Fragmentation of effort by multitude of charities

One of the biggest gripes I have is with the fragmenting of charitable work. Each charity needs an office, paid staff, publicity, travel expenses etc.

There are many, many good charities which have been long established in Ireland. We all know who they are, all know what good work they do. By somebody deciding to start a new charity, all they are doing is creating new overheads to pay, funds which could have been better used by the existing charities.

If you compare the two members of Boyzone Keith Duffy and Ronan Keating. Keith Duffy and family run charity events and all the funds go to Autism Ireland. Supporting a good charity. Ronan Keating and family set up a new charity, with all the expense that entails, take funds away from the established charities and name it after their mother. I am not doubting the sincerity or the good work of people from Marie Keating foundation but I think that one extra charity brings a further layer of bureaucracy and deprives the charitable works of funds.

So, these new charities which are collecting, while they may be of good intent, I would advise people to stick with the established charities.

Maybe some of the established charities are getting old and flabby and lazy, with high-paid staff doing little for the end customer?

I'd advise people to do their own research to find a good charity - could be a new one or an old one.

I'm with Complainer here. While I'm in the gripe mood I get somewhat peeved when I see some Charities giving fairly large TV coverage to Sarah the sumptious blonde nurse just to enhance their "Give us more money" campaign while Plain Jane who does all the nursing work in the field hospitals is largely kept out of sight.

Whether we like it or not these large charity organisations are big business.

Indeed - I get peeved when the TV advertising for charities (and also for some businesses) seems to be more about building the image of the boss appearing in the ad than the charity/issue/product itself. If it starts out with "Hello, I'm xxx xxx", it's a bad sign.

Complainer said:

Maybe some of the established charities are getting old and flabby and lazy, with high-paid staff doing little for the end customer?

I'd advise people to do their own research to find a good charity - could be a new one or an old one.

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Good point; competition and choice in an open market are good things. You're learning

Seriously though, it's very interesting talking to staff from the UN who have been on the ground in a humanitarian crisis and their gripes about NGO's and their hostility towards the UN and each other. Then talk to people from the NGO's about the UN.

The unfortunate thing is that both sides are right.

I'm sure the same thing repeats itself in Ireland between the Charities and the government.

Charity is an industry. Take that as your starting point and then everything makes sense.

Many of the established charities have gone away from their brief and are now moving into territory that is not their function. High administrations cost, spending attending confeeences etc. It has become a career option for some administrators

About 10 years ago I was offered complementary tickets to a santa event that was being held in Goffs, quite a big deal at the time; from a then client who was very well off. I asked her how she got hold of them and she said a friend of hers worked for the ISPCC and they received them as donations from the organisers and passed them on to her friends. Apparently this wasn't unusual. I couldn't believe it and needless to say I declined.

A.

terrontress said:

One of the biggest gripes I have ....................... Each charity needs an office, paid staff, publicity, travel expenses etc..................

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These are the trappings of a flabby charity, not many small charities can afford to be flabby

Enthusiastic volunteers are the main prerequisite for a good small charity

Nuts & Bolts :

Office : Many small charities have a room ( or two ) at http://www.carmichaelcentre.ie/

Paid staff : ever hear of volunteers ?

Publicity : Almost free with a bit of imagination & some schmoozing of the media

etc etc etc