Days in Other Worlds
I had the opportunity to spend several days with a senior civil servant and was intrigued as how this world existed. Working in the charity sector I was hoping to gain some insight into how they work. I work for a regional charity not big not small.
My thoughts of my days with them, well, my first thought was that the people I met knew nothing about small or medium sized charities. They all knew about the big charities, anything less than a national charity slipped off the radar.
Meetings, the days seem to be spent wandering from meeting to meeting to try and impose some order on a slightly chaotic world. Homelessness seemed to baffle everyone, that there is a desperate need for housing yes, how to provide it seemed beyond their comprehension. In a meeting with lots of local authorities, the major issue was accommodation. When a specific type of family was mentioned i.e. one with more than two children, there appeared to be genuine anxiety of how they could find a three bedroom flat or even a house. Strange to think Her Majesty’s Government blocked in its endeavours by its inability to find a three bedroom house or flat. I did wonder why the Local Authorities did not all say they were banks, then billions of pounds would have been thrown their way in a matter of hours.
At another meeting there was a group of providers who were in discussion how they would cope with the cuts. There were long discussions on the potential of raising money from a variety of different and often hopeful means. Out of ear shot of the civil servants the providers were stating that they were only there due to the cuts that theses civil servants were instituting.
There appears to be a terrible dysfunction in the civil servants understanding of the real world of charities. To small and medium sized charities words such as ethics, morality and care are critical but do not appear to be part of their vocabulary. Recently I met the manager of a very small regional charity who works with a CRC. The CRC is changing their contract and they, the charity, have decided to fold rather than accept the new contract. They found the new contract unethical and were not prepared to compromise their principles. When I told this story there was a complete lack of understanding or comprehension, no discussion lets move on.
On my final day, there was discussion on the blooming charity sector, ever expanding. However in the company I was in I hated to point out that your local rugby club is likely to be a charity or that Eton is a charity or Liverpool Hope University. Charities to me mean they offer a service to anyone in the community with making a financial assessment and their number is shrinking. As I left I was told of the passion and commitment of the civil servants I had met, I could not give them the answer they wanted as I wondered what the passion and commitment was to? This government, their minister, their job or perhaps they should give it to the people they serve the community.
So what does this mean to the TR agenda? I suspect very strongly after my visits that they, the senior civil servants involved, were never interested in discussing TR unless you were a large multinational who had made donations to whatever government is in power.
My background
A long time ago I worked for the Probation Service. I was very proud of the service we offered.
Anon
A clear account of the dysfunctional system within which this country operates chaperoned by blinkered, priveleged jobsworths with career trajectories that over-ride common sense. Similar to taxation - structured such that the "little people" are kept in line while the bigger fish do as they please. Dominic Grieve just finished an interview on R4 by saying he's completely comfortable with the tax system, with all offshore options, etc. They have NO idea or no interest in the impact. Has anyone calculated the full effect of all forms of taxation upon UK residents? Income tax, national insurance, capital gains, inheritance, insurance premium levys, tobacco & alcohol duties, road tax, tax on savings interest, vat... without any more detailed research I would guess that most of us "little people" hand over about 70% of our earnings to this government; and I would suspect that the higher earners avoid most of the taxes through various legal means.
ReplyDeleteGreed is global, hence the recent gatherings of multinational pirhanas feeding on the £Millions associated with TR.
UK taxpayer money given to bail out HBOS? £20.5Billion. Jail terms for associated fraud or corruption by bankers in the uk is nil, whereas in Iceland they jailed 29 of them. Same principle - rules for 'us' & 'them'.
DeleteIceland leads the way again by getting shot of its lying, cheating, manipulative, obscenely wealthy PM who benefitted from offshore banking & hid the facts. Wonder if it will happen here?
DeleteDowning St has issued numerous press releases on Dave's behalf, ranging from "I don't have any offshore accounts" to "I won't receive any future benefit from offshore accounts", covering all other options & family members in-between. Methinks The Dave protesteth too much.
DeleteThe last statement issued was in the future tense, which implies that there have been benefits for Dave & family but that they will now change their arrangements. Dave is, of course, too smart to have any direct links to offshore heaven (or should that be havens?) and is undoubtedly furious that PoppaCam's offshore goldmine has been rumbled: "Just popping out to the board meeting, darling. Have you seen my passport and swim trunks?"
Sound familiar? Remember those PSR interviews where it moves from "I wasn't there" to "I might have seen something" to "I know who did it" to "Okay, it was me".
DeleteThese days when I come across the word 'charity' I don't think of a higher human attribute, but of greedy, grasping CEOs who are on 100k plus, pursuing an aggressive business model that would make the robber barons blink hard. I think of the chuggers who like double-glazing salesman are driven by their commissions to get the mugs to set up direct debits. I still give to charity, but only those very local and non-corporate.
ReplyDeleteAnd they sprout up everywhere, entrepreneurially filling the spaces left by the shrinking state. As for TV commercials, sometimes it takes a while to determine whether it's a bank or a cancer charity advertising, as they go to such great pains to emotionally manipulate us by showing how well-intentioned they are.
"There appears to be a terrible dysfunction in the civil servants understanding of the real world of charities." It's worse than that, they don't know what Probation do!
ReplyDeleteOne of the most depressing things I ever heard: "We are not really expert in domestic violence work, but we went for the bid* as a loss leader as we are after the SARC market in your area"
ReplyDelete*successfuly, displacing a stunning womens charity
"A Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) is a special facility where recent victims of rape or sexual assault can receive immediate help and support. This includes access to a forensic medical examination, which is carried out by an experienced and qualified doctor, and the opportunity to speak to the Police about what has happened to them if the client wishes to do so. SARC clients also receive help and advice from one of our Crisis Workers who can offer to support them and stay with them throughout the process."
Delete21:18 Who said it? Is it safe to assume one of the CRC owners? In Yorkshire there was a saying, where there's muck there's brass! Could be amended for CRC's where there's misery there's money!
ReplyDeleteI have not posted on here before and I'll apologise in advance for going off topic but im wondering if everyone else is experiencing huge problems with nps shared services? Ive found that they hardly answer the phone but that when they do, they usually provide duff advice. Ive had letters from them going missing, payslips tuning up late and emails going unanswered. I have been told that the staff working for shared services have no training in personnel issues but that they just regurgitate info found on some kind of database whether its accurate or not. There is no individual support anymore, you never get to speak to the same person twice. I now save myself time and trouble by just going directly to google. Another fine example of outsourcing.
ReplyDeleteAs a non-believer of any religious structure I nevertheless thought this 'prayer' from the christian community was something which god-fearing civil servants, politicians & the broadest range of greedy, lying, self-serving parents who claimed to be christians might like to contemplate:
ReplyDelete"Heavenly Father, help me impart to my children that lying is a serious sin. Reveal the truth to my children that lying lips are an abomination to You, Lord. You’ve told us in Your word that we are not to lie to one another since we have put off the old man with his deeds. (Col. 3:9) We know that hidden things will be revealed and that lies and dishonesty are built on shifting sands. (Matt. 10:26). It is my desire that my children let no corrupt word proceed out of their mouths. (Eph. 4:29) Help me to be a living example to my children not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)... Help my children to be careful who they become involved with, and may they not compromise their integrity with lies or dishonesty. I ask for protection for them against greed, and self interest that often leads to dishonest actions.
Thank you Lord, that with Your grace, my children put away bitter envy, strife and self seeking from their hearts. Nor do they boast or lie against the truth. (James 4:14)"
How about the CRC's prayer? "I hope to fuck this works!"
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