I came across this post earlier discussing the rise of real time news. Real time reporting can be gripping; how many of us sat open mouthed and horrified as we watched the second plane collide with the twin towers, or people jumping from the windows on 9/11? But while it brings us instantly up to date, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming and may actually stop us from processing any of it in any depth. With information overload being a well voiced issue at the moment (even making it into adverts for microsoft's search engine bing), how can we control the information we receive and make the most of this progress in reporting? This article examines different ways to make the news we receive manageable and relevant; using these tools lets you cut out the white noise of too much irrelevant information and actually find the facts that mean the most to you.
Whilst flicking around the web this morning I came upon this blog about measuring well-being. As mentioned by Dr Thompson above, there are ever expanding definitions to health and well being which very much depend upon individual circumstances and aspirations. For anyone who has just come home from abroad, it is easy to see that different countries view well-being very differently, however, even amongst people in the same neighbourhood, personal circumstances vary hugely, and for most people well-being involves an interaction of numerous factors which bring joy to your life. The blog questions therefore, given the arbitrary nature of individual measures of well-being, how can a government ever hope to measure the well-being of their nations? If you ask around your home and work place, I bet no-one can quite put a finger on exactly what is necessary for them to feel a sense of well-being. Is it therefore even possible to measure the well-being of an individual, let alone a whole nation? In which case, how can you improve the future life and well-being of those people for whom you work? What do you think?
According to this recent article, mobile phones are now being used mostly to download information and data rather than to chat on. Originally used primarily for work, the expansion of capability in mobile phones over recent times has lead to an increasing number of people accessing online information on the move. For the VCS this has a number of implications, including the ever increasing need to have information accessible at all times and having an accessible presence online.
Thinking about your organisation, have you exploited the internet to its full advantage?
Are there ways you can improve your online presence; for example, could you set up a skype account so people can chat live with you?
Do you need to make changes to working practices to improve access out of hours?
Have a look at the following drivers to see how this could impact on your organisation:
With £6bn of spending cuts to be announced in the next week, people are getting increasingly nervous as to where those cuts will be made. This article suggests that with much of the money likely to be cut from public services, the future of these services may be in the hands of people immigrating to Britain as we struggle to fill the gaps left by people emmigrating.
This begs the question - if this does happen, what effect will this have on your organisation, and on British civil society as a whole? Keep an eye on this as the VCS is likely to play a role in keeping tensions reduced and supporting immigrants new to the country.
The Future Foundation's report Social networking: progress and expansion gives an interesting analysis of this topic; presenting and analysing social networking in the UK and looking at how online engagement interacts with consumer behaviour. It looks at technological innovations that will influence the future of social networking, how it influences relationships and self expression, and wider influences on consumer behaviour and engagement. Worth a look at if this topic is something you've been thinking about at all.
That’s an interesting suggestion Karl, and one that face-to-face fundraising relies on; it’s a social guilt initiative (an unfriendly phrase, but seemingly apt). Maybe what we should ask instead is are we using the right asks or nudges, rather than are there enough? Advertising and marketing Agenices use a variety of ways to encourage people to buy particular products based largely on psychology and market research to attract different types of people. Maybe it is time the VCS followed their lead?
Related to the above point that skills gaps and shortages may ease, I have just read an article showing some anecdotal evidence that non-profit organisations in the USA have seen an increase in volunteers since this time last year. This has been a suggested outcome of the recession by many people, so it will be interesting to see if this increase happens in the UK as well. In preparation you might like to consider the following:
*Can your organisation offer useful volunteering opportunities to skilled people?
*Do you have the support mechanisms to ensure volunteers are employed in th most appropriate ways?
*Are there areas of your work that you would like to develop that need certain skills? Perhaps these are where you could employ new volunteers?
At today’s training session for Development Workers on Understanding the External Environment in Yorkshire and the Humber, the final question asked was what are the arguments for doing strategic analysis? What can you tell the organisations you support on why this is important? Here are some of the thoughts:
*It helps you focus your organisation and team’s thinking – helps everyone work to the same goals and understand why you are working in the way you are
*It can provide the difference between survival and failure – it gives you a greater chance of being around in 5 years
*Allows you to improve professional development for your staff
*It allows your organisation to be responsive
*It makes sure you are offering a relevant service that the users want and need
*It helps mitigate risk
*It helps with internal work planning; to recognise resources (including people and skils) you have, and those you need
*Improves governance
*Allows your organisation to stay relevant to users, mission, other stakeholders
*Enables your organisation to maintain its credibility internally and externally
*Can enhance your control over change, rather than change having control over you: ‘staying ahead of the game’
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this; how it has helped your organisation, and the positive aspects of it you can see?
I saw an interesting quote in the New York Times today which seems relevant to this point:
“It used to be an elite few. Now anyone can make a book and it looks just like a book that you buy at the bookstore.”
Eileen Gittins, chief executive of Blurb, a print-on-demand publishing firm.
The aim of Blurb is to democratise media and make it accessible to all, a drive which seems to be becoming more and more relevant in today’s digital world.
The government has recently announced new funding for volunteering programmes which bring the generations together, the aim being that bringing the generations together will help tackle issues in the local community. It might be worth looking therefore at your organisation’s work, and whether there are opportunities here for you.
I’m interested by the assertion above Olly, that having a more active voluntary and community sector undermines local democracy. How does it do this?
To me local democracy is about being able to take part in the decisions that affect you, your locality, and the community in which you live. Your locality also involves the places where you spend your day, whether that be at work, where your children go to school, where you go shopping; it is the places that make up your personal geography.
In today’s world, I also think local democracy has a wider application than voting in local elections. Although the word democracy originally means government by the people or by those they have elected, it has come to have wider implications of being able to participate in many decisions; planning applications, how services are designed and run, and so on.
As Dhara has pointed out, even the government asserts that part of democracy is about being able to take part in debates and decisions, and to take up civic roles.
A major aim of many organisations within the VCS is to empower the individuals they support, with a specfic aim of many organisations to enable people to take part in the debates and decisions that affect and effect their lives. I would therefore argue that a more active VCS should in fact support local democracy in its purest sense; by allowing debate and consensus amongst ALL the people that are involved in the locality, not just those people who are voting.
The financial times has carried out a series of interviews with what they term ‘chief protagonists’ of the credit crunch about their thoughts on what happened, and how they think finance will change when the economy recovers. Some interesting viewpoints and well worth a watch
I just read a report on consumer advocacy, which outlines the challenges this could face in the years up to 2020. Although many VCOs do not view themselves as targeting consumer markets, most are ‘selling’ goods and services, and therefore still need to be able to attract and support people in much the same way as more traditional markets do. The report looks at social and economic trends that may affect consumers, and then goes on to outline how they may need support in the future, and is therefore an interesting, and potentially useful resource for you to look at.
I recently read some research which found that the most trusted source of information on the economic situation is not the Prime Minister or even the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but the BBC’s business editor, Robert Peston. This raises interesting questions about trust in institutions and where people get their information about events impacting on their lives. Something to think about for information providers?
I read an article this morning which stated that the most trusted source of information on the economic situation is not the Prime Minister or even the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but the BBC’s business editor, Robert Peston. This raises interesting questions about trust in institutions and where people get their information about events impacting on their lives. Something to think about for information providers?
In September, local futures and the LGA held an event on Place shaping and the Sub-National review. Although I didn’t attend the event, I have since read the presentations, and they raise some interesting points regarding local infrastructure and capacity. Worth a look at for anyone more interested in the topic in general.
And the thing I think a lot of people forget (which I guess is what Caroline alludes to above), is that your strategy should speak directly to your mission, vision and aims. If it doesn’t, one or the other needs looking at!
I think theory of change is an interesting topic, and one that is worth discussing further, although I think it is often ignored in strategy. Knowing how change happens can help you influence it, or, if not influence it, then at least understand it better and therefore use it in your strategy. Social psychologists may see this as their realm, but marketing executives have long been using these theories to influence their market, and there is no reason why VCOs should not do the same. After all, strategy is all about making your work more effective, and understanding change and how it happens is an extremely powerful tool in this. Previous posts of mine have looked at this subject (One small step, nudge, nudge) and as this is a particular favourite of mine, I’m sure there will be more to follow.
NCVO’s Conference Suite is fully wheelchair accessible. Teas and coffees on arrival
What is ‘Generation Y’? How are they different to ‘Generation X’? You may have heard these terms being used; now come and talk about their implications for the VCS. Come and discuss different generations in the paid workforce and hear some thought-provoking presentations from experts in this field.
NCVO Third Sector Foresight seminar series
This seminar is the latest in a series of events run by NCVO Third Sector Foresight each of which explores a specific topic in depth.
The aim of NCVO Third Sector Foresight seminars is to provide delegates with time and space away from the daily pressures of running their organisation to think in depth about how complex external trends may impact on their organisation in the future.
They also aim to bring together a wide range of people who are thinking about the future of their organisation in order to generate lively debate, share ideas and give delegates the chance to meet and discuss strategic issues with their peers.
With an increasing number of banks, building societies and big city firms in trouble or going out of business, everyone is wondering how it will impact on them. Although the media and the government has tried to claim that banks crashing in the USA will have little or no effect on people within Britain, when a bank like Lehman goes out of business, it is so inextricably linked to the global markets that it cannot help but effect them in some way. I think we have to be realistic at this time, and accept that, given the current environment, many people within Britain will be affected, as will many organisations. There are many possible implications for VCOs, for example:
An increasing number of people out of work requiring support
An increasing number of people in debt
A reduction in donations
An increasing number of people (employees and beneficiaries) suffering from stress
It is hard to see the positives in such a situation, but there are also opportunities, for example:
Charity shops have already shown an "increase in spending":http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7591970.stm_
Relationships and contracts can be negotiated at longer term as people try to guarantee income
There will be an increase in beneficiaries for some organisations
Apparently, the latest hot investment is Russian collective farms . The investment and re-structuring of the farms has the potential of massively increasing Russia’s agricultural output, which could lead to less pressure on other agricultural nations and an easing of the overall global pressure on food production. It also has the potential of increasing Russia’s power within the wider global market and it remains to be seen whether this will be positive or negative.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI came across this post earlier discussing the rise of real time news. Real time reporting can be gripping; how many of us sat open mouthed and horrified as we watched the second plane collide with the twin towers, or people jumping from the windows on 9/11? But while it brings us instantly up to date, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming and may actually stop us from processing any of it in any depth. With information overload being a well voiced issue at the moment (even making it into adverts for microsoft's search engine bing), how can we control the information we receive and make the most of this progress in reporting? This article examines different ways to make the news we receive manageable and relevant; using these tools lets you cut out the white noise of too much irrelevant information and actually find the facts that mean the most to you.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightWhilst flicking around the web this morning I came upon this blog about measuring well-being. As mentioned by Dr Thompson above, there are ever expanding definitions to health and well being which very much depend upon individual circumstances and aspirations. For anyone who has just come home from abroad, it is easy to see that different countries view well-being very differently, however, even amongst people in the same neighbourhood, personal circumstances vary hugely, and for most people well-being involves an interaction of numerous factors which bring joy to your life. The blog questions therefore, given the arbitrary nature of individual measures of well-being, how can a government ever hope to measure the well-being of their nations? If you ask around your home and work place, I bet no-one can quite put a finger on exactly what is necessary for them to feel a sense of well-being. Is it therefore even possible to measure the well-being of an individual, let alone a whole nation? In which case, how can you improve the future life and well-being of those people for whom you work? What do you think?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightAccording to this recent article, mobile phones are now being used mostly to download information and data rather than to chat on. Originally used primarily for work, the expansion of capability in mobile phones over recent times has lead to an increasing number of people accessing online information on the move. For the VCS this has a number of implications, including the ever increasing need to have information accessible at all times and having an accessible presence online.
Thinking about your organisation, have you exploited the internet to its full advantage?
Are there ways you can improve your online presence; for example, could you set up a skype account so people can chat live with you?
Do you need to make changes to working practices to improve access out of hours?
Have a look at the following drivers to see how this could impact on your organisation:
Always on society
Ubiquitous connectivity
Access to the internet
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightWith £6bn of spending cuts to be announced in the next week, people are getting increasingly nervous as to where those cuts will be made. This article suggests that with much of the money likely to be cut from public services, the future of these services may be in the hands of people immigrating to Britain as we struggle to fill the gaps left by people emmigrating.
This begs the question - if this does happen, what effect will this have on your organisation, and on British civil society as a whole? Keep an eye on this as the VCS is likely to play a role in keeping tensions reduced and supporting immigrants new to the country.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightThe Future Foundation's report Social networking: progress and expansion gives an interesting analysis of this topic; presenting and analysing social networking in the UK and looking at how online engagement interacts with consumer behaviour. It looks at technological innovations that will influence the future of social networking, how it influences relationships and self expression, and wider influences on consumer behaviour and engagement. Worth a look at if this topic is something you've been thinking about at all.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightThat’s an interesting suggestion Karl, and one that face-to-face fundraising relies on; it’s a social guilt initiative (an unfriendly phrase, but seemingly apt). Maybe what we should ask instead is are we using the right asks or nudges, rather than are there enough? Advertising and marketing Agenices use a variety of ways to encourage people to buy particular products based largely on psychology and market research to attract different types of people. Maybe it is time the VCS followed their lead?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightRelated to the above point that skills gaps and shortages may ease, I have just read an article showing some anecdotal evidence that non-profit organisations in the USA have seen an increase in volunteers since this time last year. This has been a suggested outcome of the recession by many people, so it will be interesting to see if this increase happens in the UK as well. In preparation you might like to consider the following:
*Can your organisation offer useful volunteering opportunities to skilled people?
*Do you have the support mechanisms to ensure volunteers are employed in th most appropriate ways?
*Are there areas of your work that you would like to develop that need certain skills? Perhaps these are where you could employ new volunteers?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightAt today’s training session for Development Workers on Understanding the External Environment in Yorkshire and the Humber, the final question asked was what are the arguments for doing strategic analysis? What can you tell the organisations you support on why this is important? Here are some of the thoughts:
*It helps you focus your organisation and team’s thinking – helps everyone work to the same goals and understand why you are working in the way you are
*It can provide the difference between survival and failure – it gives you a greater chance of being around in 5 years
*Allows you to improve professional development for your staff
*It allows your organisation to be responsive
*It makes sure you are offering a relevant service that the users want and need
*It helps mitigate risk
*It helps with internal work planning; to recognise resources (including people and skils) you have, and those you need
*Improves governance
*Allows your organisation to stay relevant to users, mission, other stakeholders
*Enables your organisation to maintain its credibility internally and externally
*Can enhance your control over change, rather than change having control over you: ‘staying ahead of the game’
Does anyone else have any thoughts on this; how it has helped your organisation, and the positive aspects of it you can see?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightTwitter offers some great opportunities for VCOs. Have a look at Louise’s post if you’re interested in finding out more.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI saw an interesting quote in the New York Times today which seems relevant to this point:
“It used to be an elite few. Now anyone can make a book and it looks just like a book that you buy at the bookstore.”
Eileen Gittins, chief executive of Blurb, a print-on-demand publishing firm.
The aim of Blurb is to democratise media and make it accessible to all, a drive which seems to be becoming more and more relevant in today’s digital world.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightThe government has recently announced new funding for volunteering programmes which bring the generations together, the aim being that bringing the generations together will help tackle issues in the local community. It might be worth looking therefore at your organisation’s work, and whether there are opportunities here for you.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI’m interested by the assertion above Olly, that having a more active voluntary and community sector undermines local democracy. How does it do this?
To me local democracy is about being able to take part in the decisions that affect you, your locality, and the community in which you live. Your locality also involves the places where you spend your day, whether that be at work, where your children go to school, where you go shopping; it is the places that make up your personal geography.
In today’s world, I also think local democracy has a wider application than voting in local elections. Although the word democracy originally means government by the people or by those they have elected, it has come to have wider implications of being able to participate in many decisions; planning applications, how services are designed and run, and so on.
As Dhara has pointed out, even the government asserts that part of democracy is about being able to take part in debates and decisions, and to take up civic roles.
A major aim of many organisations within the VCS is to empower the individuals they support, with a specfic aim of many organisations to enable people to take part in the debates and decisions that affect and effect their lives. I would therefore argue that a more active VCS should in fact support local democracy in its purest sense; by allowing debate and consensus amongst ALL the people that are involved in the locality, not just those people who are voting.
I’ll be interested to hear other people’s views.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightDon’t forget that the deadline for applications is 5pm on 30th January!
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightThe financial times has carried out a series of interviews with what they term ‘chief protagonists’ of the credit crunch about their thoughts on what happened, and how they think finance will change when the economy recovers. Some interesting viewpoints and well worth a watch
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI just read a report on consumer advocacy, which outlines the challenges this could face in the years up to 2020. Although many VCOs do not view themselves as targeting consumer markets, most are ‘selling’ goods and services, and therefore still need to be able to attract and support people in much the same way as more traditional markets do. The report looks at social and economic trends that may affect consumers, and then goes on to outline how they may need support in the future, and is therefore an interesting, and potentially useful resource for you to look at.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI recently read some research which found that the most trusted source of information on the economic situation is not the Prime Minister or even the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but the BBC’s business editor, Robert Peston. This raises interesting questions about trust in institutions and where people get their information about events impacting on their lives. Something to think about for information providers?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI read an article this morning which stated that the most trusted source of information on the economic situation is not the Prime Minister or even the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but the BBC’s business editor, Robert Peston. This raises interesting questions about trust in institutions and where people get their information about events impacting on their lives. Something to think about for information providers?
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightIn September, local futures and the LGA held an event on Place shaping and the Sub-National review. Although I didn’t attend the event, I have since read the presentations, and they raise some interesting points regarding local infrastructure and capacity. Worth a look at for anyone more interested in the topic in general.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightAnd the thing I think a lot of people forget (which I guess is what Caroline alludes to above), is that your strategy should speak directly to your mission, vision and aims. If it doesn’t, one or the other needs looking at!
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI found these earlier:
‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’ Anon
Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him.’ Dwight D. Eisenhower
‘He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.’ Francis Bacon
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightI think theory of change is an interesting topic, and one that is worth discussing further, although I think it is often ignored in strategy. Knowing how change happens can help you influence it, or, if not influence it, then at least understand it better and therefore use it in your strategy. Social psychologists may see this as their realm, but marketing executives have long been using these theories to influence their market, and there is no reason why VCOs should not do the same. After all, strategy is all about making your work more effective, and understanding change and how it happens is an extremely powerful tool in this. Previous posts of mine have looked at this subject (One small step, nudge, nudge) and as this is a particular favourite of mine, I’m sure there will be more to follow.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightDate: Tuesday 18 November 2008
Time: 2:00 – 5:00pm
Venue: Room 1, NCVO, Regent’s Wharf, 8 All Saint’s Street, London, N1 9RL
NCVO’s Conference Suite is fully wheelchair accessible. Teas and coffees on arrival
What is ‘Generation Y’? How are they different to ‘Generation X’? You may have heard these terms being used; now come and talk about their implications for the VCS. Come and discuss different generations in the paid workforce and hear some thought-provoking presentations from experts in this field.
NCVO Third Sector Foresight seminar series
This seminar is the latest in a series of events run by NCVO Third Sector Foresight each of which explores a specific topic in depth.
The aim of NCVO Third Sector Foresight seminars is to provide delegates with time and space away from the daily pressures of running their organisation to think in depth about how complex external trends may impact on their organisation in the future.
They also aim to bring together a wide range of people who are thinking about the future of their organisation in order to generate lively debate, share ideas and give delegates the chance to meet and discuss strategic issues with their peers.
See below for notes from the event.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightWith an increasing number of banks, building societies and big city firms in trouble or going out of business, everyone is wondering how it will impact on them. Although the media and the government has tried to claim that banks crashing in the USA will have little or no effect on people within Britain, when a bank like Lehman goes out of business, it is so inextricably linked to the global markets that it cannot help but effect them in some way. I think we have to be realistic at this time, and accept that, given the current environment, many people within Britain will be affected, as will many organisations. There are many possible implications for VCOs, for example:
An increasing number of people out of work requiring support
An increasing number of people in debt
A reduction in donations
An increasing number of people (employees and beneficiaries) suffering from stress
It is hard to see the positives in such a situation, but there are also opportunities, for example:
Charity shops have already shown an "increase in spending":http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7591970.stm_
Relationships and contracts can be negotiated at longer term as people try to guarantee income
There will be an increase in beneficiaries for some organisations
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightApparently, the latest hot investment is Russian collective farms . The investment and re-structuring of the farms has the potential of massively increasing Russia’s agricultural output, which could lead to less pressure on other agricultural nations and an easing of the overall global pressure on food production. It also has the potential of increasing Russia’s power within the wider global market and it remains to be seen whether this will be positive or negative.
Caroline
Third Sector ForesightSince Megan wrote this there has been some media coverage of just the issues described above. New methods of publishing are disrupting services and people are increasingly finding new methods for getting their message out. The following two articles examine these movements further: Book publishing in America unbound and Millions of books to choose from – yours will only take minutes to print