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Etherington warns sector on 'coercive' contracts

Finance | Vibeka Mair | 6 Nov 2009

Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the NCVO, has voiced concerns about charities running prisons and taking up other "coercive" roles, warning that the sector must recognise such decisions can be controversial.

Writing in The Times last week, Etherington said: “It is not for me to say whether a charity should take on a particular contract, but charities must recognise that such decisions can be controversial and will therefore have wide repercussions.

“Up to now the debate has focused on whether we should be involved in running prisons, as opposed to providing support and services to those in prisons. But similar issues arise in other areas. For example, organisations working with unemployed people may be asked to judge whether or not an individual should receive benefit.”

Risk and benefit balance

On these decisions, Etherington said that trustees, not just chief executives or the management team, should be involved.

“It is their responsibility to balance the benefits of taking on a contract against the risks that may be involved.”

He said trustees had to consider the impact of the decision on their independence and charitable values, the possible change in relationship with government or beneficiaries, the loss of their ability to campaign and the effect on their reputation.

“As charities we need to be clear how far it is appropriate for us to take on the mantle of the state, particularly in relation to its coercive functions.

'Empowering vs. having power over'

“There is a world of difference between empowering someone and having power over them – between giving them the skills and the confidence that they need to find work or to turn away from a life of crime and having control over people whose liberty has been taken away.

“It has been suggested that it is appropriate for us to take on these new roles because we have people’s trust and confidence. I would like to turn that argument around: we have people’s trust and confidence because we do not act coercively. And we risk that trust if we take on roles that change the very nature of our relationship to our clients and beneficiaries.”

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Directory: National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
Who's Who: Vibeka Mair | Sir Stuart Etherington