That was the screaming headline in today's Times. A deep recession will inevitably bring social unrest and challenge community cohesion . How far this will affect the UK is unclear . However the message to our Government is that you ignore the social consequences of the recession at your peril . Just as in France, there is huge resentment at the way the Government is bailing out the financial institutions and rewarding bad behaviour in so doing . Whilst it is not the British way to take to the streets , that should not allow our politicians to think that resentment is not there , nor to fail to tackle social as well as economic problems.
I had a first hand report on the French troubles when we had our Euclid ( that's the third sector leaders network) executive committee conference call on Friday . Thierry , our President, said the situation is dire . There is huge anger at the way the banks have been rewarded and people ignored. i was also involved in a conference call for the Commonwealth's Civil Society Committee on Friday . I am a member and it was useful to discuss with sector colleagues from around the far flung Commonwealth how the recession is truly global in its impact . Our UK based NGOs are not only finding they must cut aid because of falling donations but they are also facing the consequences of a drastically falling Pound . And this just adds to the woes of the developing world and will inevitably increase social unrest .
It is all too obvious that the emphasis is on the financial sector and failing industry . It is now time for the Prime Minister to turn his attention to the social fall out and the way he could involve our sector. The third sector Recession Plan will give him the opportunity to demonstrate the Government's commitment to the sector. But he must also show he understands this is not simply about the sector and volunteers , or work at the margins .We must be seen as integral to recovery , not the sticking plaster on society sores.
In the last big recession of the early 80s we did see the effects of massive unemployment . I was elected to Lambeth Council in the wake of the 1981 Brixton riots . Clearly a major part of the problem for this flare up was the racial discrimination faced by Brixton's black community ; but as the Scarman report showed there were economic reasons too . Remember that this was the time of massive youth unemployment. The new Council also took a radical departure from the usual municipalist trait of local government of the time and realised that to regenerate Brixton you had to involve the third sector and black led community groups. The state had failed these communities . They were deeply mistrusted. Only the third sector had the confidence and the trust of people to lead . I am not sure politicians or business have yet realised that the sector is now the most trusted part of our state and society . I am going to blog about this more on Tuesday......
This is doubly true today . That is why the Government must realise that they need to work with and through the Third Sector . A strong and confident sector is able to tackle the rifts and divisions in our society in a way the State is unable. We will be at the front line of delivery of service to those who are failed by the system .
The Government's recession action plan is now 2 weeks away. ACEVO has been actively involved in the work to prepare this and I am hopeful it will be wide ranging .With my other Futurebuilders hat on we have also been closely involved in work to ensure our offers of loans are targeted and take account of the recession . And I do need to point out that we are one of the few financial institutions left still actively lending!
It is unlikely the Plan will be the last word. More support will be needed as we head into a deep recession . And I still do not get the sense that Government have understood that our sector can be the agent of recovery . ACEVO has James Purnell MP , ( DWP Secretary of State ), to speak at the launch of our acevo -DWP task force report on Wednesday . I will reinforce this message at the launch which I will be chairing .
I contributed £6 to the Conservative Party this morning ! This is not a sign of me hedging my bets on the next election , merely that they were running the cake stall at the Charlbury Library this morning . A rather splendid carrot cake. Perhaps baked by Mrs Cameron herself I thought ( Charlbury is David Cameron's constituency ). But then again that's hardly likely eh! She does not seem the baking type?
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Mergers or Alliances and a quiz...
In a couple of recent Blogs I have been writing about the need for third sector organisations to consider merger , partnership arrangements or alliances. I thought it was worth highlighting one rather brilliant example that one of my members , Paul Jenkins of the charity " Rethink" sent me on Monday .
Rethink and MIND are leading a " Time to Change " programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination . This is a 4 year , £18 million programme funded by the Lottery and Comic Relief. the public phase of this was launched this week and it includes television ads which you may have seen . There will be more publicity with press and poster campaigns featuring celebrities and individuals who have experience of mental illness . the aim is to change people's attitudes to mental health which can have such a devastating impact on people and families.
And what is impressive is the big thinking. Over 4 years these 2 charities aim to reach 30 million people . And as Paul says these are 2 charities , whilst working in the same field of mental health have not had a history of co-operation . So it does demonstrate the opportunities , short of mergers , where charities can work together. I am going to collect other such examples from members , but if you have any , let me know.....
That IMF report . Depressing. Can we now be in any doubt that we had better be planning for a serious recession . And can we now see the Government taking the sector seriously in tackling the problems and helping lead recovery . With unemployment heading for 3 million , We need a job creation scheme that puts the sector at the forefront of creating jobs targeted on communities that are most at risk , and in industries , like sustainability , where the sector can play a leadership role . And if unemployment is heading up ,then serious , full tine volunteering that upskills must also be backed and resourced.
And we need attention focused on the social impact of recession . I understand that the banks need rescuing , that the car industry needs support . Yet still our sector , facing declining income and rising demand , awaits any real response . The Action Plan needs to be bold . I am meeting with my colleagues from the Institute of Fundraising , Charity Finance Directors group and ncvo tomorrow to talk further about how we work together on the key concerns.
Now its not all gloom ! ACEVO has been in party mood . On Monday we had drinks for staff with our departing Chair John Low , and tonight drinks with staff for our new Chair , Lesley -Anne Alexander . We had a half day induction session for Lesley-Anne to run through the business of acevo . I have to admit to a real sense of pride in the staff who were presenting ; confident and energetic , as Lesley-Anne put it. ACEVO has only 35 staff but you would assume many more . Indeed our output mirrors that of organisations treble our size. And we do that by ensuring the best and the brightest work at ACEVO. Its a fun place. And dynamic . Perhaps I may be the best known member of the staff , but the fact is we have a truly talented bunch at work behind the scenes. The work they have been putting into developing our response to the recession and plans to build support for members is inspiring . They deserve a drink .
And finally ; I have been writing an article for the Institute of Philanthropy on my favourite 3 books . So a prize of an autographed Bubb book for the first person to guess what these 3 books are....
Rethink and MIND are leading a " Time to Change " programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination . This is a 4 year , £18 million programme funded by the Lottery and Comic Relief. the public phase of this was launched this week and it includes television ads which you may have seen . There will be more publicity with press and poster campaigns featuring celebrities and individuals who have experience of mental illness . the aim is to change people's attitudes to mental health which can have such a devastating impact on people and families.
And what is impressive is the big thinking. Over 4 years these 2 charities aim to reach 30 million people . And as Paul says these are 2 charities , whilst working in the same field of mental health have not had a history of co-operation . So it does demonstrate the opportunities , short of mergers , where charities can work together. I am going to collect other such examples from members , but if you have any , let me know.....
That IMF report . Depressing. Can we now be in any doubt that we had better be planning for a serious recession . And can we now see the Government taking the sector seriously in tackling the problems and helping lead recovery . With unemployment heading for 3 million , We need a job creation scheme that puts the sector at the forefront of creating jobs targeted on communities that are most at risk , and in industries , like sustainability , where the sector can play a leadership role . And if unemployment is heading up ,then serious , full tine volunteering that upskills must also be backed and resourced.
And we need attention focused on the social impact of recession . I understand that the banks need rescuing , that the car industry needs support . Yet still our sector , facing declining income and rising demand , awaits any real response . The Action Plan needs to be bold . I am meeting with my colleagues from the Institute of Fundraising , Charity Finance Directors group and ncvo tomorrow to talk further about how we work together on the key concerns.
Now its not all gloom ! ACEVO has been in party mood . On Monday we had drinks for staff with our departing Chair John Low , and tonight drinks with staff for our new Chair , Lesley -Anne Alexander . We had a half day induction session for Lesley-Anne to run through the business of acevo . I have to admit to a real sense of pride in the staff who were presenting ; confident and energetic , as Lesley-Anne put it. ACEVO has only 35 staff but you would assume many more . Indeed our output mirrors that of organisations treble our size. And we do that by ensuring the best and the brightest work at ACEVO. Its a fun place. And dynamic . Perhaps I may be the best known member of the staff , but the fact is we have a truly talented bunch at work behind the scenes. The work they have been putting into developing our response to the recession and plans to build support for members is inspiring . They deserve a drink .
And finally ; I have been writing an article for the Institute of Philanthropy on my favourite 3 books . So a prize of an autographed Bubb book for the first person to guess what these 3 books are....
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Auntie in a mess and social care
I have just been online to make my donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for Gaza. It is both a good thing to do , but also a blow against the disgraceful behaviour of the BBC.
The decision by the BBC not to broadcast the DEC appeal has been rightly pilloried. The 2 reasons they gave for not running the Appeal are unacceptable. It is not for the BBC to determine whether humanitarian aid can get through to Gaza . That is the job of the NGOs involved in this Appeal . It is a piece of monumental impertinence for the BBC to tell the sector how to do its job. And the question of " partiality " simply does not stack up . People are able to determine what is a humanitarian appeal from what is showing political partiality in a conflict. I have written to Mark Thompson to express my concern - in forthright terms! I have also asked Sir Michael Lyons , who Chairs the BBC Trust, to review the case immediately. I know both these guys . They are good . Lets hope common sense prevails. Mark is allowed an occasional mistake ; as long as he puts it right
DEC do a superb job . Brendan Gormely , who runs DEC , is a member and he does great things in pulling together the charities who form the coalition on causes like Gaza. The work of DEC is admired internationally , and indeed ACEVO helped export this model to Italy last year . It is a brilliant example of charities working together on a common cause , whilst maintaining their own identities and missions . It is a model of alliance and partnership working we may begin to see more of over the coming years in charities working in the UK. For example , as homelessness grows I wonder if we might see national appeals for support from the various key homeless charities?
I think the recession will generate more mergers in the sector , but as important , it will generate more partnership working where charities and third sector bodies working in similar fields join together on projects or campaigns. And there will also be more working in partnership with the private sector ( though this is still a largely unexplored are as yet ).
Lunch time was the presentation of the annual report on the state of social care in the UK by the General Social Care Inspectorate. People sometimes claim there is no evidence of the value added of the third sector . They should read this report. Yet again the third sector out performs the private and state sector in the delivery of social care services. Satisfaction with our services from the users out performs other sectors .
The message is clear . If you want citizen focused service then outsource them to the third sector.
And importantly there is a major reform underway in the provision of such care . Known as " personalisation" , an ugly word for a very important concept ; that people should have control over their own budgets for social care and be able to decide where money is spent.
So instead of the local council deciding what you need is a care worker to pop in for 15minutes on Wednesday every week you say that you want someone for half an hour or an hour less often , or you might want to spend this on enabling you to visit the theatre or distant relatives. Giving people control , enabling them to decide how best care is provided . Where pilots are going on the results are striking.
But the third sector may not be as prepared for this revolution as you would think . This could be a major opportunity for us . But the larger and more established charities will need to change and adapt. They will be tested as well as the local councils. Their services will be judged by the quality and personal approach they offer . Are we ready? The Chief Executive leadership role will be tested.
I think this agenda is hugely exciting for a sector that is innovative and bold. Chief Executives had better be prepared. So we need to aid the process. Our ACEVO Spring Conference on March 26th is devoted to exploring the issue .
https://www.acevo.org.uk/index.cfm/display_page/ProfDev_Events/filter_event_type/event_type_298/filter_date_searchtype/on/filter_searchtype/any//control_contenttype/event_list/display_open/events_1373
Under the bold heading of ," A Brave New World " the conference is going to explore personaisation . And it will also form the backdrop to more work we will do in ACEVO on this issue . It will be core to how we reform public services. And a personal service puts the third sector in the driving seat . Where we should be.
The decision by the BBC not to broadcast the DEC appeal has been rightly pilloried. The 2 reasons they gave for not running the Appeal are unacceptable. It is not for the BBC to determine whether humanitarian aid can get through to Gaza . That is the job of the NGOs involved in this Appeal . It is a piece of monumental impertinence for the BBC to tell the sector how to do its job. And the question of " partiality " simply does not stack up . People are able to determine what is a humanitarian appeal from what is showing political partiality in a conflict. I have written to Mark Thompson to express my concern - in forthright terms! I have also asked Sir Michael Lyons , who Chairs the BBC Trust, to review the case immediately. I know both these guys . They are good . Lets hope common sense prevails. Mark is allowed an occasional mistake ; as long as he puts it right
DEC do a superb job . Brendan Gormely , who runs DEC , is a member and he does great things in pulling together the charities who form the coalition on causes like Gaza. The work of DEC is admired internationally , and indeed ACEVO helped export this model to Italy last year . It is a brilliant example of charities working together on a common cause , whilst maintaining their own identities and missions . It is a model of alliance and partnership working we may begin to see more of over the coming years in charities working in the UK. For example , as homelessness grows I wonder if we might see national appeals for support from the various key homeless charities?
I think the recession will generate more mergers in the sector , but as important , it will generate more partnership working where charities and third sector bodies working in similar fields join together on projects or campaigns. And there will also be more working in partnership with the private sector ( though this is still a largely unexplored are as yet ).
Lunch time was the presentation of the annual report on the state of social care in the UK by the General Social Care Inspectorate. People sometimes claim there is no evidence of the value added of the third sector . They should read this report. Yet again the third sector out performs the private and state sector in the delivery of social care services. Satisfaction with our services from the users out performs other sectors .
The message is clear . If you want citizen focused service then outsource them to the third sector.
And importantly there is a major reform underway in the provision of such care . Known as " personalisation" , an ugly word for a very important concept ; that people should have control over their own budgets for social care and be able to decide where money is spent.
So instead of the local council deciding what you need is a care worker to pop in for 15minutes on Wednesday every week you say that you want someone for half an hour or an hour less often , or you might want to spend this on enabling you to visit the theatre or distant relatives. Giving people control , enabling them to decide how best care is provided . Where pilots are going on the results are striking.
But the third sector may not be as prepared for this revolution as you would think . This could be a major opportunity for us . But the larger and more established charities will need to change and adapt. They will be tested as well as the local councils. Their services will be judged by the quality and personal approach they offer . Are we ready? The Chief Executive leadership role will be tested.
I think this agenda is hugely exciting for a sector that is innovative and bold. Chief Executives had better be prepared. So we need to aid the process. Our ACEVO Spring Conference on March 26th is devoted to exploring the issue .
https://www.acevo.org.uk/index.cfm/display_page/ProfDev_Events/filter_event_type/event_type_298/filter_date_searchtype/on/filter_searchtype/any//control_contenttype/event_list/display_open/events_1373
Under the bold heading of ," A Brave New World " the conference is going to explore personaisation . And it will also form the backdrop to more work we will do in ACEVO on this issue . It will be core to how we reform public services. And a personal service puts the third sector in the driving seat . Where we should be.
Saturday, 24 January 2009
fundraising in monasteries and Anglo French Summits
A Big Issue seller in Charlbury . A sign of the times? Anyway I buy a paper ; I think all of us in the Third Sector should do so. More controversially i always try and give money to beggars . I know that one of my greatly talented members , Jeremy Swain ( of Thames Reach Bondway ) advices against this as he argues it fuels drug habits ; but I am always aware of that verse ( interestingly in both the Koran and the Bible ) about entertaining angels unawares..
Big Issue is a brilliant scheme and we will all need to consider how we support more homelessness in the next few years. the recession is biting deeper . I was bemused to see that some charity fundraisers are arguing ; or so the screaming headline in " Third Sector " tells us that we must beware alarming donors. great timing guys , as this week we have news that the recession is deeper and more problematic than government thought , and some are advising of a long haul and a real possibility of a depression in the UK. So who are these donors who are out there not reading the papers or watching the news? Perhaps this is about fundraising in monasteries and nunneries where the Religious try to concentrate on heavenly ratter than earthly preoccupations? I suspect the British public are quite switched on to the difficulties charities face and we must be honest about the serious problems we may face over the coming years. So ACEVO will continue to argue for support from the public , from local councils and government. we will continue to bring the plight of the sector to public attention . And as for being alarmist , well some of my members are alarmed .
Of course we also want to present the positive side of the third sector . Our inventiveness and ingenuity. And the real opportunity to lead the economy and society out of a recession. We are key to recovery , as I will continue to argue. So King Canute , begone !
It was a frosty morning in Charlbury , and again it was a delight to take the Hound for a walk across the frozen fields. But the croissant and coffee afterwards were welcoming! yesterday I had my international team at the cottage for an away day talk through our strategy for the next 3 years . ACEVO has helped establish euclid , a third sector leaders network across Europe. we agree that we need to concentrate on pushing for a " social Europe " and that the recession across Europe will provide us with an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the wider third sector to support society and grow the economy. we work closely with lead umbrella bodies in France and Sweden .
One of our plans for this year is an Anglo -French Summit to explore the potential for a European Social Investment Bank. A number of the leading co-operative and mutual funds in France are really interested in the Futurebuilders model and are looking to replicate in France . And wider than this , we believe there is scope for this approach from the EU. I am off to Paris on the 9th February to meet the leading person from the French credit union to develop our strategy and approach . How powerful this would be if it came off . We need to drive up access to capital in our sector so that the opportunities to expand our service delivery ( and these will grow, even in a recession ) can expand . And how much more powerful if there is a EU wide bank . We need Banks that can lend , ( as I argued with Liam Byrne when I met him recently ). So the sooner we get the Social Investment Bank up and running here the better.
Big Issue is a brilliant scheme and we will all need to consider how we support more homelessness in the next few years. the recession is biting deeper . I was bemused to see that some charity fundraisers are arguing ; or so the screaming headline in " Third Sector " tells us that we must beware alarming donors. great timing guys , as this week we have news that the recession is deeper and more problematic than government thought , and some are advising of a long haul and a real possibility of a depression in the UK. So who are these donors who are out there not reading the papers or watching the news? Perhaps this is about fundraising in monasteries and nunneries where the Religious try to concentrate on heavenly ratter than earthly preoccupations? I suspect the British public are quite switched on to the difficulties charities face and we must be honest about the serious problems we may face over the coming years. So ACEVO will continue to argue for support from the public , from local councils and government. we will continue to bring the plight of the sector to public attention . And as for being alarmist , well some of my members are alarmed .
Of course we also want to present the positive side of the third sector . Our inventiveness and ingenuity. And the real opportunity to lead the economy and society out of a recession. We are key to recovery , as I will continue to argue. So King Canute , begone !
It was a frosty morning in Charlbury , and again it was a delight to take the Hound for a walk across the frozen fields. But the croissant and coffee afterwards were welcoming! yesterday I had my international team at the cottage for an away day talk through our strategy for the next 3 years . ACEVO has helped establish euclid , a third sector leaders network across Europe. we agree that we need to concentrate on pushing for a " social Europe " and that the recession across Europe will provide us with an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the wider third sector to support society and grow the economy. we work closely with lead umbrella bodies in France and Sweden .
One of our plans for this year is an Anglo -French Summit to explore the potential for a European Social Investment Bank. A number of the leading co-operative and mutual funds in France are really interested in the Futurebuilders model and are looking to replicate in France . And wider than this , we believe there is scope for this approach from the EU. I am off to Paris on the 9th February to meet the leading person from the French credit union to develop our strategy and approach . How powerful this would be if it came off . We need to drive up access to capital in our sector so that the opportunities to expand our service delivery ( and these will grow, even in a recession ) can expand . And how much more powerful if there is a EU wide bank . We need Banks that can lend , ( as I argued with Liam Byrne when I met him recently ). So the sooner we get the Social Investment Bank up and running here the better.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Getting Good Governance
Good Governance is crucial to any organisation; and key to effective governance is the Chair- Chief executive relationship. ACEVO does a lot of work in this area , as all CEOs know that handling the Board and Chair is a top priority . I have learnt a lot about the relationship through both the CEO role here at ACEVO, where I am now working with a new Chair and through my Chairmanship of both the Adventure Capital Fund and Futurebuilders.
So lessons? I guess the top one is keeping a focus on the difference between the executive and non executive task . That is not easy because the boundaries can be blurred . And a general rule of behaviour; " no surprises".
To support our members ACEVO has developed a governance review tool. Its an online appraisal template for board trustees, chair and CEO. We developed it after extensive research and testing and have now conducted over 20 reviews. Click here to download information. They have been fascinating and we are now going to write them up in terms of general thoughts and lessons. I had a meeting today with Mary Chapman, who was until recently the CEO of the Institute of Management and an ACEVO member. She is helping focus our efforts and ensure an effective service.
One of the messages we are giving to members is that in a financial downturn, facing finacial problems for the organisation, then effective governance is even more crucial. So if you have a problem Board now is probably the time to sort it! And yes I know, easier said than done, but better a good Board than allowing them to get into problems and then blaming the CEO. We know from the example of the Shaw Trust (just where has that Charity Commission review got to I wonder?) that if there are fundamental flaws in governance then the consequences for CEOs can be dire. If its a problem then now is the time to grasp the nettle, talk to the Chair and think about review.
So lessons? I guess the top one is keeping a focus on the difference between the executive and non executive task . That is not easy because the boundaries can be blurred . And a general rule of behaviour; " no surprises".
To support our members ACEVO has developed a governance review tool. Its an online appraisal template for board trustees, chair and CEO. We developed it after extensive research and testing and have now conducted over 20 reviews. Click here to download information. They have been fascinating and we are now going to write them up in terms of general thoughts and lessons. I had a meeting today with Mary Chapman, who was until recently the CEO of the Institute of Management and an ACEVO member. She is helping focus our efforts and ensure an effective service.
One of the messages we are giving to members is that in a financial downturn, facing finacial problems for the organisation, then effective governance is even more crucial. So if you have a problem Board now is probably the time to sort it! And yes I know, easier said than done, but better a good Board than allowing them to get into problems and then blaming the CEO. We know from the example of the Shaw Trust (just where has that Charity Commission review got to I wonder?) that if there are fundamental flaws in governance then the consequences for CEOs can be dire. If its a problem then now is the time to grasp the nettle, talk to the Chair and think about review.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Job creation , recovery and Bubb preserved
Well , its official . I am to be on the British Library Blog Collection . They have written to me saying that they have a responsibility to preserve national documentary heritage for future generations. Their collecting responsibility extends to UK non print material including websites and so they have been selecting key sites to form the basis of the Blogs Collection . As they say , " the collection will be a valuable resource for researchers now and in the future. "
I have to admit to a modicum of immodest pride that my blog is to be archived. But of course it does rather raise the bar in terms of me carrying on blogging , and even being more discreet ( perish the thought! ). " Bubbist thought preserved for posterity . Can't be bad . Quite what future generations will make of the third sector, or me, remains to be seen!
I see that predictions on unemployment say it will rise to 3ml by 2010. Today it rose to nearly 2m. One of our commercial members has told us that whilst last year there were 70 vacancies per 100 people on job seeker allowance; now it is only 7 per 100. ( though later when I used this statistic with James Purnell he said it was wrong? ) . James , incidentally ,was in a undemonstrative grey tie , perhaps marking the gloom of the recession . Even I was in understated mode.
I am increasingly clear the third sector must lead on job creation . I am relentlessly pushing this message .The fact that Obama will have a major job programme will help convince the treasury I'm sure .
I have had 2 ministerial meetings today to talk through the role the sector can play. Both meetings were extremely productive and marked by a common sense of purpose . I also pushed this line with Nick Hurd for the Tories yesterday . We will see where it goes. I am optimistic though . The government does understand the fundamental point that the sector is a key social and economic player . The opportunity exists to use both the recession action plan and the forthcoming White Paper on public service delivery as a way of putting the third sector in a leadership role for helping recession and recovery .
A bizarre item on " Today " this morning with football teams bemoaning the loss of commercial sponsor hip. One chap was suggesting they will be looking for sponsorship from charities and hospices. I thought the system was the other way round; sports helping charities raise money?
But this has highlighted a real problem for us . At the ACEVO lunch I held for chief executives of the larger charities it was very clear there will be a drastic fall in commercial sponsorship this year. One charity in ACEVO membership raises nearly 75% of their income from the commercial sector and are now facing insolvency . So we are now seeing how far " corporate social responsibility " was for real and how far it was a PR exercise that is ditched when the going gets tough . I'm thinking of opening a Big Black Book in which to enter the names of companies that play fast and loose with CSR so that come recovery the sector will know who to avoid. In a crisis you find out who your friends are!
The morning though started with our own ACEVO Director's group . We are discussing our plans to support and advise members who are facing difficulty . One of the founding principles of ACEVO is that it is a network of CEOs and they can turn to each other for support at a time of crisis . Often a CEO cannot fully discuss worries or plans with staff or trustees and need the help , experience and guidance of other CEOs who have faced those problems . We want to develop a panel of such Chief Executives as well as beefing up the services we offer to members in crisis. We have a huge range of tailored services but we are not always sure members know about them all . So we need to up our communications and marketing .
We will also be putting on recession workshops for Chief executives; in fact ACEVO was off the blocks back in September when we and the CAF laid on such workshops. Leadership again . But leadership also involves working with others and particularly with other key sector leaders. joined up approaches will be needed form us all .
And the evening ends with a dinner at our friends CCLA ( suppliers of investment to the sector ) for a further meeting of our Tory task force under Harriett Baldwin, Deputy Chair of Futurebuilders. A group of members who are working on comments and advice on the Conservatives Green paper on the third sector. A lively discussion . the next meeting is an evidence taking session , then a meeting in Worcestershire and final dinner with Nick Hurd before we launch the report of our conclusions.
I have to admit to a modicum of immodest pride that my blog is to be archived. But of course it does rather raise the bar in terms of me carrying on blogging , and even being more discreet ( perish the thought! ). " Bubbist thought preserved for posterity . Can't be bad . Quite what future generations will make of the third sector, or me, remains to be seen!
I see that predictions on unemployment say it will rise to 3ml by 2010. Today it rose to nearly 2m. One of our commercial members has told us that whilst last year there were 70 vacancies per 100 people on job seeker allowance; now it is only 7 per 100. ( though later when I used this statistic with James Purnell he said it was wrong? ) . James , incidentally ,was in a undemonstrative grey tie , perhaps marking the gloom of the recession . Even I was in understated mode.
I am increasingly clear the third sector must lead on job creation . I am relentlessly pushing this message .The fact that Obama will have a major job programme will help convince the treasury I'm sure .
I have had 2 ministerial meetings today to talk through the role the sector can play. Both meetings were extremely productive and marked by a common sense of purpose . I also pushed this line with Nick Hurd for the Tories yesterday . We will see where it goes. I am optimistic though . The government does understand the fundamental point that the sector is a key social and economic player . The opportunity exists to use both the recession action plan and the forthcoming White Paper on public service delivery as a way of putting the third sector in a leadership role for helping recession and recovery .
A bizarre item on " Today " this morning with football teams bemoaning the loss of commercial sponsor hip. One chap was suggesting they will be looking for sponsorship from charities and hospices. I thought the system was the other way round; sports helping charities raise money?
But this has highlighted a real problem for us . At the ACEVO lunch I held for chief executives of the larger charities it was very clear there will be a drastic fall in commercial sponsorship this year. One charity in ACEVO membership raises nearly 75% of their income from the commercial sector and are now facing insolvency . So we are now seeing how far " corporate social responsibility " was for real and how far it was a PR exercise that is ditched when the going gets tough . I'm thinking of opening a Big Black Book in which to enter the names of companies that play fast and loose with CSR so that come recovery the sector will know who to avoid. In a crisis you find out who your friends are!
The morning though started with our own ACEVO Director's group . We are discussing our plans to support and advise members who are facing difficulty . One of the founding principles of ACEVO is that it is a network of CEOs and they can turn to each other for support at a time of crisis . Often a CEO cannot fully discuss worries or plans with staff or trustees and need the help , experience and guidance of other CEOs who have faced those problems . We want to develop a panel of such Chief Executives as well as beefing up the services we offer to members in crisis. We have a huge range of tailored services but we are not always sure members know about them all . So we need to up our communications and marketing .
We will also be putting on recession workshops for Chief executives; in fact ACEVO was off the blocks back in September when we and the CAF laid on such workshops. Leadership again . But leadership also involves working with others and particularly with other key sector leaders. joined up approaches will be needed form us all .
And the evening ends with a dinner at our friends CCLA ( suppliers of investment to the sector ) for a further meeting of our Tory task force under Harriett Baldwin, Deputy Chair of Futurebuilders. A group of members who are working on comments and advice on the Conservatives Green paper on the third sector. A lively discussion . the next meeting is an evidence taking session , then a meeting in Worcestershire and final dinner with Nick Hurd before we launch the report of our conclusions.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Obama ; and lessons for us
It was inspiring . Poetic. Beautifully phrased and powerful. A remarkable speech . We watched it as a staff group in ACEVO , with sparkling wine to toast the 44th President of the USA. I realised I had a meeting at 5pm but managed to rearrange . It was the one event of the year you simply just want to be part of ; even if only gathered around a TV screen.
And I hope people noticed that yesterday he and his wife spent the day volunteering . He is clear we must move on from selfish individualism to a society where we think of what we can give back . its an example to us too. its a message to our government that they must see the third sector as a crucial part of how we tackle the problems of recession and how we use the sector to fuel a recovery . It is no good pouring money into small business alone . We are a sector that can create value added jobs . We can ensure our communities stay together and are not torn asunder by the divisions of rising joblessness.
There are 2 big opportunities for Government in the next month . They will produce a third sector action plan for the recession and they will produce a White Paper on public service reform . Both can chart a way forward for our sector . But they will need to be bold . They need to chart the leadership role the sector can play ; central to economic recovery ; not marginal to it . Central to social well being ; not a by product . That will require strong political direction . I'm not sure the usual civil service circumlocutions will do . ACEVO has set the bar high for delivery of recession help . We want a £500m cash flow fund to support third sector bodies. We will judge the response overall , but we do need new money in the same way that the banks and small business have needed an injection of resources to weather the storm and enable us to help the victims of recession . And further than that lets look at how we can create jobs and full time volunteering opportunities and apprenticeships. We shall soon see ; but it is clear that Obama is looking to a major job creation programme . We need that here . And with the third sector at the forefront.
And I hope people noticed that yesterday he and his wife spent the day volunteering . He is clear we must move on from selfish individualism to a society where we think of what we can give back . its an example to us too. its a message to our government that they must see the third sector as a crucial part of how we tackle the problems of recession and how we use the sector to fuel a recovery . It is no good pouring money into small business alone . We are a sector that can create value added jobs . We can ensure our communities stay together and are not torn asunder by the divisions of rising joblessness.
There are 2 big opportunities for Government in the next month . They will produce a third sector action plan for the recession and they will produce a White Paper on public service reform . Both can chart a way forward for our sector . But they will need to be bold . They need to chart the leadership role the sector can play ; central to economic recovery ; not marginal to it . Central to social well being ; not a by product . That will require strong political direction . I'm not sure the usual civil service circumlocutions will do . ACEVO has set the bar high for delivery of recession help . We want a £500m cash flow fund to support third sector bodies. We will judge the response overall , but we do need new money in the same way that the banks and small business have needed an injection of resources to weather the storm and enable us to help the victims of recession . And further than that lets look at how we can create jobs and full time volunteering opportunities and apprenticeships. We shall soon see ; but it is clear that Obama is looking to a major job creation programme . We need that here . And with the third sector at the forefront.
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