Julia Unwin, chair of the independent
Civil Society Futures inquiry, published this week, believes HCM’s approach should inspire the voluntary sector. The inquiry argues that, at a time of enormous upheaval, from Brexit to #MeToo, charities have not always responded well to the social changes. Too often they are regarded by a sceptical public as disconnected both from local communities and the people they exist to serve.
They have prioritised corporate expansion, becoming centralised and brand-obsessed. Some have become service providers, chasing – and in some cases becoming financially dependent on – contracts from local and central government. Getting too close to the state risks compromising charities’ advocacy role – not least where there are contract gagging clauses, says Unwin. Some organisations have lost sight of their overriding mission to fight for people in need. “If you sign a contract [to provide a state-funded service] that stops you speaking out, you are probably in breach of your charitable purpose,” she says. Unwin will not name names but some big charities, she says, are “losing the plot”.
The clever ones, according to her, are reconnecting with grassroots networks. She was struck, during hundreds of meetings and conversations over the two years of the inquiry, how many charities urged her to use it to make new demands of the government. Her conclusion is that this is the wrong way to look. The real campaigning energy is in communities – both in actual places and online – and that, not Westminster, is where change happens and mission, trust and legitimacy can be renewed.
