The Summit, not Giles, is what we wanted to discuss

So The Summit has been cancelled. As you may know, I blogged on here a few weeks ago questioning the lineup after many people on Twitter commented that there was only one woman speaking and all speakers are employed by agencies. 

The Summit opened up, I think, a much needed debate about equality and how even in our sector, women still seem invisible at times. (In fact, the whole raison d’etre of Charity Chicks). Sadly the point about the speakers all being from agencies seemed to get lost and was never really discussed.

I think it is an equally valid point and one I would love to see debated with the same passion at some point.

Now I love a good debate and I love Twitter. One of the great things about social media, and in particular Twitter and blogging, is it gives anyone a voice. Which is fantastic. It makes it a great and exciting time to be a fundraiser, and a great and exciting time to be a person interested in the world around you. 

Giles Pegram took to Twitter to respond and I personally was pleased to see him do so. Debate is not debate when it is one sided. 

In fact, I would have loved to have seen the other speakers join in and discuss! (At least four are on Twitter at the last look).

Now the problem with Twitter is it gives a voice to anyone as long as they have the knack of commenting in 140 characters or less. It is a great place to spark debate but not necessarily the best place to finish a debate. 

Giles said some stuff on Twitter that was then incorporated into a news article. Taken away from Twitter and printed in black and white it looked pretty shocking and offensive. Put back into Twitter and in the context of short, snappy, 140 character responses it looked more like clumsy, but at least engaged, debate. 

Tania Mason of Civil Society then spoke to Giles to get his opinion - away from the Twittersphere, and in person. Giles then made some widely reported comments, for which he has subsequently apologised. 

Whilst, sadly, none of the other Summit contributors felt able to engage in the debate from what I can see, I do feel, and suspect many other people involved in this debate feel the same way, that Giles has been made into the face of this issue.

Giles has given so much to our sector and is great fighter for equality. The Summit, not Giles, is what we wanted to discuss. And The Summit is an example of the problem, but not the problem. There is so much to discuss and improve around the issue of diversity in our sector.  

BUT The Summit put itself out there as wanting to solve the crisis in our sector for us. That is a bold statement and one that, in this social media age, is inviting itself to be discussed, challenged and argued over. People on Twitter had every right to question the lineup and Charity Chicks had every right to blog about it.

So I was a little surprised to see The Agitator so agitated this morning that The Summit has been cancelled. The idea that asking important questions about The Summit is a firing squad seems a bit over the top to me and the comment about ‘a giant nibbled at the heels by dwarfs,’ is, I think, pretty offensive to the fundraisers out there who wanted to comment. 

But the Agitators are entitled to their opinion just as much as we at Charity Chicks are entitled to ours.

In fact the very first comment on the article is questioning how anyone can claim to be a feminist and refer to themselves as ‘chicks’. I happily call myself both a feminist and a charity chick and don’t see a problem with it. 

However we didn’t set up a blog for everyone to agree with everything we said and tell us how great we are. Criticism is an important part of helping this blog get better. 

So with this in mind, I think it is a shame The Summit was cancelled. I hope that it does happen at some point and the comments, concerns and yes, criticism, of it are taken into account and it comes back bigger, better and stronger. 

Kathryn Brooke

@ethicalchalleng

The Summit – It’s not for girls (apparently)

So you may have seen this on twitter – many of you may have commented on it on twitter – Giles Pegram CBE and Professor Adrian Sargeant have set up something called The Summit. It is a one day event which will ‘change the rules of fundraising’. Exciting stuff I am sure you will agree. The list of speakers (as well as including Giles and Adrian) is:

• Ken Burnett
• Alan Clayton
• Pesh Framjee
• Tod Norman
• Bernard Ross
• Joe Saxton
• Kevin Schulman
• Professor Jen Shang

Now a great list of speakers and I genuinely mean that. I have seen many of them speak over my years in fundraising and they are all inspiring, interesting, creative people that have contributed masses to the charity sector. However there are two things that jump out of me at this list: 

1. Where did all the women go?

Could they really only find one woman to speak? (and a great speaker she will be). As a sector that was described as ‘refreshingly equal’ (thank you @Kirsty_C for pointing me in the direction of the Civil Society article "Where did all the women go?") , it is disappointing to see so few women speaking at an event like this. 

Where are we all? Sitting in the audience, presumably. 

When questioned about this, Giles responded that he doesn’t believe in quotas (in a very nice polite open to discussion way. I don’t want to turn him into the next Suzanne Moore and get him hounded off twitter by feminist rage).

However what I don’t understand is, in a sector that is ‘refreshingly equal’ why do we need a quota? Surely we should be there on the stage by now? Many have argued that in 10 years time, we will see the progress and we’ll be asking ‘where have all the men gone’. But I feel like this ‘in 10 years time’ line has been around for, well, at least 10 years. 

If we don’t start to see more strong female voices in the sector soon I fear all we will see in 10 years time is more men saying ‘don’t worry, in 10 years.....’

2. Where did all the actual fundraisers go?

If you are going to ‘change the rules of fundraising’, don’t you need some actual fundraisers there? Again I am not trying to knock the people talking. I have a lot of time and respect for all of them and have employed the services of several but surely you need some people actually working in fundraising right now at this very moment  speaking?   

It isn’t the same consulting, advising or generating insight as sitting in a charity office, day after day, knowing your donors, knowing your beneficiaries and knowing your staff. Am not saying that consultants, professors and drivers of ideas don’t have a place at this kind of summit – of course they do - but to have no one on stage that is actively at the frontline of fundraising seems both a waste and kind of pointless. 

Which brings me to the solution. Half of fundraising directors in the UK are now women. More fundraisers at this kind of event would probably mean more women. So who needs quotas anyway?

Kathryn Brooke

@ethicalchalleng

 

Roxy Does Plumpy

So, after deciding to do the Plumpy’Nut challenge for Merlin (find out more here), I thought I’d write a little about the experience and some reflections on the day.

To be honest I knew I wouldn’t find it easy. For those who know me, it’s pretty obvious I like my food far too much. And therein lay one of the main reasons for taking part. Could I, who moans far too regularly about what to have for lunch and dinner, be able to cope with eating just four sachets of Plumpy’Nut for a day?

So, could I? Actually, the answer is yes. And no.

Yes: I didn’t cheat at all. Nothing passed my lips except Plumpy’Nut and water. Not even an extra strong mint. Even when I got home, was on my own, and nobody would be any wiser.

No: I couldn’t manage the four sachets. I only had two and a half all day. It was too sweet, too dense, the texture was horrible, and it wasn’t FOOD.

And the ‘no’ made me think. Who am I to complain about these sachets? How dare I not eat all of them? Texture? Too sweet? How lucky I am to be able to complain about these things.

My Plumpy’Nut day coincided with the UK ‘snowpocalypse,’ where everything grinds to a halt because of the white stuff. It forced me to reflect from very early on in the day. 

A few ‘Plumpy’ notes and reflections

1. As I huffed and puffed at the station this morning because I was late for work, it struck me that I have a job to go to. A job that I love. A job that gives me great satisfaction. And I go to work on a train, in the warm, from my lovely flat that has central heating, clean running water and decent sanitation. The kids that eat Plumpy’Nut don’t have that.

2. People really can be very sweet. I’ve had lovely messages from friends and family supporting me whilst I do this challenge. And some bloody funny ones. Doing it with other work colleagues helped the day pass by. But my favourite moment was at the station this morning. When I asked the coffee lady for a cup of hot water, I explained why and what I was doing; she looked at me and handed me £5 sponsorship.

3. How blasé we can be about food and what we have. I think we know it, and we laugh ‘ironically’, but it has helped me realise. When I sat and discussed how much better the hot water would be with a slice of lemon, and someone suggested ginger, and then someone offered a Ginseng & Hibiscus tea bag….well, it makes you think.

4. I have a headache. And I feel weak. To be blunt, I have quite a store of fat I can pull upon to sustain me. But if I feel like that, after just one day, how do the children who really need Plumpy’Nut feel?

5. Perhaps the biggest realisation for me is that there really are a lot of places to buy and consume food. A lot. I caught the bus home (to avoid the train annoyance) and I lost count of large supermarkets, smaller shops, fast food restaurants, other restaurants, cafes. The list is endless. Food really is abundant here.

My day is nearly over. I’m having an early night and getting up tomorrow for breakfast. Out of all the food in the world what I want now, more than anything, is a bowl of porridge and honey.....

Thank you, thank you, thank you

PS Of course I haven’t forgotten to thank everyone who has sponsored me (like any direct marketer, I know you’ll all skip to the PS!). You’re all amazing. It’s knowing I’ve raised almost £800 (yes, really!), that has stopped me from cheating. I know this money will be wisely spent by Merlin. Thank you.

PPS And of course, if you haven’t sponsored me yet – it’s not too late ;-) http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RoxyDoesPlumpy

Danielle Atkinson

@roxymartinique

Piss off "poverty porn"

So, it’s been a while since this charity chick has blogged. Not very good is it? We’ve been very busy at work – year end, numbers, results, saving and changing lives. You know the score eh?

Then I read this article on the BBC website.

I reacted instantly. Incredulity, anger, disbelief, horror, fury. They were the initial responses. I hoped that after a while I thought I might feel less about it, or care less. So I read it again today after Christmas to see if my feelings had changed.

If anything, they are stronger. After a fortnight of gluttony, family, love, friendship and a roof over my head – all those things I am lucky to have – I actually find this article more offensive than ever.

As a fundraiser I am proud of what I do. And I’m proud of the way in which I do it. If I need to shock people into giving I will. If they feel guilty about this – that’s their problem. This is the all too real situation in which the people we work with are living in.

Certainly in my experience, it tends to be the white middle-class people working remotely who have an issue with ‘poverty shock advertising.’ They want to portray people with ‘dignity’ and consign this imagery to the dustbin. They bandy about the phrase ‘poverty porn,’ and try and make fundraiser’s feel the same guilt they do.

But when I speak to my colleagues who work in country, and who are from that country, they tell me; “This image is fine. It’s what it’s like out here. That’s what our children look like in this area.” They send me images like this to use. 

So I do. And they say ‘thank you’ when we raise the money that means that less children will face this horrible situation.

For me, what I’d like to see consigned to the history books, right alongside this article, is this patronising attitude that only serves to denigrate the profession that I am proud to be in. 

(The initial blog post contained swear words, and a less measured response. I’m still f*****g fuming).

Danielle Atkinson
@roxymartinique

 

IFC Ponderings #2

Following on from reminding myself I should look outside the UK more often, I also need to look outside the charity sector more. We can be quite mired in a ‘them and us’ mindset, so I’ve been going to sessions that bring in commercial sector examples. 

To be honest I’ve enjoyed the sessions, but have I learned a lot? What I’ve found interesting are the similarities. I think we know that, but do we think about it?  Just a couple of examples:

• Successful advertising still uses the solution/problem model. E.g. Your clothes are dirty, you need them clean. Buy our product = Children are dying, give £3 a month
• The testimonial model. E.g. I’m an Australian cricketer who has lost my hair. Buy this and it will grow back = I’m a celebrity who has seen it with my own eyes, give now and save lives.

I’m also sure that there is a lot more that we would like to do in the sector but can’t. Often we just can’t justify the spending involved. I saw an example from Cadbury’s on Wispa chocolate bars. Fascinating stuff. However, the heart of the matter is that: “This was done on a really low budget. Hundreds of thousands of pounds rather than millions.” 

Lovely I’m sure. But the day “hundreds of thousands of pounds” becomes something I can do where I work is probably going to be the best day of my fundraising life - so long as it's direct response :-). And that’s the same for a large proportion of charities.

Of course, there is always something that can be learned – even if it’s that I need to work harder and smarter so that I can deliver the above!

For your interest here are some case studies I saw, and some learning we could (if we're not already) apply to the charity sector:

Hovis 

• Build on your roots, don’t throw away your heritage
• How can you use pre-established ideas that your supporters have to your advantage?
• If you have a long established brand, use it. Don't deny it.

BT - Adam and Jane

• If something new happens, use it. These coincided with the explosion in social media so they took this and built success by integrating
• There’s an instant recognition of ongoing characters and the compelling stories that these have
• How can we use this? (Although I would argue this is what child sponsorship is already replicating)

For the love of Wispa

• Turned the traditional model of telling people about the brand around, and allowed people to tell them what the Wispa brand was
• Command and control may not be the most effective model in an increasingly digital age
• Used crowd sourcing to remarkable effect and showed that supporters really can be the greatest asset
• Watch the video on the making of the video  

My favourite thing from today

I do have one absolute favourite thing from today. It has nothing to do without looking outside the sector. The one thing that has given me the most pleasure is that I met a man who works for a charity that mails their donors 25 times a year.Yes, you read that correctly.

Then when they say they want less mailings he can reduce them to six or 12 and they’re really happy about that. I think that’s just brilliant!

@roxymartinique

Things I have learned #1

It’s day one and a bit of the IFC in Holland and already I’ve been struck by the things I have learned. So, I thought I’d share a few.

1. Team working can be a challenge, but also a pleasure

The Masterclass I attended was built around a real case study and the problems of an organisation. And we had to work hard – and in groups. Working in groups is always interesting but when you know hardly any of the people, all come from different countries, backgrounds, experience, types of fundraising and are communicating in a language which might not be a mother tongue, it can lead to a challenging experience.

So, I learned some patience. It really is a virtue. It’s something I do struggle with – I’ll admit to that. But the work really demonstrated the power of listening, talking and working together. I enjoyed it.

Note to self: I should do this more often.

2. Step outside of your comfort zone

The first workshop I went to was about corporate fundraising. This is not my discipline of fundraising, so I attended to broaden my horizons and hopefully learn some new skills. And, following on from my Masterclass experience, I wanted to step into my colleagues shoes and see what they experience on a daily basis.

It was great. I learned that NGO’s are from Venus and Corporates are from Mars. I learned that it’s bullshit (sic) that Corporates give because it feels good. In the words of our presenter, “Why should businesses care about that?” 

I learned that, “If you want to dance with the wolves, you have to behave like them.” For a corporate fundraiser, this is probably nothing they don’t already know. For a digital and direct marketing fundraiser it made perfect sense, but was great to hear.

Note to self: I should do this more often.

3. Look outside the UK

One thing I’ve always loved about attending the IFC is the opportunity to talk to, and learn from, amazing fundraisers from all over the world. I know what charities are doing in the UK – I’m an avid watcher of fundraising, reader of blogs and reviewer of competitors.

Attending always reminds me how much I forget to look outside of the UK for ideas and inspiration. There are brilliant fundraisers all over the world. And we should look to them more. Amongst many examples today, these two stood out for me:

KFC add Hope

Plumbers without Borders

Note to self: I should do this more often.

4. Go with the flow

I realise I have to admit to always cringing inwardly about the thought of sitting in a room full of fundraisers at a plenary session, listening to people tell me how wonderful we are and how we’re changing the world. I might be tempted to roll my eyes at the whoops of enthusiasm and I wonder where did this cynicism come from? 

Because, you see, I LOVE what I do. I know why I do it (I do want to make a difference), and I am passionate about fundraising in every form. So why do I react like this?  Why does the thought of people whooping because they’re motivated and inspired embarrass me?

I’m not going to start analysing myself intently. The answer is clear. I just need to get over it. Go with the flow. Feel the love. And join in. Even an old cynic like me can be inspired and motivated by a plenary session full of passion and joy.

Note to self: I should do this more often.

5. And lastly, don’t drink too much on your first night

Getting up with a hangover and not enough sleep is something I really should have learned by now....Sometimes it really isn’t possible to teach an old dog new tricks.

Note to self: This is not something I’ll probably ever learn and will, in fact, do this more often.

Thanks for reading. I'm off for a glass of wine.

Do follow me on Twitter @roxymartinique