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Different branches of same charity split over use of chugging

Fundraising | Tania Mason | 9 Jun 2011

The decision by orphan charity SOS Children’s Villages International to recruit a face-to-face fundraising adviser to spearhead its use of the fundraising technique in various countries, is at odds with the position of its UK branch on use of the method.

Andrew Cates, chief executive of SOS Children’s Villages UK, is an ardent opponent of street fundraising, claiming it is not nearly as cost-effective as online methods and is unpopular among the UK public.

But earlier this month SOS Children’s Villages International advertised for a “talented and experienced face-to-face fundraising leader” to fill the post of ‘individual giving adviser (face-to-face)’ to provide “experience and cutting edge expertise in face-to-face fundraising in its key markets”.

The job ad states that F2F is one of the “key fundraising tools” that SOS Children’s Villages will be using to reach its ambitious 2016 targets for new committed donors and income. The successful candidate will take responsibility for all “learning, skill sharing, best practice, training and integration of F2F with other fundraising tools such as telephone fundraising throughout the organisation”.

They must be able to travel internationally as “50 per cent of the role will be in various countries”.

Cates (pictured) responded to the move in a blog on his charity’s website.  He pointed out that individuals in different cultures have different feelings about what constitutes their ‘private space’: “In the UK we do not feel it appropriate to approach strangers on the street and ask them for direct debits (chugging). Interrupting someone’s private thoughts walking down the street is just not welcome.

“Yet, in parallel, our colleagues in some European countries and in the developing world use street fundraising. Indeed, they recently advertised in the UK for a manager to help improve their street funding efforts which caused some confusion amongst our donors. The advert was also rather out of character for SOS because we normally reassure potential employees that we offer a positive working environment where fundraisers are only asked to do respectful and positive fundraising.

“But we should emphasise that in all countries we do respect donor privacy, it is part of our core values and we would not do anything in any country where we felt it was instrusive. Chatting on the street in the sunshine of mañana may be different from blocking Britain’s busy urban walkways, and may be respectful if done well.

"Anyway I was always taught that good governance meant 'every decision is taken by someone with the time and knowledge needed to take it properly'. Therefore I defer to my Mediterranean colleagues to decide what our core values mean in practice for them.”

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Who's Who: Andrew Cates