How do we genuinely prepare students with special educational needs for the workplace?

In this episode of The Hodcast, Michelle Belsey, Careers Curriculum Lead and Teacher at Castledon School Academy Trust, joins Sam La Roche for one of the most uplifting conversations we have had.

Michelle works directly with students with special educational needs, building confidence, employability skills and real world readiness. This is not about theory. It is about practical integration and long term opportunity.

We explore

• Supporting SEN students into meaningful employment

• Building confidence and independence

• What inclusive workplaces actually look like

• How employers can integrate diverse needs successfully

• The difference between token diversity and true inclusion

• Why some of the most overlooked students can become incredible employees

This episode is about unlocking potential, widening opportunity and redefining what success looks like.

If you care about education, leadership, inclusion or the future workforce, this conversation will resonate.

Hosted by Sam La Roche

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd

Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #MichelleBelsey #SEN #SpecialEducationalNeeds #WorkplaceInclusion #Education #Diversity #TogetherWeCan

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it take to start building a serious business at 20 years old?

In Conversation 45 of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Naud Van Rijn shares his journey from passion for combat sports to founding Capra Core, a performance focused combat sports brand.

We discuss

• The discipline martial arts builds

• Starting a company at a young age

• Building identity through sport

• Leadership and responsibility early in life

• Why mindset matters more than age

A grounded conversation about youth, ambition and creating something that reflects who you are.

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd

Powered by Garry Staines

Buy Capra Core apparel at www.capracore.com

#TheHodcast #NaudVanRijn #CapraCore #YoungEntrepreneur #CombatSports #Mindset #TogetherWeCan

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time when culture was built in rooms, not feeds.

Before everything became content.

Stu Whiffen joins Sam La Roche to reflect on representing a generation of cultural operators who worked before social media shaped how we create, share and consume.

Stu’s journey spans musician, club promoter, promoter at The Pink Toothbrush in Rayleigh, founder of Pod Bible, host of Off The Beat & Track, and his work with Explore Modular.

He has helped shape music scenes, podcast culture and now operates within modern construction. Few people move between worlds like that while keeping credibility intact.

We talk about

• Stu's Early life

• The rise of podcast culture and founding Pod Bible

• Running grassroots venues in a changing world

• How famous people are just ordinary people put on pedestals

• The difference between attention and authenticity

• Why some people build platforms while others chase them

This is a conversation about longevity, identity and doing the work before anyone is watching.

Hosted by Sam La Roche

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd

Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #StuWhiffen #PodBible #ExploreModular #MusicCulture #Podcasting #Leadership #togetherwecan

Find Stu in all these places and more!

https://podbiblemag.com

The MMA Fanshow Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5eIcTOTNLtoKP3xmZlRU21?si=75132efb72e74ef9

Off the Beat and Track - https://shows.acast.com/offthebeatandtrack

Hardcore Listings Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYr2UbR0VucEUlMD95NpD?si=dd24c21799ca46eb

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does social media feel more hostile, divided, and polarised than ever?

In this episode of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Charles Arthur explores how social media platforms shape behaviour and why division is not an accident, but a by product of how these systems are designed.

Charles Arthur is an experienced journalist and author, best known for his work covering technology and its impact on society. As the former technology editor at The Guardian and the author of Social Warming, he brings a rare combination of technical understanding and social insight.

We discuss

• How social media platforms reward outrage and conflict

• Why nuance struggles to survive online

• The psychological effects of algorithm driven content

• What Social Warming reveals about our digital habits

• How awareness can reduce the pull of tribal thinking

This is a calm, thoughtful conversation for anyone who wants to better understand the forces shaping online behaviour and public debate.

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd

Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #CharlesArthur #SocialWarming #SocialMedia #Technology #Polarisation #DigitalWellbeing #TogetherWeCan

Buy Charles' Book Social Warming - https://amzn.eu/d/0aM2i0lI

Read Charles' Blog The Overspill - https://theoverspill.blog

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can lessons from motorsport improve the way we build?

In this episode of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, George Blundell, Managing Director of Explore Modular, shares how racing shaped his thinking around precision, preparation and performance.

We talk about

• Why by working together we achieve more

• Parallels between motorsport and modular construction

• Leadership under pressure

• What construction can learn from high performance industries

A grounded conversation about quality, consistency and the future of building.

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd

Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #GeorgeBlundell #ExploreModular #MMC #ModularConstruction #ConstructionLeadership #TogetherWeCan

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Hodcast, I am joined by Clare Friel, Managing Director of Friel Marketing, for a wide-ranging conversation about marketing, AI, leadership, and legacy in a digital and construction-led world.

We talk about how people and businesses really behave online, not how they intend to. Clare shares her perspective on authenticity without virtue signalling, how leaders should decide when to speak publicly and when to stay quiet, and why clarity and standards matter more than ever as AI reshapes how work is done.

We also explore women in construction and leadership. What is still misunderstood, the pressure that comes with visibility, and why real cultural change only happens when behaviour changes, not when policies are written.

The conversation then moves into performance and growth. How do you define high performance when metrics are easy to track but meaning is harder to measure? How do you balance pace with depth in a world that rewards immediacy? And what responsibility comes with having a voice when digital footprints last far longer than intentions?

We close by stepping back from careers and platforms to ask the deeper question. When titles and metrics are stripped away, what does a good life actually look like, and what is non-negotiable if you want to avoid the regrets of the living?

The Hodcast is a podcast about the work of becoming.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is construction overlooking one of the most skilled and disciplined talent pools available?

In this episode of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Will Draper, founder of Military to Masonry, explains why ex military personnel are ideally suited to construction and how better pathways could transform both the industry and the lives of service leavers.

We talk about• The transferable skills veterans bring to construction• The realities of transitioning out of the military• How Military to Masonry creates clear routes into the trade• What construction employers need to understand• Why purpose, structure and teamwork matter after service

A thoughtful and practical conversation about recruitment, responsibility and building a workforce that values experience and character.

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd
Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #WillDraper #MilitaryToMasonry #Veterans #ConstructionCareers #SkillsGap #TogetherWeCan

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exclusive for Hodcast listeners!

www.authenticbrew.com

Our listeners gets a 10% discount throughout January if they use ‘AR10’ at checkout!For more from Andy Ramage go to the links below!

www.andyramage.com

www.coachbusiness.school

What if high performance is not about doing more, but removing what is holding you back?

In this episode of The Hodcast, hosted by Sam La Roche, Andy Ramage shares how taking a break from alcohol can improve sleep, clarity, relationships and overall performance in everyday life.

This is not about perfection or elite sport. It is about practical changes that help normal people feel better, think clearer and live with more intention.

We explore
• The benefits of taking a break from alcohol• Why sleep is the foundation of performance• How alcohol affects stress, mood and decision making• The connection between wellbeing and family life• How to build sustainable habits that actually last

A thoughtful and accessible conversation for anyone curious about improving their health, focus and quality of life.

Sponsored by Site Ready Solutions and Grayson GB Ltd
Powered by Garry Staines

#TheHodcast #AndyRamage #AlcoholFree #Wellbeing #Sleep #Performance #Lifestyle #TogetherWeCan

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.