One Year Later: five Lessons Learned from Redundant Charities
It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since Redundant Charities has been released. As we celebrate the first book birthday, it's worth reflecting on 5 lessons learnt in the past year.
Although the reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and most people have shown a desire for critical discussion, it hasn't all been well received.
What's most interesting has been how my own mind has changed across the year, and what that might mean for another potential book on the horizon...
In the charity world, we lack imagination.
When a charity focuses on itself and its own limitations, the world shrinks accordingly. The non-profit will focus more and more on what they can do, rather than what is needed.
They start to retrofit solutions to problems, without really taking the time to work out what the core problems are, and hence what solutions would be suitable.
But this is where Redundant Charities differ. They see themselves as part of the solution, not the whole solution.
Hooked on Dependency: the Pitfalls of Teaching a Man to Fish
Most people think that it's better to teach a man to fish, than it is to give a man to fish. I agree, but I think the aphorism doesn't go far enough. Better than teaching a man to fish is to help them build their own fishing industry. This mean that you address the root causes of the problem as opposed to just the symptoms. It means the charity can make itself redundant.
Redundant charities: an independent review by estella carpi
Estella Carpi is an Assistant Professor in Humanitarian Studies at University College London. Here, she shares here thoughts on Redundant Charities, and discovers how much still needs to be done to improve aid and development at the practitioner level.
'Uncharitable' Review – Hits, Misses, and a Call for More Reflection
I had the good fortune of watching the new Dan Palotta documentary, Uncharitable, recently.
While the documentary adeptly challenges prevailing myths surrounding charities, its simplified arguments and one-sided perspective fall short of fostering the deeper introspection needed in the sector.