#23 - Toni Finnimore: Creating Community, Volunteering with Purpose, and the Power of Human Connection

In this episode of the Natural Genius podcast, Sam Bell speaks with Toni Finnimore, founder of The Social Society, about volunteering, community connection, and designing experiences that bring people together in meaningful ways.Toni has spent more than two decades working in community development, advocacy, and social services across the UK. Through her work she repeatedly saw a pattern: local charities doing essential work while often lacking access to the skills, time, and support they needed.The Social Society emerged as a response.Through creative volunteering experiences, community gatherings, and festival-style team days, Toni and her team bring individuals, charities, and businesses together to collaborate, contribute, and reconnect.In this conversation Toni shares the story behind building The Social Society, the importance of human connection in an increasingly disconnected world, and why volunteering experiences work best when they are designed around people rather than platforms.The conversation also explores experience design, the joy of volunteering, and the quiet power of small moments that help people relax, reconnect, and contribute.This episode explores:• How Toni’s career in community services led to founding The Social Society• Why local charities often need skills and people as much as funding• Designing volunteering experiences that feel like shared adventures• Why bringing people together in real life matters more than ever• Festival-style volunteering events and “team days with purpose”• The idea of volunteer hackathons that tackle real charity challenges• Silent Book Club and creating space for quieter forms of connection• Boundaries, wellbeing, and sustaining energy as a founder• Toni’s vision for scaling hyper-local volunteering communities globallyChapters:01:18 Toni Finnimore and The Social Society03:00 From community services to building a volunteer movement05:28 Festival-style volunteering events and team days with purpose06:33 Volunteering at the DO Lectures and experience design09:06 Designing spaces that help people relax and connect11:02 The power of simple community experiences11:48 Silent Book Club and creating inclusive social spaces14:25 Boundaries, wellbeing, and founder energy17:01 Toni’s vision for global community volunteering18:01 Inspiration from regenerative organisations21:05 Advocacy and standing up for others23:46 Life in Brighton and community culture24:46 Visiting Australia and running volunteer hackathons to help charities solve real challengesGuest Links:Toni Finnimore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-finnimore/The Social Society: https://www.thesocialsociety.org.uk/Silent Book Club (Hove): https://www.instagram.com/silentbookclub_hove?igsh=aW9tYzZvNDN3b2Jm&utm_source=qr About Natural GeniusThe Natural Genius podcast explores how people discover and express their natural strengths, instincts, and contributions.Through conversations with leaders, builders, creatives, and community organisers, the podcast explores the signals that guide meaningful work and the choices that shape a life.More at https://naturalgenius.com.auCreditsHosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Violet Town and Brighton, UK, 4 March, 2026Produced at the Violet Town and Peregian Beach offices, 4 - 19 March, 2026