CharityComms launches new drive to improve public understanding of charity

08 Sep 2014 News

CharityComms is establishing a working group to look at how charities can be more proactive in explaining how they work and respond to criticism, in a bid to maintain public trust and confidence in the sector.

CharityComms is establishing a working group to look at how charities can be more proactive in explaining how they work and respond to criticism, in a bid to maintain public trust and confidence in the sector.

The membership body for charity communications professionals is leading the initiative, which is based on work it has done with NCVO on how the sector can tackle negative views and misconceptions.

A roundtable event at the beginning of October will initially bring together ten people from the sector, including comms professionals and sector bodies such as NCVO and Charity Finance Group.  

It includes Brendon Paddy, head of communications at the Disasters Emergency Committee; Sherine Krause, director of fundraising and communications at Action for Children, and Karl Wilding, director of public policy at NCVO.

Alan Gosschalk, director of fundraising at Scope and a key player in the Impact Coalition which was set up in 2005 to play a similar role, is also a member of the group.

'New negative atmosphere'

Vicky Browning, director of CharityComms, said: “It has come out of a general feeling in the sector that we are in a more negative atmosphere than we have been in terms of media and political attitudes, and members of the public questioning charities and the way they work.

“Public trust remains high but there is a strong feeling we cannot afford to be complacent.
 
“Charities have a fantastic relationship with the public and that is fundamental to charities and voluntary groups. It is a crucial part of the whole fabric of life in the UK, but we cannot just assume that is going to stay the way it has been.

“There is a feeling charities must be more proactive about upholding public trust.”

The aim of the working group is to create “a new narrative for the voluntary sector” and will develop a set of lines charities will be able to take in response to criticism.

She said the first meeting in October would decide the way forward and develop a timeframe for its various activities.

“We feel there is an opportunity to build more public understanding of what charities do both in terms of overall contribution to society, but also how they work. They are not run by the wives of colonels in the Army - it is a different world and there is a feeling that has not really sunk in,” Browning said.

Saxton: Get positive charity stories into the national media

Joe Saxton, former chairman and founder of CharityComms, co-founder of the research consultancy nfpSynergy and member of the group, said: “The aim is to narrow the gap between how the charity sector works and the public’s understanding of how it works. The group will make sure the public’s love of charities is underpinned by a solid understanding and evidence of how they work, rather than any outdated notions.”

Saxton said the group would look at how to get more generic stories about charities and how they work into the media, as well as developing ways for charities to explain issues such as chief executive pay, admin and fundraising costs, to the public.

There will also be research into understanding public perceptions of charities and developing best practice on how charities can be more transparent.   

Saxton said one of the items for the first meeting is the issue of funding, but it is hoped that a lot can be achieved on a voluntary basis.

Impact Coalition spent £125,000 then moved into Acevo

The Impact Coalition, which stood for Improving Accountability, Clarity and Transparency, moved into Acevo from the Institute of Fundraising in the middle of 2009. At the time, the Institute had decided that it had already devoted enough funds to Impact - £100,000 over two years - and did not want to contribute much more. Shortly afterward other sector bodies stepped in to fill the funding gap - Charities Aid Foundation gave £15,000 and the Charity Finance Directors’ Group and Public Fundraising Regulatory Association each provided £5,000.  

By mid-2011 it had been assimilated into Acevo's policy and comms team and little more was heard about it.

Similar moves afoot in US

In the US, activist and fundraiser Dan Pallotta is establishing a Charity Defense Council to defend and promote the work of charities and their value to society.