has been in his current role as Chief Executive of Cyrenians for 7 years. Cyrenians is a charity that works with people at the margins – the forgotten, ignored and dismissed – to give them a self-determined and settled life. He's also been an ordained Minister and leader of Edinburgh City Council.

Sir John Timpson and I talk about family, how and why he and his late Wife Alex adopted more than 90 children, what a saintly yet wonderfully eccentric woman Alex was and amongst many other things, why there are only colleagues in Timpsons, not management and employees. We also get to here John's view on Attachment and why employing former prisoners has been quite as successful as it has been for their business.

Gordon Goldie and Wife Lynne lost their 18yr old daughter Sarah in March 2016. Her body was recovered from the River Clyde by the Glasgow Humane Society and as a thank you, family and friends got together and raised just over £10,000 in a year. Gordon then joined as a member and was later asked to join the board of directors where he has been Vice Chairman for the last three years. His story is of Resilience, an incredible outlook on life and he's a man who has managed to, in spite of enduring the most horrific catastrophe, move on with his life.

Stephen Bennett, multi BAFTA winning Director and proud Glaswegian is known for giving voice to others to tell their story. This time round, it’s him telling his own story. His debut feature 'Eminent Monsters' is a film about psychological torture carried out by the UK, USA and Canada and was screened at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2019. His pioneering and influential other work includes 'Brian Cox's Russia', 'Dunblane: Our Story', 'The Boys of Ballinkinrain', the follow-up ‘Warriors: Revisiting the boys of Ballinkinrain’, 'Darren McGarvey's Scotland', 'Murder in a Small Town', and 'Darren McGarvey's Class Wars'. A breathtaking body of work from someone who is ultimately a down to earth family man.

Zoe Venditozzi is a support for learning Teacher in Dundee, an author and is co-host of the Witches of Scotland Podcast, which tells us of those Scottish women accused, prosecuted, convicted, and ultimately executed as Witches. This Podcast is part of a wider Witches of Scotland Campaign which has the stated aims of: A pardon for all of those convicted of witchcraft in Scotland. An apology for all of those who were accused of witches. A national monument for all those affected by the miscarriage of justice.

Bruce Adamson is the Children and Young People's Commissioner for Scotland. He has spearheaded the drive for Scotland to now be on the cusp of accepting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Domestic Law, the first part of the UK to do so and he's a man with strong views on many things, including the mental health of our young people, involving them in decisions that affect them, raising the age of criminal responsibility beyond 8, (yes EIGHT) as it currently stands and the current rhetoric around the Weans 'catching up' the curriculum.

Leslee Udwin is a Global Activist, former BAFTA winning film director and winner of the United Nations Women for Peace Activist Award. Her documentary 'India's Daughter' led to her turning her back on her previous life to found THINK EQUAL. THINK EQUAL is the initiative that will end the discriminatory mindset and cycle of violence across the globe, focussing on the Social and Emotional Learning of early years children becoming part of Curricula across the planet. "Please Scotland, Please".

A continuation of my chat with Darren where we talk about teachers being legally mandated to physically assault children, Pollok Free State and the release of Darren McGarvey's Class Wars on BBC Scotland and iPlayer.

This weeks guest will always put his head above the parapet when sharing his views. Activism, social commentary, identity, class, nationalism, drug use. Writer of the book 'Poverty Safari'. Star of 'Darren McGarvey's Class Wars' on the BBC. When talking about poverty to promote his new multi part programme, he describes it thus: “without a doubt it’s the biggest ugliest issue facing society”. Open, honest and yet considered, I chat with Darren ‘Loki the Scottish Rapper’ McGarvey.

Graeme Armstrong is from Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, where his teenage years were spent within the gang culture of the area. Graeme defied the odds and you have to say a lot of people’s expectations to complete an honours degree at Stirling University, this in spite of the fact that he was struggling with his own drug addiction, alcohol abuse and violence. He returned to Stirling to complete a Master of letters in creative writing in 2013, graduating with merit in 2015. His debut novel, ‘The Young Team’, whilst not a biography, was certainly inspired by his own experiences and his is a voice that deserves to be listened to.

An Inverclyde showcase this week as I chat with Hugh O'Donnell, proudly born, bred and now working in the area. He is a man that proves the path to Academic and indeed any kind of success isn't always smooth.

Jim McColl OBE is one of Scotland’s best known and most successful Businessmen and Entrepreneurs. He undoubtedly splits opinion amongst many but one thing is indisputably true; this is a man who from a modest background has achieved much. He has repeatedly shown how dear Scotland is to him, in particular the prospects of her young people. He has been unafraid to both support and challenge Scottish Education, continuing to do so today.

The 7th of 9 children, Kevin Neary grew up in Govan on the southside of Glasgow and remembers violence in the home and in the community from as young as the age of 4. After a move to West Lothian with the family, he had left school in 1982 at age 14, and was in prison by 1986 at the age of 17. After leaving prison he co-founded and now works as a mentor for ‘Aid and Abet’ a charity that works with the vision of ‘once you leave prison you need never go back’.

Jim Sporleder retired in 2014 as Principal of Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, Washington. Under Jim’s leadership, Lincoln became a “Trauma Informed” school, encapsulated within the Paradigm shift from “What is wrong with this student?” to “What is this student going through?” Jim, not unnaturally, believes that valuing a students voice is the key to generating trust and indeed a relationship between adult and child. Lincoln gained national and it’s fair to say international attention due to a dramatic drop in out of school suspensions, increased graduation rates and the number of students going on to post-secondary education. These dramatic changes at Lincoln were captured in the seminal Jamie Redford documentary 'PAPER TIGERS', released in 2015.

Iain Smith is the Scottish Lawyer of the year for 2020 and a well known advocate when it comes to the 'ACE's' movement in Scotland. He went from a disastrous start with his schooling to becoming school 'DUX' and Head Boy. It wasn't until he was in his 40's that he discovered he was Dyslexic. Iain works across the criminal justice system to ensure it better understands issues such as Adverse Childhood Experiences and being Trauma Informed. A strong believer in 'presiding with kindness', one of his tweets reads thus: "When you see Junkie, Ned, Scum, Jakeball, Perp, Addict, Offender-try to see Struggling Adult, Abused Child, Trauma, Neglect, Self Harm.

James Docherty is one of the most ‘well kent’ faces in Scotland in relation to Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how they relate to Scotland in particular. It is James’s personal experience of, which then informs his professional practice around navigating both the care and criminal justice system through his work with Community Justice and the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. This episode will change your view of how society can best help those in need x.

Margaret can rightly lay claim to the title, (which I am bestowing upon her here!) as the Queen of Teacher CPD in Scotland. Her involvement in some of the key developments within Scottish Education for a generation is to be marvelled at, as are her '3 key beliefs' surrounding education. A special chat with a special lady x

Mike Stevenson is a disruptor, he inspires people to swim against the tide of convention, he is quite simply an inspiration. When the recession of 2008 hit badly, he set up 'Thinktastic' as “an antidote to the doom and gloom”. Nowadays he has a UK wide reputation as an inspirational speaker, trainer and creative consultant. Mike’s motivational work with schools was given special recognition on three successive years with a Business in the Community award for Raising the Attainment of Young People. “…an extraordinary person, a fantastic speaker, who conveys a positive spirit and inspiring attitude. He is very humble, entertaining, engaging and positively challenging in his approach. He will have an impact on any organisation.”

Iain Smith is the Scottish Lawyer of the year for 2020 and a well known advocate when it comes to the 'ACE's' movement in Scotland. He went from a disastrous start with his schooling to becoming school 'DUX' and Head Boy. It wasn't until he was in his 40's that he discovered he was Dyslexic. Iain works across the criminal justice system to ensure it better understands issues such as Adverse Childhood Experiences and being Trauma Informed. A strong believer in 'presiding with kindness', one of his tweets reads thus: "When you see Junkie, Ned, Scum, Jakeball, Perp, Addict, Offender-try to see Struggling Adult, Abused Child, Trauma, Neglect, Self Harm. A chat you cannot afford to miss.

Stevie Blom was formerly and will always be remembered as one of the most talented competitive cyclists in Scotland. Self confidence was a big problem for him but that all changed when he started cycling and joined the Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club. That journey led to him reaching a supremely high level of fitness and to him competing and winning national titles and medals. In 2013 things took a darker turn. Cycling results dipped, confidence, shattered, work becoming difficult to deal with. Eventually the diagnosis of chronic Kidney disease came through. Rebuilding his life in the aftermath with the determination of the champion cyclist that he was, he started a renal charity, ‘Return to Life’ to help others and promote awareness, especially with organ donors. His story demands to be told; his bravery and perseverance will be an inspiration to anyone that hears it