In 2008 and 2009, he was the only recruitment consultant appointed to sit on the steering group to develop the National Occupational Standards for Campaigning. He has also sat on an expert panel run by Skills – Third Sector examining the possibility of an apprenticeship in campaigning.
In 2010, he contributed to the NCVO’s Trustee guide to campaigning and influencing.
Jonathan was a Councillor in Islington between 1998 and 2006, including being the Mayor of Islington. He has also been admitted into the Freedom of the City of London
March 2012
Letter published in Third Sector 26th March 2012
It is disappointing to say the least to read that of the 30 staff who are at most risk of redundancy at Mencap are those in the campaigns, policy and communications teams. If this happens, it looks like “the voice of learning disability” will become a little softer for a while.
This proposal would be heading in the opposite direction of many other charities and campaigning organisations who after a tough couple of years are in 2012 investing again growing in these areas. The marked increase in recruitment for campaigning and policy roles in the last quarter is producing a postive outlook at last for this sector for the rest of the year and hopefully beyond. And it doesn’f feel like it’s just a blip either.
The reason Mencap is looking to cut campaigns, policy and communications roles was reported in Third Sector as lost funding from local authority contracts. I would have thought a loss of funding from this source would have meant a reduction in the charitable side of Mencap’s work rather the their work in gaining justice and long term change for people with learning disability.
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January 2012
Letter published in Third Sector 17th January 2012
To hear it click: http://bit.ly/AjF6uF
To read it….. here it is:
Cathy Pharoah is correct in noting in her article “Charities can make a difference…” when she says that “…there are signs that the sector is increasingly rediscovering the power of advocacy”
Charities despite smaller budgets are realising they can get a better return on their investment to reach their aims and goals by turning to advocacy and campaigning tactics. The change has been happening for a few years – began slowly in the late 1990’s then really took off around 2005 – Make Poverty History played an important role in this.
We see new campaigns and charities investing in policy analysis and development then using it to make change by using campaigning, public affairs and parliamentary tactics. As a result, we’ve increased our staffing to cope with this by over 70% and moved into larger premises.
It is a real shame that at a time where this expansion in campaigning is occurring that the NCVO’s Campaigning Effectiveness team which supported the sectors work no longer exists. There is a gap that needs filling if anyone is up for taking on the challenge.
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December 2011
Holding out for a hero with the right ethos
Earlier this week I tweeted:
“Help for Heroes is non-political and non-critical, we simply want to help” – that’s suitable, but means that they don’t have the right ethos
Help for Heroes have just recently won an award for being the Most Admired Charity and this comment about being “non-political and non-critical” struck me and realised that with that attitude they will never be a client of The Right Ethos.
All of the organisations we work with are critical. And most of them get involved in the political debate to a greater or lesser extent. Personally, I’m glad they do. Because the aspirations of our client organisations are, I believe, higher. They work to change our world or our society for the better. They campaign for justice.
There’s certainly a place for charities who simply want to help out. And I wouldn’t be sniffy about them. They can provide a valuable safety net. Or provide activities that you wouldn’t expect to be paid for out of our taxes.
My award for Most Admired Charity 2011 would go to one that campaigns and is critical and often supports political behaviour to gain permanent change.
To show that we don’t wish any bad will, many of the Christmas cards sent out by The Right Ethos this year are in aid of Help for Heroes.
Season’s Greetings
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October 2011
Meeting Wangari Maathai – environmental and social activist
The death of Wangari Maathai on 25th September 2011, took me back to the day I was fortunate to meet her. It was the same day as Live 8 Day in 2005.
At the time, I was the Mayor of Islington and for my year in office, I had a theme – a small campaign to try and affect public attitude in the borough. I called it “International In Islington”, where we celebrated different countries and regions linked with Islington – through our residents and the work done in the borough.
And to take the fact that we are international positively, instead of the negative outlook that some newspapers had and still have today.
That day I had three events to attend under my international theme. The first one was to celebrate Africa In Islington. The 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Professor Wangari Maathai attended the African Diaspora and Development Day, held by the charity AFFORD on Holloway Road.
Professor Maathai was a member of the Kenyan government and was internationally recognised for her persistent struggle for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. She had just became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Honourable Professor Wangari Maathai was the Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources in Kenya. She was also the Founder and former co-ordinator of the Green Belt Movement.
I managed to spend some time talking to her in the “green room” before the event. For me, as someone who had spent 2 months in Kenya & had just finished working for the World Development Movement, meeting WangariMaathai on Live 8 Day at an African disapora event was tremendously special.
Like all the best campaigners I’ve ever met, she was utterly optimistic, she once said:
“I have always believed that, no matter how dark the cloud, there is always a thin, silver lining, and that is what we must look for us.”
If you care about campaigning, I can recommend her biography – but if at least Google or Wiki her and find out more about this important woman.
May 2011
Charities should challenge politicians’ view of them
The article “Donors Will Reject Charities” refers to comments form a Canadian charity law expert. He spoke at a European-wide conference stating that donors in 10 years time will question whether charities are worth funding as they don’t solve social problems, but simply make things more tolerable.
I think we need to note that his comments may not be directly applicable for the UK. He spoke at a European event and he is from Canada. But in the UK, particularly over the last 12 years, charities are tackling the root causes of social problems – ever increasingly so.
Charities are campaigning more, working on public affairs better & increasing their engagement on the parliamentary level. And the general public, including donors, are more and more open to campaigning as the most effective way to change our society & our world for the better.
Those of us who care about the campaigning sector just need to counter those politicians – often the target of our campaigning – who wish to see charities as inoffensive, cuddly organisations and even want to use charities to financially off-set some of the responsibilities of the state.
September 2010
Charities must increase their investment in campaigning
Mike Hobday who leads on campaigns at MacMillan Cancer Support is right to say that “the role of campaigning will increase as spending cuts take effect”.
The most progressive organisations, and I’d count MacMillan Cancer Support firmly within this group, are realising that they need to get a better “bang for their buck” – a better return on their spending. And at this time of threatened cuts it brings to the fore that successful campaigning gives the better return than any other activity for an organisation which is concerned about the long term goals.
The less progressive organisations which perhaps don’t take campaigning for real change seriously, but see if as an add-on because other charities are doing it, may look to reduce their emphasis in this area. They will be doing their campaign and the beneficiaries of their campaign a severe disservice in the long term.
Mike referred to campaigning being important in order “to leverage the system to their advantage”. This is very true and it will be a measure of the charities and campaigns over the coming months to see how genuine they are about long term change, by increasing their investment in campaigning.
November 2009
You’ll never meet a poor bookie – how betting can help campaigning
Recently, I was on the Forum for Change’s Discussion board and someone asked:
“We’re looking at PPCs and who is the most likely to get in at the next election so we can try and make contact ahead of May. Do you know if there is an easy way to bring up a list of people from each party who have a small majority?”
I don’t gamble myself, as I like to keep my money rather than fritter it away, but I am intrigued by the market that betting creates. How it uses knowledge and gives it numerical and financial values.
That’s why I replied to this question as follows:
“There are probably ways of finding or collating such lists. However, they give you little information on what’s happening beyond what happened 5 years ago in the poll.
I think you need to be cannier to identify the real marginals. This is a report released earlier in October looking at 238 marginals and polling voter intentions:
politicshome.com
But, I would also look at the political betting markets to get an indication of potential change. You need to understand your odds and it’s probably worth having the results of the 2005 polls with you as you look.
Try – Political betting
The bookies are never 100% right – if they were no-one would bet, but they may well be 80% correct – so great information, based on real knowledge which can inform campaigning.”
October 2009
Letter of the Week in Third Sector Magazine
Dear Editor,
I was at an event today when I heard something that nearly made me fall off my chair. Not in surprise because I know it was not an uncommon view being expressed, but not one that I thought someone was daft enough to state to the audience gathered.
The person, who was responsible for brand for a charity – very forward, very 2012 thinking, having a role just looking at charity brand and nothing else. This person said:
“Yes I’m very interested in campaigning. It’s vital towards supporting our brand.”
Readers of this who are not aware of anything wrong with this statement, please put yourself in The Wrong Ethos category. For those who didn’t know, campaigning was not invented to create brand awareness. It’s not there to give some colour to the “donor’s journey”.
Pretty sure that the suffragettes didn’t have the following thought process:
“Feel a bit uneasy about the throwing one of us in front of the king’s horse idea – I think it doesn’t fit in within our current branding guidelines.
Or the Anti-Apartheid Movement consider that demonstrating outside the South African embassy may conflict with the branding work that they’ve done and so affect the face-to-face fundraisers in nearby Leicester Square.
We campaign to change our society and the world we live in. To achieve change. Not to support an everlasting circle of marketing and brand re-positioning. The ultimate aim for a campaign is to be so successful that there is no need for it to exist.
January 2008
Did Bagpuss have The Right Ethos?
Children’s television programme maker Oliver Postgate died aged 83 in December. He was behind the classic children’s TV programmes Bagpuss, The Clangers, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Pogles and Pingwings.
He made the bulk of the shows while living at Wave Crest in Whitstable – about half a mile from where I’m writing this article in the offices of The Right Ethos.
Oliver Postgate had The Right Ethos. His family had a strong socialist history. His grandfather on his mother’s side was George Lansbury, Labour party leader from 1932 to 1935, one of his aunts Margaret Cole of the formidable Fabian partnership of GDH Cole and Margaret Cole.
The young Oliver registered as a conscientious objector when he reached call-up age during the second world war, and spent some months in prison.
Postgate subsequently worked for the Red Cross in occupied Germany. Back home, he went into partnership with Peter Firmin, forming the production company Smallfilms which produced the children’s TV classics.
Postgate was later to be active in the campaign against nuclear weapons, addressing public meetings and writing pamphlets.
But did Bagpuss have The Right Ethos? It’s inconclusive. Postgate, of a left-wing persuasion, described Bagpuss as a Miaow-ist
October 2008
Paul Newman – did he have The Right Ethos?
This time last year I wrote following the death of Anita Roddick – about whether she had The Right Ethos – which she clearly did have.
Sadly, I’m writing today about Paul Newman who died last month – another individual who used their wealth and celebrity to try and make positive change in the world.
I met Paul Newman, in September 2004 (corrected from e-newsletter, which said 2005). It was a genuinely bizarre but wonderful encounter.
It was on Highbury Fields in Islington. I was the Deputy Mayor of the council at the time. And he was promoting his Newman’s Own food range – all the profits of which go to support children’s charities.
To keep the children’s theme, Paul Newman was there performing as a clown at a special event as part of Zippo’s circus. There I told you it was bizarre, he was dressed as a clown and me and my wife, Cath, as deputy mayor and mayoress in our chains of office.
After the performance, we were introduced to him. We expected a quick handshake and to be moved on – but instead we spent a cherished 4 minutes talking to him, mainly about Blair and politics. Just to confirm that those blue eyes were incredible close up.
It was a cherished moment because I knew the power of the man. Obviously I loved his films – particularly Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid and The Sting.
I also admired his commitment to philanthropy including the establishment of summer camps for children who suffered from life-threatening illnesses.
But what was great about Paul Newman – why he had The Right Ethos – was his commitment to human rights. Supporting unpopular causes which could have at least limited or even stopped his career.
Newman was also a vocal supporter of gay rights and, in particular, same-sex marriage.
He once said
“I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being… by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant. “
In 1963, Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward, demonstrated in Alabama with James Garner and Marlon Brando, promoting civil rights, and in 1968 they opposed the war in Vietnam.
He championed the cause of nuclear non-proliferation and in 1978 President Jimmy Carter appointed Newman as a US delegate to the UN Conference on Nuclear Disarmament.
It is not surprising then and clear confirmation of Newman having The Right Ethos that he was 19th on the enemy list of Richard Nixon.
March 2008
Why it’s important to have The Right Ethos.
I often wonder whether people fully understand what our organisation means by the term “The Right Ethos”. And why our recruitment consultancy, which specialises with organisations that campaign, felt it important enough to use the term as its name.
Recently we successfully placed a candidate who I felt epitomised the sort of candidates that we want to attract to The Right Ethos. She had the qualities that our client needed for them to succeed.
She had about four years experience as a fundraiser for a hospital. I think she was grateful for the job but not comfortable fundraising for a charity which she wasn’t particularly passionate about.
She had gained very transferable skills and experience useful for most charities and campaigns. She came to The Right Ethos determined to work for a campaign that she cared about. I interviewed her and was convinced by her enthusiasm to work for a cause that campaigned to improve our society or our world.
We fortunately had a role that was perfect for her – however, the salary was about 18% less than she was currently earning. But she didn’t need any persuading that it was a good move for her. She was determined to work for this campaign – even though financially she would be out of pocket.
The best part of the job of a recruitment consultant is when a candidate, who you’ve got to know and understand, which is necessary if you are going to match them with the right role and organisation, gets the job they really want. And this is what exactly happened – she was delighted to hear the news. Happily resigned to taking a drop in salary, as for her this was taking her in the right direction for her career and her life.
Now she has The Right Ethos. But it isn’t just about commitment. I think our successful candidates are a different breed to people who want to work for a conventional charity. For the candidates that we select, it’s also about wanting to be involved in political change. Not simply about offering charity, but about working for justice as they can see a wrong that needs to be fundamentally righted.
When I first drafted this article for ngomedia last December, the newspapers were dominated with the news of the unfortunate British teacher in Sudan, who inadvertently caused offence with the name of a toy. This issue achieved many times the coverage and causing so much more outrage and anguish in the UK media than the death of over 400,000 people in the conflict in Sudan in recent years.
This for me is an example of the incorrect balance of priorities we still have in the UK.
I don’t believe our society is wholly wrong – but something is clearly a bit skewed, if we give more attention to the imprisonment of one British person against the deaths of so many Sudanese people.
Another example of this being that of the extreme amounts of media focus on the fate of one child, Madeline McCann whilst other children in the UK and across the world are mistreated or killed.
That’s why we firmly believe that best placed to correcting this and the several other problem situations or injustices are the many campaigning organisations that The Right Ethos works with – be it on social justice, human rights, animal rights, democracy, housing, the environment or other just causes. And their individual staff members working for justice and long term change. To do so their starting point is having the right ethos.
October 2007
Anita Roddick – did she have the right ethos?
Last week the memorial to Anita Roddick was held at Westminster Central Hall in front of 1500 people on what would have been her 65th birthday. I’m sure many people reading this article that work for campaigning organisation will have a story to tell about her. She played a major part in the funding and campaigning support of so many organisations.
Is it too cynical to suggest that her involvement was all part of the building of the Anita Roddick brand? That she did so much just to position herself and the Body Shop in order to develop such a Unique Selling Point of being a highly ethical business. This certainly has attracted a significant number of her customers over the last three decades to turn her into a multi-millionaire, as they wanted to buy into the ethics of her and the Body Shop.
Before you answer, let me just say that yes, I think it is too cynical.
Anita Roddick was a woman who used her position and wealth to try and improve our society and the world. She was a business woman first and foremost. You have to be that single-minded to have her success. But what she did with her wealth and profile, often quietly and without excessive ego, was admirable.
When I was at the World Development Movement, she recorded a BBC Radio 4 appeal for us. She was easy to deal with and did the job that we asked of her, trusting what we asked her to read. This on top of “organisation-changing” sized donations from her foundation.
I believe that Anita Roddick was someone who demonstrated time and time again that her motivations were not cynical, but very healthy and that she had the right ethos.
August 2007
Charities campaigning….are they having a laugh?
Over the last five to ten years, charities have moved into campaigning and started getting political. They have entered territory where previously only more politcal campaigning organisations would venture. Organisations such as Amnesty, Greenpeace etc. set up purely to campaign have been joined by their charity counterparts in the arena of campaigning.
Or are they really campaigning? Has it been a genuine strategic move by charities to affect long term change in society? Or has there been other motives at work…money, or fundraising to be fairer.
I’m talking in general terms of course, I truly believe that some charities have started campaigning and done so for the best reasons. They are employing some of the top campaigners in the not-for-profit sector and are making real political change.
However, as a recruitment consultant some campaigners have told me that they’re leaving their roles because they don’t believe the charity’s heart is really in long term change. That when the charity use the term “campaigning” that they really mean “brand positioning” or “brand awareness” in order to support their fundraising from their individual supporters. And that charities set unachievable campaign targets with no real hope of achieving them but just to be out there, somewhere in the campaigning arena.
Is this true what people are saying? And is it just charities? Or are campaigning organisations themselves guilty of this? Is there anything wrong with the tactic of using campaigning to strengthen the brand?
