Little Wisdoms, Big Change – Deborah Denis

Deborah has been CEO of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation since February 2020. As CEO, she is focused on advancing their vision of a world free from child sexual abuse and exploitation. Deborah plays a key role in advocating for a greater focus on preventing abuse before it occurs and has more than 20 years’ experience in media, communications and fundraising.

Q1. What’s one thing you learnt early on in your career that has stuck with you ever since?  

What comes to mind straight away is that nerves can actually be a good thing. In my early days working in local radio, when I was reading the news for the first time or interviewing someone live, I felt real nerves. But over time I realised they were an advantage. That surge of adrenaline, that sense of anticipation… it’s all perfectly normal, and it can be channelled positively.

I’ve also learned how important it is to know your boundaries. Being clear about what falls firmly within my skill set, and where I feel confident, matters just as much as recognising the moments when I need to draw on others. Seeking advice, asking for support, double‑checking things… those are strengths, not weaknesses. Being able to spot those moments and honour those boundaries is crucial.

Q2. What insights sit at the heart of some of the work you are most proud of? How did you find them? 

It’s a difficult question because so many insights sit at the heart of our work. We really do stand on the shoulders of giants. At LFF, there’s a long history of people who have tried new innovative, often pioneering approaches in the face of challenge, scepticism and sometimes outright opposition. That legacy shapes us. We draw constantly on the organisation’s experience, to push forward when the work is complex and the stakes are high.

Take Shore as an example, our website for teenagers worried about their friend’s sexual behaviour.  The insights behind Shore came heavily from the young people we work with. Their needs, their fears, the barriers they face, all of that had to be at the centre. It’s absolutely vital. We also benefitted from the knowledge of partner organisations and the wider sector, who have great experience in understanding what works, identifying challenges, and finding opportunities to intervene earlier and more effectively. There’s a deep foundation of expertise and practice that we continue to build on.

It might sound simple, even a bit sentimental, but when we’re exploring something new or a new way of doing something, I’ll often find myself pausing to ask: what would our founder Lucy Faithfull think about this? That acts as an anchor.  From those early “what could this look like?” moments, we build carefully: drawing on the evidence base, academic input, and lived experience, feeding all of that through from the very beginning.

Q3. What skills, values or attributes are needed in a team seeking to bring about positive change and why?  

One of our values that defines us as an organisation, and that I see lived out by team every day, is hope. It’s the belief that change is possible. It’s the commitment to better futures, and the willingness to carry that hope ourselves while bringing people with us. In work as complex and challenging as ours, that sense of hope isn’t naïve; it’s essential. It keeps us moving forward. Alongside that, the attributes I see across the team are a real hunger to collaborate and a genuine desire to work with others to make change happen. No one person or organisation can do this alone. Positive change comes from people who are willing to listen, share, challenge constructively and build solutions together. That spirit of collaboration, rooted in humility, curiosity and respect is one of our greatest strengths.

Q4. What is your favourite behaviour change / social good campaign from the last 12 months and why? 

One that immediately springs to mind is some of the work Barnardo’s did on child poverty. One piece in particular really stayed with me – the huge sand portrait created on a beach to highlight the struggles children and families face because of poverty. It powerfully illustrated how many parents simply can’t give their children special experiences, like summer holidays or day trips out, because of the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis. I thought the imagery was incredibly striking, this huge portrait crafted on a Friday afternoon, only to be washed away by the tide that evening. It was a poignant symbol of how precarious life can be for so many families, and how quickly things can unravel.

Q5. If you could change one thing about the past, present or future, what would it be?

If I could change one thing, I would focus on the future and remove the structural and systemic inequalities that hold so many children back from reaching their full potential. These inequalities shape lives before a child even has the chance to make their own choices. For me, this is somewhat personal. I grew up in a low-income family, experienced parental bereavement at a young age and – if I am honest – went off the rails a bit. What made the difference was that I was lucky. I had strong family support and a Deputy Headteacher who became a hugely positive influence in my life. But not all children get that sort of luck and that’s exactly why change is needed. A child’s start in life should never limit their future. I know first-hand how transformative one positive role model or influence can be. If I could change anything, it would be to build a world where that support isn’t left to chance, where every child has the stability, safety and opportunities they need to realise their potential.

Q6. What have you read / watched / listened to lately that you have found particularly insightful? 

I’m  recently read Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout. It’s about the lives of regular people in Maine, America – a married couple, their friends and the everyday complexities that sit quietly beneath the surface. On paper, not a lot really happens, but it really got me thinking about individuality and how little we really know about people’s lives.

You might think you understand somebody – their circumstances, their motivations, the shape of their days – but the truth is you usually don’t. Everyone carries their private narratives, histories and stories. That reminder has stayed with me and connects to the work we do. There is always much, much more beneath the surface – everyone has layers, contexts and experiences that shape who they are, why they do what they do or have done what they did. Strout’s writing has reinforced that for me in a really gentle but powerful way.