This is a rapidly evolving crisis, and each area of the charity sector is developing responses tailored to their communities and their expertise. We ask the sector to hold the following principles in their decision making.
To support each area, we have provided a list of resources and case studies to demonstrate how these principles apply in practice. We have also provided some prompts to use in decision making to support implementation.
1. NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS RACIAL INEQUALITIES IN THE SECTOR
We have received reports from within civil society that individuals and organisations are refusing to work on racial injustices in the sector, stating that these issues do not hold the same priorities during this scale of a national crisis. This is a false binary that is rooted in a misguided and oversimplified understanding of racism. Racism is deeply embedded in our society. Beyond the sanitised sensitivity training and the too often tokenistic diversity hiring, we must be watchful and concerned about the biases that lead to ineffective programme design and implementation. By taking race out of the equation we are denying the lived experience of racism from the communities we are trying to reach. This is not an issue to be deprioritised but is central to an effective response to the crisis.
So many of our decisions during this crisis will have a lasting impact for generations to come. If we take race out of the conversation, we are damning communities for years to come.
RESOURCES AND CASE STUDIES
ACEVO webinar on developing an equitable response to the crisis
Karl Wilding, CEO of NCVO, highlighted the impact of #COVID19 on BAME organisations at DCMS enquiry on 31st March noting that BAME led organisations were in trouble before the crisis. Since these organisations are helping those furthest away from state, he noted it is critical we get support for them during this time.
Resourcing Racial Justice has been launched by a group of people of colour (POC) social change leaders aiming to provide financial support to POC community and grassroots organisations responding to COVID-19 crisis.
PROMPTS FOR DECISION MAKING
FOR FUNDERS: Are we engaging with and supporting grantees to look at how any response acknowledges and champions tackling racial inequality?
FOR ORGANISATIONS: Is our approach truly intersectional? Have we considered and taken into account the impact of racial bias in our design and implementation?
2. ACKNOWLEDGE THE POWER YOU HOLD, DON’T DISTANCE YOURSELVES FROM IT
3 years on from Grenfell Tower, the government is still failing in crises that disproportionately affect displaced, low-income BAME communities. As a sector, we need to ensure that we are offering these communities the support they need. Power is concentrated in the hands of well-meaning Boards and Executives, but this power structure does not effectively support beneficiaries. With power comes responsibility, responsibility to take action. While the charity sector has plenty of power, there has been very little action done with it, especially on racial inequalities. It is beyond time for the sector to acknowledge its ability to have a wide-reaching and lasting impact across society. Too often we distance ourselves from accountability by chasing a societal ideal we aren’t living up to. The social issues our sector tackles are not the problems themselves, they are symptoms of the colonial power structures of society. If we continue to position our ambulances at the bottom of the cliff, we are overlooking our ability to build a fence at the top. Focusing our conversations on ‘risk’ instead of power is shortcutting to the bottom of the cliff. While it may appear to be a well-intentioned solution, the impact of this low-effort option will continue the cycle of social issues instead of fixing the society itself.
Traditional models of grant giving, and programme delivery didn’t adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and left communities further disadvantaged. In lieu of funders and the government offering the necessary support, local community organised groups and unregistered voluntary organisations created their own safety nets. To ensure we don’t return to the ‘normal’ which created these social issues, we need to reflect on our sector structures and create space and resources for new models of community support.
Key workers are still risking their lives and livelihoods to prevent further COVID-19 fatalities, with their risks also being reflective of a broken society. Our calls to support the NHS can be backed up with tangible action, and taking risks ourselves too. We can utilise and challenge our sector power to support communities by listening to what they need to create impactful change.
RESOURCES AND CASE STUDIES
The Social Change Agency has provided fiscal hosting for COVID-19 community groups to allow local groups to easily receive donations and pay expenses
Peace First have launched a rapid response coaching and grants process to help young people around the world lead projects that address the community impacts of COVID-19
PROMPTS FOR DECISION MAKING
FOR FUNDERS: What power do we hold in the sector? What do we need to do differently to support the current crisis response? What aspects of our governance or traditional policies and processes need to be adapted? Who in our communities holds the information needed to make effective decisions?
FOR ORGANISATIONS: What power do we hold in the sector? Are we best suited to respond to the crisis? What is the minimum we need to withstand the crisis? How can we provide our supporters direct access to our local partners?
3. ACTIVELY VALUE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND CENTRE AT-RISK COMMUNITIES
Lived experience has fast become a buzzword in the sector. It should counterbalance the lack of diversity in the charity sector, give our programmes integrity and ensure their success. However, as a sector, we rarely do more than play lip service to the idea. Those with lived experience are often put on a pedestal and tokenised if they get past the case study at all. They aren’t actually at the decision table. Our favourite buzzword has fast become a shield to continue to make the same choices we would have made before. Actively acknowledging lived experience brings groups into the decision making, it acknowledges past failings - it widens the circle of “we”.
There is a sense of urgency to release new programmes, new funds or new legislation. How much lived experience is being held in this design? Are we truly centring the communities we want to support? Whilst it is important to reach quickly, we shouldn’t take shortcuts on the path to implementation.
RESOURCES AND CASE STUDIES
Ubele Initiative are conducting an ongoing live survey to measure the impact of COVID-19 on BAME VCS organisations and inform funders, civil society leaders and policy makers on how they may respond.
Synergi is due to launch an online survey to gather and document the lived experience of ethnic minority groups who have experienced severe mental illness. They also want to collate carers experiences regarding how they are coping during the Covid-19 lockdown. The findings will inform a new online journal platform and community.
PROMPTS FOR DECISION MAKING
FOR FUNDERS: Are we behaving and seeing ourselves as equal partners? Are we valuing what communities are bringing to the table?
FOR POLICY MAKERS AND PROGRAMME LEADS: How do we know for sure what is and isn’t working? How can we ensure that lived experience is informing and directing our policy/ programme design?
FOR CHARITIES: Are we identifying, building trust and working directly with local community leaders to deliver emergency responses, and structuring their response in relation to this information?
4. IT’S TIME TO TRUST THE BAME VOLUNTARY SECTOR
Civil society is at its best when we work to support and advocate those who are most at risk and those who are overlooked by the state and policymakers. In the midst of this crisis we are seeing that it is local community groups, newly formed mutual-aid cooperatives, and local faith groups (the organisations overlooked by the charity sector and not easily accessible by policymakers), who are quickly providing the most meaningful opportunities for communities to feed into local emergency response plans.
In addition it is estimated that there are between 9,000 -10,000 BAME charities and community groups operating nationally, 65% of which have an average turnover of less than £10k annually. Over the last decade we have seen the decimation of the BAME voluntary sector. This is in part due to funding approaches that do not recognise or trust in the expertise of marginalised communities including those who are BAME. Most existing BAME led organisations are small, community-based charities working directly with those with the greatest needs. They have limited resources to showcase their value to funders or tick the boxes needed. These same groups are seeing rising demand for their services. Many are on the brink of closure, lacking reserves due to years of under-funding. This would leave many communities without essential and trusted specialist support and infrastructure.
Previous crises have shown that larger charities are more resilient and more able to effectively raise funds during emergency situations. BAME VCS groups need an urgent and adequate injection of funds to ensure their continued existence but will not be able to compete unless larger charities cede their ground, and funders actively seek their inclusion.
RESOURCES AND CASE STUDIES
Future Foundations UK have shared a powerful statement offering a vision for how funders can deliver radical change in solidarity with those most harshly affected.
Small Charities Coalition have developed a resource hub to guide small charities in their response to COVID-19.
PROMPTS FOR DECISION MAKING
FOR FUNDERS: How can we actively target, have conversations with local leaders or fundamentally change traditional applications? Is there a pilot to reach community groups that could be trialled now? What policies and processes do we need to implement to support small charities and grassroots groups to access funding? How do we hold ourselves accountable to this? How can we use our power in the sector to remove the red tape? How can we ring-fence funding for organisations led by BAME and other marginalised groups
FOR NATIONAL CHARITIES: How can we actively listen to and understand the needs of our local partners? How can we share resources and divert funding to smaller grassroots charities who might struggle to meet funding requirements or compete against larger charities for grants,including staff and resources.
5. RECOGNISE AND SUPPORT BAME STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
BAME individuals and their families continue to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, across a wide variety of factors including their employment. Evidence by the Resolution Foundation showed that BAME employees are more likely to work in low-paid sectors and be in more junior positions. This hierarchy meant that BAME staff made up a higher proportion of those furloughed, experiencing salary reductions or job loss. It is important that senior leadership teams and Boards acknowledge and account for this when planning how to provide adjustments and support for their teams.
A Note on the Whitewashing of the Coronavirus response
It is more important than ever to celebrate the BAME staff and volunteers at the front line of our collective response. BAME communities have a long history of working within the NHS and wider health and social care services. Around 1 in 5 NHS employees come from BAME backgrounds based on current reported figures and BAME medics make up 43% of senior NHS doctors and 47% of junior doctors. Before the crisis these individuals are still often treated as ‘outsiders’ and their efforts overlooked.
We rely on our health and social care professionals now more than ever and are grateful to them for putting their lives at risk to save lives. They deserve support and recognition. Yet the faces of those on ‘frontline’ in the fight against coronavirus are portrayed by the media and the NHS as exclusively white. This is an inaccurate representation and reinforces the message that BAME NHS workers are seen as outsiders. This is despite the fact that we know the first four doctors to die after contracting Covid-19 were all Black and Muslim.
RESOURCES AND CASE STUDIES
Equalities Expert, Pari Dhillon recently shared a list of questions that senior leadership should ask themselves as they make decisions regarding furloughing, redundancies and salary cuts.
#POCIMPACT are working to develop a COVID-19 response to keep PoC staff connected and supported during this uncertain period.
PROMPTS FOR DECISION MAKING
FOR BOARDS/ SENIOR LEADERSHIP: re. BAME NETWORKS: Have you met with them to discuss their specific needs during this time? How are your new working policies and practices impacting BAME staff and volunteers? How can you provide additional support during this time?
FOR BOARDS/ SENIOR LEADERSHIP: re. WORKFORCE PLANNING: Have you made an assessment of workforce planning around the crisis to ensure that it does not have a disportionate and negative impact on their BAME employees and volunteers? This includes staff that are contracted by organisations, such as cleaning staff.
FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS: Have you checked your materials and language to ensure it is inclusive? How can your campaigns avoid reinforcing racial stereotypes?
Help us reach more people and leaders in the charity sector. Share this paper and join the conversation on twitter by using #CharitySoWhite.