‘Political’ is not a dirty word: it’s time to stand up
Civil society must throw away the idea that speaking up is ‘too political’ and step into public life – for the sake of us all
Blog
SMK’s role during the Coronavirus emergency: what do you need?
We don’t know how long the Covid-19 emergency will last. Charities, not-for-profits, community groups and mutual aid groups are now rightly focused on the immediate needs of the communities they serve, and on staying active so they can meet them.
Civil Society and Covid-19
“Neighbourhoods are the cells which keep society whole. We are threatened with infections, from outside and from within; our powers of resistance and eventual recovery depend largely on whether these neighbourhood cells are healthy or beginning to decay.” Tony Gibson, Counterweight: the Neighbourhood Option (1984) This quote from nearly forty years ago is spookily apt.
You already have this: unlocking confidence in an emerging social influencing team
Barnwood Trust is a Gloucestershire-based organisation championing disabled people and people with mental health challenges. They commissioned SMK to help develop their influencing programme. An initial workshop with the senior management team (SMT) allowed us to listen to Barnwood Trust’s influencing journey so far. Social influencing was agreed as the best way achieve large-scale impact,
Climate breakdown and Civil Society: collaborating to make best use of limited resources is our best hope
Hope for the Future is a climate charity which works to equip communities, NGOs and individuals to communicate the urgency of climate change to their local politicians. SMK contributor blogger Georgina Collins, reflects on the challenges of the last year and how, with hope and collaboration, it is possible to overcome them.
It’s not too late – Five Resolutions for 2020
We’re not usually ones for New Year resolutions, but 2020 is gearing up to be an important year for civil society and change-making. So, we’re starting as we mean to go on!
Here is the news – facts are dead. Where will real debate happen now?
We no longer trust ‘facts’, it’s getting harder to be heard over the din of increasingly busy media coverage, and charities are anxious about being seen as ‘party political’. How can civil society stay part of our national political debate?
Does your campaign need some legal fireworks?
Lasting social change is often complex and long term – but legal action can inject energy into your progress
Trust isn’t a popularity test
Like many long-established institutions, the charity sector has struggled to find its feet in the accelerating roil of political debate.
We need to reward civility in politics
The tone of debate these days is markedly disrespectful, which is why the Depolarization Project’s Civility in Politics awards are a welcome innovation
Recent Posts
- ‘Political’ is not a dirty word: it’s time to stand up
- SMK’s role during the Coronavirus emergency: what do you need?
- Civil Society and Covid-19
- You already have this: unlocking confidence in an emerging social influencing team
- Climate breakdown and Civil Society: collaborating to make best use of limited resources is our best hope
