Charities’ efforts to improve diversity are ‘unconvincing and ineffective’, warns NPC

10 Jul 2019 News

People are frustrated by the charity sector's "unconvincing and ineffective" efforts to improve diversity, according to a project launched by NPC today. 

The charity think tank, NPC, has published a collection of essays and podcasts Walking the talk: Putting workplace equality, diversity and inclusion into practice, which show people feel that efforts to improve diversity so far have been too slow and seen as tokenistic. 

It consists of 10 essays and four podcasts with contributions from charities and funders, as well as from private and public sectors providing insight for the charity sector from diversity efforts in other areas.

Nathan Yeowell, head of policy at NPC said: “What we have heard through this work is that, in a wide variety of ways, people feel they are not listened to. 

“They feel excluded, undervalued and tokenised. 

“We wanted to share these perspectives, as well as practical advice aimed at overcoming and remedying the problems at their heart, because we believe that understanding both equally is important for positive change." 

Practical resource and outlet for criticism

Yeowell said: “We hope that by providing a resource for people who need practical help, and an outlet for those with criticisms and frustrations with the sector, we have added something valuable. 

“If we can start having these sometimes-difficult conversations, we can work towards a shared understanding of what needs to be done and agenda for change.”

The project was funded by Trustees Unlimited and Russam GMS. 

Sophie Livingstone, managing director of Trustees Unlimited, said: “We are delighted to support this project. 

“With 70 per cent of charity board positions not being advertised openly, it has never been more important to shine a light on the consequences of ‘group think’ in the not-for-profit sector. 

“Asking challenging questions of a charity’s work and purpose requires different voices around the table.”

Civil Society Media's Charity People & Culture Conference takes place in September and this year the overall theme is 'Wellbeing & inclusion in modernisation'. View the programme and book online here.

 

 

 

More on