News - Charity/Voluntary
search site archives
Charities ‘’should get around lobbying legislation through texts and internet”
Text messaging and the internet can be an effective campaigning method for those charities lobbying for political change.
Although the Communications Act 2003 prevents those with charity jobs from broadcasting advisements with a direct political goal, Brian Lamb - executive director of advocacy and policy at the RNID - claims that there are a number of ways for third sector bodies to get around such a problem.
He tells ThirdSector.co.uk: "Broadcast advertising would be an effective way for charities to promote a social advocacy message. But Ofcom would see this as political, so they can”t. More charities should be using text and web campaigns to get around this."
Meanwhile, Jonathan Bass, managing director at mobile marketing company Incentivated, claims that while text messaging is a popular way for charities to encourage people to make donations, the majority are yet to use it as a tool to lobby the government.
Earlier this month, Jude Habib, director of media production and training company Sound Delivery, told ThirdSector.co.uk that a personal touch can help improve the success of a campaign.
Register to receive jobs by email - https://www.jobsgopublic.com/account/register
© jobsgopublic 2007 / Registered in England & Wales as JobGoPublic Ltd: Registration no. 3716200
Registered Office: 12-16 Laystall Street, London, EC1R 4PF
on May 11th, 2009 at 8:45 am
The issue of charities usingthe internet for political purposes, is a moot one. Particualrly grass roots disabled people (And the deaf), are concerned charities nolonger attempt to enourage them to be members or make contribution.
The politics of rights,is surelythe sole domain of those demanding them ? Given few disabled or deaf ARE members of charity (INcluding the UK’s biggest deaf one the RNID), then by what mandate do they even run campiagns on rights ?
It can be seens as cyncial means to raise charity profile, while at the same time charities not really engaging at all with the people they ’support’ I feel strongly charity no longer exists in its real form any more. Third sector and other areas like this are now CORPORATE agencies providing state support on the cheap via funding handouts and street begging.
This seems to portay a conundrum in that charities now no longer empower disabled to self-serve, but are recreating a national dependency again all based on a medical condition only, whilst disabled and others see this as rights issue, and atthe same time charities are disengaged from them yet demandingthe right to speak for them, this is a challenge to democracy surely ?
Charities like the RNID do not attempt to engage, yet are demandingthe voices of 9 million people is theirs alone. we are not happy that charities are fobbing off their ‘charges’ they woudl NOT exist but for us,now, we want the control of them back where they should be…
on May 11th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Mr Lamb ought to give the same rights to deaf people that he demands for RNID.
RNID want to be able to put their message across but deliberately fail to use communication tools such as internet and text to give deaf people a voice at their own organisation.
I have asked RNID to start a general forum and run e-surgeries with the trustees so that we, deaf people, can have a say in the running of RNID. So far they have refused.
We are the ones who have communication problems - RNID are supposed to be helping that.