Aggregated External News

There's much debate in the private sector about women in leadership but what are the challenges and opportunities in global development? Join the debate Thursday 25 July at 1pm

When Sheryl Sandberg published her book, 'Lean in – Women, Work, and the Will to Lead', earlier this year it started multiple debates on the issue of women in leadership. Why are women so under-represented in senior positions? Are the greatest barriers institutional or psychological? And, as Arianna Huffington suggests, could gender equity at the top be an opportunity to redefine leadership?

Given all the attention being given to women leaders in the private sector, it's high time we ask: what does 'leaning in' look like for women in global development? While gender mainstreaming may be a development priority, there is little visible debate on the place and potential of women as professionals in the sector.

So what are the challenges female professionals face? A recent Linkedin discussion on the 'women working in development' group highlights a few – many of them resonating with the conversation happening in the corporate world, particularly around combining motherhood with a demanding job.

But is the debate too readily restricted to the trade-offs between motherhood and career advancement? Is equality simply a numbers game or should there be more open discussion about career advancement and professional development for women?

In this week's live chat, we'll bring together a diverse group to first explore the issues facing women in leadership and then consider what the sector can do to support women and what women can do to support each other. We are also keen to examine any lessons that can be learned from other sectors and cultures.

Join us on Thursday 25 July, to ask questions, as well as share your experiences and advice. The debate will begin, in the comment threads below, at 1pm BST.

The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). To join the panel or give your views ahead of the chat, email globaldevpros@guardian.co.uk. Follow our tweets on Thursday using the hashtag #globaldevlive

Panel

Ayse Cihan Sultanoglu, UN Assistant Secretary-General, New York, USA. @csultanoglu
Cihan was appointed director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (RBEC) of the UNDP in 2012. She has previously help several UN positions including that of director of human resources in UNDP's Bureau of Management.

Rushanara Ali, shadow minister for international development, London, UK. @rushanaraali
Rushanara has worked at the communities directorate at the UK Home Office leading a work programme in response to the 2001 disturbances in the north of England. She has also worked on human rights at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Jeni Klugman, director of gender and development, World Bank, Washington, DC, US
Jeni is lead spokesperson on gender equality issues, and is responsible for developing strategic directions to support the World Bank's gender and development priorities. She also serves on several advisory boards.

Liz Bowen, HR manager (field staffing), Medecins Sans Frontieres, London, UK
Previously a nurse, Liz has worked for MSF in Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and London. Her focus is on supplying, supporting and developing committed humanitarian workers and managers.

Marinke van Riet, international director, Publish What You Pay, London, UK. @Marinkekarianne
Marinke joined PWYP in 2011 and has worked for various organisations including Marie Stopes International, a microfinance institution and a network focusing on pro-poor transport policies and practices. She is also a member of the extractive industry transparency initiative.

Laure Blanchard-Brunac, principal banker, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London, UK
Laure works on debt and equity transactions in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Central Asia. She was formerly investment manager at Proparco in Paris, where she managed investments in Africa, South-East Asia and Central America.

Mary Woodgate, senior manager of global programmes, Accenture Development Partnerships, London, UK. @MaryWoodgate
Mary oversees relationships and projects with a range of partners, recently focusing on foundations with a focus on global development. She has a personal interest in food security and issues surrounding women and girls.

Yaa Gladys Shang Viban, translator and interpreter, Women in Alternative Action, Yaounde, Cameroon
Yaa was secretary general of the the Cameroon affiliate for the Inter-African committee on harmful traditional practices affecting women, and has coordinated programmes for Kongadzem, a women's development association. She is also a board member of various organisations.

Adele Nandan, director of international education, Opportunity International, Chicago, US. @OpportunityIntl
Adele oversees education experiences for donors traveling across the developing world to meet with clients and assess the impact of increased access to financial services.

• Professional development
• Live Q&As
• Race and inequality
• Women
• Gender
• Management
• Charities
• Voluntary sector

Holly Young
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

There's much debate in the private sector about women in leadership but what are the challenges and opportunities in global development? Join the debate Thursday 25 July at 1pm

When Sheryl Sandberg published her book, 'Lean in – Women, Work, and the Will to Lead', earlier this year it started multiple debates on the issue of women in leadership. Why are women so under-represented in senior positions? Are the greatest barriers institutional or psychological? And, as Arianna Huffington suggests, could gender equity at the top be an opportunity to redefine leadership?

Given all the attention being given to women leaders in the private sector, it's high time we ask: what does 'leaning in' look like for women in global development? While gender mainstreaming may be a development priority, there is little visible debate on the place and potential of women as professionals in the sector.

So what are the challenges female professionals face? A recent Linkedin discussion on the 'women working in development' group highlights a few – many of them resonating with the conversation happening in the corporate world, particularly around combining motherhood with a demanding job.

But is the debate too readily restricted to the trade-offs between motherhood and career advancement? Is equality simply a numbers game or should there be more open discussion about career advancement and professional development for women?

In this week's live chat, we'll bring together a diverse group to first explore the issues facing women in leadership and then consider what the sector can do to support women and what women can do to support each other. We are also keen to examine any lessons that can be learned from other sectors and cultures.

Join us on Thursday 25 July, to ask questions, as well as share your experiences and advice. The debate will begin, in the comment threads below, at 1pm BST.

The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). To join the panel or give your views ahead of the chat, email globaldevpros@guardian.co.uk. Follow our tweets on Thursday using the hashtag #globaldevlive

Panel

Ayse Cihan Sultanoglu, UN Assistant Secretary-General, New York, USA. @csultanoglu
Cihan was appointed director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (RBEC) of the UNDP in 2012. She has previously help several UN positions including that of director of human resources in UNDP's Bureau of Management.

Rushanara Ali, shadow minister for international development, London, UK. @rushanaraali
Rushanara has worked at the communities directorate at the UK Home Office leading a work programme in response to the 2001 disturbances in the north of England. She has also worked on human rights at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Jeni Klugman, director of gender and development, World Bank, Washington, DC, US
Jeni is lead spokesperson on gender equality issues, and is responsible for developing strategic directions to support the World Bank's gender and development priorities. She also serves on several advisory boards.

Liz Bowen, HR manager (field staffing), Medecins Sans Frontieres, London, UK
Previously a nurse, Liz has worked for MSF in Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and London. Her focus is on supplying, supporting and developing committed humanitarian workers and managers.

Marinke van Riet, international director, Publish What You Pay, London, UK. @Marinkekarianne
Marinke joined PWYP in 2011 and has worked for various organisations including Marie Stopes International, a microfinance institution and a network focusing on pro-poor transport policies and practices. She is also a member of the extractive industry transparency initiative.

Laure Blanchard-Brunac, principal banker, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, London, UK
Laure works on debt and equity transactions in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Central Asia. She was formerly investment manager at Proparco in Paris, where she managed investments in Africa, South-East Asia and Central America.

Mary Woodgate, senior manager of global programmes, Accenture Development Partnerships, London, UK. @MaryWoodgate
Mary oversees relationships and projects with a range of partners, recently focusing on foundations with a focus on global development. She has a personal interest in food security and issues surrounding women and girls.

Yaa Gladys Shang Viban, translator and interpreter, Women in Alternative Action, Yaounde, Cameroon
Yaa was secretary general of the the Cameroon affiliate for the Inter-African committee on harmful traditional practices affecting women, and has coordinated programmes for Kongadzem, a women's development association. She is also a board member of various organisations.

Adele Nandan, director of international education, Opportunity International, Chicago, US. @OpportunityIntl
Adele oversees education experiences for donors traveling across the developing world to meet with clients and assess the impact of increased access to financial services.

• Professional development
• Live Q&As
• Race and inequality
• Women
• Gender
• Management
• Charities
• Voluntary sector

Holly Young
© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions

For Vespa fans everywhere. Great visualisation of the product through time. For anyone who loves the brand they will love this piece of content.   Filed under: Brand, Consumers, Content Marketing Tagged: Vespa

To include the support of fans who aren’t able to make it to Petco Park for this year’s Nerd HQ, The Nerd Machine invites you to join them in supporting children’s charity Operation Smile by bidding on select memorabilia and one-of-a-kind pieces that will earn you serious bragging rights with friends, while simultaneously providing life-changing surgery for children around the world.

Items include a custom Nerd Machine Xbox signed by panelists from Nerd HQ 2012 including Stan Lee, Joss Whedon, Adam Baldwin, Matt Smith, Zachary Levi, Joshua Gomez, Jared Padalecki, Summer Glau, Lucy Liu, Jason Ritter and others! Also going under the hammer is “Chuck” LEGO signed by Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski, a Captain America shield and much more.

To make a bid, click here.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10528-gets-your-hands-on-a-celebrity-signed-xbox-from-nerd-hq

World of Children Award Celebrity Ambassador Stephanie March recently traveled to Nepal to observe firsthand how the World of Children Award has impacted the lives of vulnerable children there.

Stephanie March and World of Children Award Co-founders Harry Leibowitz and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz with group of children at the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children in Nepal
Credit/Copyright: Michael Crook

On her journey, Stephanie, along with World of Children Award Co-Founders Harry Leibowitz and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz, stopped in Kathmandu to meet children who are walking for the first time, thanks to 2011 World of Children Award Honoree Dr. Ashok Banskota. They spent time at the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children (HRDC), a world-class center run by Dr. Banskota and his team that treats children for everything from club foot to tuberculosis of the spine. Children come to the HRDC from all over the country to receive treatment for a wide variety of orthopedic disabilities.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10527-law-and-order-svu-actress-stephanie-march-travels-to-nepal-with-the-world-of-children-award

John Haydon, our favorite Facebook guru, has created a useful video tutorial on how to use the new Facebook Insights reports to understand how your nonprofit’s Facebook outreach is faring.

If you’re not regularly tracking your results on Facebook, you’re missing out on a real opportunity to better understand your social media audience and optimize how you interact with your supporters. Facebook Insights can tell you:

• Which posts have the highest levels of engagement
• When people liked—and “unliked”—your page
• Which sites refer the most traffic to your Facebook page

Check out John’s tutorial on the new Facebook Insights reports, then let us know if you’ve seen the new Insights options and how your Facebook outreach is doing.

 

Soles4Souls and The Los Angeles Mission will distribute footwear to local residents in need during Barefoot Week.

Soles4Souls initiated Barefoot Week in 2007 and has since then held weeklong footwear distributions across the United States each summer. In addition to Los Angeles, this year’s events will be held in Oklahoma, Texas and Minnesota, in conjunction with a local nonprofit organization in each city.

“We are very excited to once again host Barefoot Week,” said Soles4Souls CEO Buddy Teaster “It’s an opportunity to focus in on these cities and take the time to distribute footwear to those in need right here in the United States. We are honored to partner with local nonprofits for these efforts and look forward to changing lives.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10526-the-hills-jason-wahler-to-hand-out-shoes-to-those-in-need

Ever since she shot to fame performing on Strictly Come Dancing, 17-year-old Dionne Bromfield has been known for her soulful voice, which is reminiscent of that of her late godmother, Amy Winehouse. Now, the talented singer’s advocacy for animals will be well known, too.

Dionne Bromfield - Here's the Rest of Your Fur Coat
Credit/Copyright: PETA UK

In her new anti-fur ad for PETA, Bromfield holds a bloodied, skinned fox and stares pointedly into the camera above the words “Here’s the Rest of Your Fur Coat”.

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10525-amy-winehouses-god-daughter-gets-gory-for-animal-advocacy

Long-established personal relationships with supporters have sustained a local voluntary organisation in Glasgow

National charities may raise money by employing "chuggers" who cajole passersby to sign direct debit forms. The only individual contact that follows is when the charities send them information and appeals for more money.

In Glasgow, Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse (Fare) – founded by residents in 1989 – does it differently. Local staff provide services for families and youngsters. It has grown from one small room to a large building. Grants have been essential, while gifts from individuals have been a lifeline.

From the start, I wrote a few articles in the Guardian that mentioned Fare, and often spoke at meetings. I never asked for money, but some of those who listened indicated a desire to give. The numbers grew and now stand at 105 (individuals or couples), not counting eight who have died and five who dropped out. I call them Friends of Fare.

Why have they lasted so long? The main explanation is that the contact is personal. I nearly always reply by hand. At our annual camp, a postcard tells the Friends how things are going. The content of our letters has widened from Fare news to politics, the garden and grandchildren. Personal troubles get voiced.

Illnesses and deaths occur. Two women lost their husbands over Christmas. Another wrote that her husband had had a stroke just as she suffered two fractures in her spine. And still they have time for Fare. One man, knowing his illness was terminal, sent us a substantial sum. Likewise, a middle-aged woman with cancer sent money and asked that her name be remembered at camp. We have a camp trophy in her name.

Apart from the personal nature of the contact, why do the Friends support Fare? They say that they prefer to give to a neighbourhood project rather than a national one and also that they know exactly where their money is going.

In 24 years, the Friends have donated nearly £150,000. None are wealthy. Some send their heating allowance; others give more. One shared a small legacy with Fare. One of our oldest Friends instructed her daughters to give to us instead of birthday and Christmas presents to herself. Another knits beautiful baby clothes. These gifts have been lifesaving. In Fare's second year we almost ran out of money and it was the Friends' generosity that enabled us to survive. Once we moved into a building, we attracted grants. But the Friends remained important because their gifts were not tied to specific objectives.

Now Fare endures austerity. Glasgow city council has slashed our grant. Some parents can no longer afford £140 for camp. We have halved the fee. Much of the residue is coming from the Friends. They are vital. I have now met more than half the Friends. Unlike those recruited by "chuggers", they are more than financial units. Not all donate money, but they give encouragement and advice. Fare is a long-term project fortunate to have long-term Friends.

• Charities
• Voluntary sector
• Children

Bob Holman
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Long-established personal relationships with supporters have sustained a local voluntary organisation in Glasgow

National charities may raise money by employing "chuggers" who cajole passersby to sign direct debit forms. The only individual contact that follows is when the charities send them information and appeals for more money.

In Glasgow, Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse (Fare) – founded by residents in 1989 – does it differently. Local staff provide services for families and youngsters. It has grown from one small room to a large building. Grants have been essential, while gifts from individuals have been a lifeline.

From the start, I wrote a few articles in the Guardian that mentioned Fare, and often spoke at meetings. I never asked for money, but some of those who listened indicated a desire to give. The numbers grew and now stand at 105 (individuals or couples), not counting eight who have died and five who dropped out. I call them Friends of Fare.

Why have they lasted so long? The main explanation is that the contact is personal. I nearly always reply by hand. At our annual camp, a postcard tells the Friends how things are going. The content of our letters has widened from Fare news to politics, the garden and grandchildren. Personal troubles get voiced.

Illnesses and deaths occur. Two women lost their husbands over Christmas. Another wrote that her husband had had a stroke just as she suffered two fractures in her spine. And still they have time for Fare. One man, knowing his illness was terminal, sent us a substantial sum. Likewise, a middle-aged woman with cancer sent money and asked that her name be remembered at camp. We have a camp trophy in her name.

Apart from the personal nature of the contact, why do the Friends support Fare? They say that they prefer to give to a neighbourhood project rather than a national one and also that they know exactly where their money is going.

In 24 years, the Friends have donated nearly £150,000. None are wealthy. Some send their heating allowance; others give more. One shared a small legacy with Fare. One of our oldest Friends instructed her daughters to give to us instead of birthday and Christmas presents to herself. Another knits beautiful baby clothes. These gifts have been lifesaving. In Fare's second year we almost ran out of money and it was the Friends' generosity that enabled us to survive. Once we moved into a building, we attracted grants. But the Friends remained important because their gifts were not tied to specific objectives.

Now Fare endures austerity. Glasgow city council has slashed our grant. Some parents can no longer afford £140 for camp. We have halved the fee. Much of the residue is coming from the Friends. They are vital. I have now met more than half the Friends. Unlike those recruited by "chuggers", they are more than financial units. Not all donate money, but they give encouragement and advice. Fare is a long-term project fortunate to have long-term Friends.

• Charities
• Voluntary sector
• Children

Bob Holman
© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions

Usher Raymond IV and Usher's New Look Foundation last week recognized and honored four individuals at the 2013 President’s Circle Awards Luncheon.

Usher at the 2013 President's Circle Awards Luncheon

Honorees included: Actor and New Look Youth Ambassador Nadji Jeter; Collective Soul’s Ed Roland; Lisa Borders of the Coca-Cola Foundation; and Julie Miller, Accenture Managing Director. Jeff Dauler emceed the event. Additional guests in attendance included: Dean Roland, Will Turpin and Joel Kosche of Collective Soul; Matt Ryan, quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons; First Lady of Georgia Sandra Deal, and Michelle Chamuel, Usher’s runner-up contestant from “The Voice.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10524-usher-hosts-2013-presidents-circle-awards-luncheon

Funders could help charities to be more cost-effective by sharing their internal evidence

Charity funders in the UK are sitting on a treasure-trove of data that could benefit the entire social policy sector. Whether it's meticulous evaluations, carefully-crafted outcome statements or concise summaries of hundreds of research papers, a huge diversity of useful evidence is generated throughout the investment lifecycle but, too often, evidence generated during funding remains 'on file'. While funders may be harvesting evidence for internal decision-making purposes, its value to others could be higher than they realise.

A range of audiences could benefit if this information was shared more widely, according to the funders interviewed for a new Alliance for Useful Evidence report Secrets of Success? How charitable funders use and share evidence in practice. The biggest win could be for charities themselves, as potential grant applicants. "If we don't share this [internal evidence gathering] with our applicants, they have to guess what we know and what we are looking for", according to Sarah Mistry formerly head of research at the Big Lottery Fund. Grant applicants could use information shared by funders to: learn faster, improve practice identify partners, and become more cost-effective.

How could funders make better use of this knowledge and expertise? A good start is just publishing some of the research summaries already prepared for boards and internal decisions. Funders prepare scoping papers and syntheses of evidence for internal purposes, but these are not routinely published. There are some exceptions - Baring Foundation, for instance, publishes scoping papers at the start of each funding programme, such as 'Rights with Meaning' and 'Ageing Artfully'.

Only some small changes would be needed to make many research summaries public. Jane Steele of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation says: "We commission and publish scoping research as the first step for all our special initiatives – for example, 'Whose Cake Is It Anyway' on participatory practices in museums. We do lots of internal synthesis but we would need to top and tail this if it was going to be published for an external audience."

Sharing evidence with policymakers is also important for meeting some charitable funders' objectives. Joseph Rowntree Foundation actively aims to influence policy as part of its mission to achieve lasting change for people and places in poverty. Its approach has evolved, but influencing remains core. As Emma Stone at Joseph Rowntree Foundation says: 'We realised that we wanted to do more than simply critiquing different government policies around poverty. We decided it was time to do a thorough review of the existing evidence base and try to develop our own evidence based anti-poverty strategies for the four nations.' But not everybody is as proactive as Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Many funders would not actively aim to influence policy, but could do more to share their learning about different social policy issues and interventions that are proving effective.

Funders support a range of projects and there are plenty of relatively low cost, high impact ways of sharing lessons. The City Bridge Trust creates The Knowledge bite-sized newsletter and the Baring Foundation publishes the Strengthening the Voluntary Sector working papers and forthcoming learning bulletins.

Our report highlighted that funders also need to share evidence with other funders. The Association of Charitable Foundation's issue-based networks were widely cited in interviews for our report as 'excellent' and a good place to come together. It is interesting to see how foundations can be very open in these networks, talking about what didn't work, what they'd learnt, and how they could be more effective as a result. This might include the use of emerging media to gather and share evidence. Visualisation tools and dashboards of different kinds of data are being used in a range of different ways to gather insight right now. For example, UN Global Pulse is just one example of an initiative to make the most of the information out there and use it in a live or 'dynamic' way.

There is a tremendous opportunity here. Funders occupy privileged positions and could do more to help open up and strengthen the evidence base. They are the guardians of funds for public benefit, and, as one interviewee for our report said, are 'not really operating in a competitive market'. Is there anyone better placed to take a lead in sharing what they know - whether or not they can say if it worked? The secrets of success are not always held within funders. But by sharing what they do have with other funders, grantees, practioners and policymakers can only benefit all of us.

Jonathan Breckon is manager of the Alliance for Useful Evidence.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To join the voluntary sector network, click here.

• Fundraising
• Voluntary sector network blog
• Voluntary sector
• Charities

theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Funders could help charities to be more cost-effective by sharing their internal evidence

Charity funders in the UK are sitting on a treasure-trove of data that could benefit the entire social policy sector. Whether it's meticulous evaluations, carefully-crafted outcome statements or concise summaries of hundreds of research papers, a huge diversity of useful evidence is generated throughout the investment lifecycle but, too often, evidence generated during funding remains 'on file'. While funders may be harvesting evidence for internal decision-making purposes, its value to others could be higher than they realise.

A range of audiences could benefit if this information was shared more widely, according to the funders interviewed for a new Alliance for Useful Evidence report Secrets of Success? How charitable funders use and share evidence in practice. The biggest win could be for charities themselves, as potential grant applicants. "If we don't share this [internal evidence gathering] with our applicants, they have to guess what we know and what we are looking for", according to Sarah Mistry formerly head of research at the Big Lottery Fund. Grant applicants could use information shared by funders to: learn faster, improve practice identify partners, and become more cost-effective.

How could funders make better use of this knowledge and expertise? A good start is just publishing some of the research summaries already prepared for boards and internal decisions. Funders prepare scoping papers and syntheses of evidence for internal purposes, but these are not routinely published. There are some exceptions - Baring Foundation, for instance, publishes scoping papers at the start of each funding programme, such as 'Rights with Meaning' and 'Ageing Artfully'.

Only some small changes would be needed to make many research summaries public. Jane Steele of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation says: "We commission and publish scoping research as the first step for all our special initiatives – for example, 'Whose Cake Is It Anyway' on participatory practices in museums. We do lots of internal synthesis but we would need to top and tail this if it was going to be published for an external audience."

Sharing evidence with policymakers is also important for meeting some charitable funders' objectives. Joseph Rowntree Foundation actively aims to influence policy as part of its mission to achieve lasting change for people and places in poverty. Its approach has evolved, but influencing remains core. As Emma Stone at Joseph Rowntree Foundation says: 'We realised that we wanted to do more than simply critiquing different government policies around poverty. We decided it was time to do a thorough review of the existing evidence base and try to develop our own evidence based anti-poverty strategies for the four nations.' But not everybody is as proactive as Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Many funders would not actively aim to influence policy, but could do more to share their learning about different social policy issues and interventions that are proving effective.

Funders support a range of projects and there are plenty of relatively low cost, high impact ways of sharing lessons. The City Bridge Trust creates The Knowledge bite-sized newsletter and the Baring Foundation publishes the Strengthening the Voluntary Sector working papers and forthcoming learning bulletins.

Our report highlighted that funders also need to share evidence with other funders. The Association of Charitable Foundation's issue-based networks were widely cited in interviews for our report as 'excellent' and a good place to come together. It is interesting to see how foundations can be very open in these networks, talking about what didn't work, what they'd learnt, and how they could be more effective as a result. This might include the use of emerging media to gather and share evidence. Visualisation tools and dashboards of different kinds of data are being used in a range of different ways to gather insight right now. For example, UN Global Pulse is just one example of an initiative to make the most of the information out there and use it in a live or 'dynamic' way.

There is a tremendous opportunity here. Funders occupy privileged positions and could do more to help open up and strengthen the evidence base. They are the guardians of funds for public benefit, and, as one interviewee for our report said, are 'not really operating in a competitive market'. Is there anyone better placed to take a lead in sharing what they know - whether or not they can say if it worked? The secrets of success are not always held within funders. But by sharing what they do have with other funders, grantees, practioners and policymakers can only benefit all of us.

Jonathan Breckon is manager of the Alliance for Useful Evidence.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To join the voluntary sector network, click here.

• Fundraising
• Voluntary sector network blog
• Voluntary sector
• Charities

© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions

Action for Blind People's employment advisory service helps 1,750 people a year find and keep jobs or stay in employment

Advisers 1

David Powell has more than a decade's experience as an employment adviser helping people back into work. But his current role working for charity the Richmond Fellowship, where he supports people with a history of mental health problems, is a world away from his previous role with a welfare to work provider. "This role is much more person-centred; there is less of an emphasis on numbers and much more on listening and working with the client. It's not about pushing targets." The reward for Powell, who has an annual case load of around 75 clients at his office in Leatherhead, Surrey, comes in sharing their success when a series of job applications and interviews that end in employment: "It's an incredible buzz, not just for them but for myself as well. It's very rewarding."

Powell is one of 91 employment advisers working for the Richmond Fellowship across England who between them have around 1,500 clients annually. Most employment advisers have completed an NVQ level 4 qualification in advice or guidance – or equivalent. But it is the personal characteristics of an adviser, rather than their academic qualifications, which are more important, according to David Newbold, head of operations at the charity Action for Blind People. Newbold, who has responsibility for its employment advisory service, says: "I can teach somebody how to help a person find a job and the implications of sight loss. But it's those personal characteristics such as motivation and energy, and being able to keep going if somebody has had a few knock-backs, to help them get over that, which is important. When I look at a CV I look for their energy."

Action for Blind People's employment advisory service helps 1,750 people a year either find and keep a job or stay in employment. It has 26 employment co-ordinators in England. The charity says 66 % of registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are not in employment and 27% attribute sight loss or deterioration in their sight for the reason they left their last job. Newbold says many employers have a misconception about the workplace adaptations needed to employ somebody who is blind or visually impaired. mf

Advisers 2

"Some think it will require huge adaptations such as Braille machines. But the reality is that most people only need moderate or minor adaptations. Technology has made a huge difference; one of my team for example, now uses the GPS on his phone - if he doesn't know where he is the GPS will talk to him," says Newbold.

The government's welfare reforms and the emphasis on work have had an impact on its employment advisory service which also offers telephone and online advice. Newbold says: "Demand has more than doubled in the last 18 to 24 months. A lot of that is because of the fear of the welfare reforms. I think that the numbers will peak this year because at the moment there is so much uncertainty about the reforms." But he also attributes the increase to a change of culture amongst blind and partially sighted people who believe they have a right to work. "I think in the past a lot of people with sight loss were told 'Don't worry [about finding a job] you are blind, what can you do.' But now there is a whole generation coming up with different expectations. It's becoming an outdated idea that if you have sight loss you can't work."

Action for Blind People's employment service has an impressive record. Some 90% of people are still in a job 12 months after accessing it. The statistic, according to Newbold is "huge". But the charity can still do more. It estimates that it needs at least another 10 employment advisors just to keep pace with the current demand. "For everybody we see there are another couple of people for whom the service is not accessible or for whom we can't supply the level of service and support they want. I don't want people to have to wait for that."

For jobs as an employment adviser, see the following pages:

employment co-ordinator

employment adviser

• Fundraising
• Voluntary sector network blog
• Voluntary sector
• Charities

Debbie Andalo
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Action for Blind People's employment advisory service helps 1,750 people a year find and keep jobs or stay in employment

Advisers 1

David Powell has more than a decade's experience as an employment adviser helping people back into work. But his current role working for charity the Richmond Fellowship, where he supports people with a history of mental health problems, is a world away from his previous role with a welfare to work provider. "This role is much more person-centred; there is less of an emphasis on numbers and much more on listening and working with the client. It's not about pushing targets." The reward for Powell, who has an annual case load of around 75 clients at his office in Leatherhead, Surrey, comes in sharing their success when a series of job applications and interviews that end in employment: "It's an incredible buzz, not just for them but for myself as well. It's very rewarding."

Powell is one of 91 employment advisers working for the Richmond Fellowship across England who between them have around 1,500 clients annually. Most employment advisers have completed an NVQ level 4 qualification in advice or guidance – or equivalent. But it is the personal characteristics of an adviser, rather than their academic qualifications, which are more important, according to David Newbold, head of operations at the charity Action for Blind People. Newbold, who has responsibility for its employment advisory service, says: "I can teach somebody how to help a person find a job and the implications of sight loss. But it's those personal characteristics such as motivation and energy, and being able to keep going if somebody has had a few knock-backs, to help them get over that, which is important. When I look at a CV I look for their energy."

Action for Blind People's employment advisory service helps 1,750 people a year either find and keep a job or stay in employment. It has 26 employment co-ordinators in England. The charity says 66 % of registered blind and partially sighted people of working age are not in employment and 27% attribute sight loss or deterioration in their sight for the reason they left their last job. Newbold says many employers have a misconception about the workplace adaptations needed to employ somebody who is blind or visually impaired. mf

Advisers 2

"Some think it will require huge adaptations such as Braille machines. But the reality is that most people only need moderate or minor adaptations. Technology has made a huge difference; one of my team for example, now uses the GPS on his phone - if he doesn't know where he is the GPS will talk to him," says Newbold.

The government's welfare reforms and the emphasis on work have had an impact on its employment advisory service which also offers telephone and online advice. Newbold says: "Demand has more than doubled in the last 18 to 24 months. A lot of that is because of the fear of the welfare reforms. I think that the numbers will peak this year because at the moment there is so much uncertainty about the reforms." But he also attributes the increase to a change of culture amongst blind and partially sighted people who believe they have a right to work. "I think in the past a lot of people with sight loss were told 'Don't worry [about finding a job] you are blind, what can you do.' But now there is a whole generation coming up with different expectations. It's becoming an outdated idea that if you have sight loss you can't work."

Action for Blind People's employment service has an impressive record. Some 90% of people are still in a job 12 months after accessing it. The statistic, according to Newbold is "huge". But the charity can still do more. It estimates that it needs at least another 10 employment advisors just to keep pace with the current demand. "For everybody we see there are another couple of people for whom the service is not accessible or for whom we can't supply the level of service and support they want. I don't want people to have to wait for that."

For jobs as an employment adviser, see the following pages:

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Debbie Andalo
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Join our expert panel from 11:30 - 12:30pm to discuss the potential impact of the CharityGiving affair

The suspension of the CharityGiving online fundraising platform has raised concerns that the public might lose confidence in online giving in general as a result.

The Charity Commission opened an investigation into CharityGiving last month because of serious concerns about the trustees' administration of the Dove Trust, the charity which owns the online giving platform.

It appointed an interim manager to run the Trust, Pesh Framjee of accountants Crowe Clark Whitehall LLP, who suspended the online giving platform after finding that the Trust held less money than was owed to charities. According to the Charity Commission, the shortfall could be more than £250,000.

In this Q&A, we will discuss the potential impact of the problems faced by CharityGiving on online giving as well as the response to the issue by the Charity Commission, and ways in which similar problems can be avoided in future.

Please note: this Q&A will not be a forum in which to ask questions about individual donations which have been made through CharityGiving. Donors, fundraisers and charities with queries should read the advice on the Charity Commission's website in the first instance..

Expert Panel so farMichelle Russell, Charity Commission

Michelle is head of investigations and enforcement at the Charity Commission.

Daniel Fluskey, Institute of Fundraising

Daniel is head of policy and research at the Institute of Fundraising.

Liz Williams, BT Group Improving Lives

Liz is programme director at BT Group Improving Lives.

Eleanor Harrison, GlobalGiving

Eleanor is chief executive of Global Giving UK.

Tanya Noronha, Charity Choice

Tanya is publisher for Charity Choice.

If you'd like to be on the expert panel, please contact Abby Young-Powell, and if you'd like to leave a question, please email or write in the comments section below.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To join the voluntary sector network, click here.

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David Mills
theguardian.com © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Join our expert panel from 11:30 - 12:30pm to discuss the potential impact of the CharityGiving affair

The suspension of the CharityGiving online fundraising platform has raised concerns that the public might lose confidence in online giving in general as a result.

The Charity Commission opened an investigation into CharityGiving last month because of serious concerns about the trustees' administration of the Dove Trust, the charity which owns the online giving platform.

It appointed an interim manager to run the Trust, Pesh Framjee of accountants Crowe Clark Whitehall LLP, who suspended the online giving platform after finding that the Trust held less money than was owed to charities. According to the Charity Commission, the shortfall could be more than £250,000.

In this Q&A, we will discuss the potential impact of the problems faced by CharityGiving on online giving as well as the response to the issue by the Charity Commission, and ways in which similar problems can be avoided in future.

Please note: this Q&A will not be a forum in which to ask questions about individual donations which have been made through CharityGiving. Donors, fundraisers and charities with queries should read the advice on the Charity Commission's website in the first instance..

Expert Panel so farMichelle Russell, Charity Commission

Michelle is head of investigations and enforcement at the Charity Commission.

Daniel Fluskey, Institute of Fundraising

Daniel is head of policy and research at the Institute of Fundraising.

Liz Williams, BT Group Improving Lives

Liz is programme director at BT Group Improving Lives.

Eleanor Harrison, GlobalGiving

Eleanor is chief executive of Global Giving UK.

Tanya Noronha, Charity Choice

Tanya is publisher for Charity Choice.

If you'd like to be on the expert panel, please contact Abby Young-Powell, and if you'd like to leave a question, please email or write in the comments section below.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To join the voluntary sector network, click here.

• Fundraising
• Voluntary sector
• Charities

David Mills
© 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions

More than 100 internationally renowned musicians have joined a worldwide call for the release of the two jailed members of the Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot ahead of their parole appeal hearings this week.

In an open letter, coordinated by Amnesty International as part of its on-going campaign to free 25-year-old Maria Alekhina and 23-year-old Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the musicians pledge their support and state that the impact of Pussy Riot’s “shockingly unjust trial and imprisonment has spread far and wide, especially among your fellow artists, musicians and citizens around the world.”

The letter continues, “While understanding the sensitivities of protesting in a place of worship, we ask that the Russian authorities review these harsh sentences, so that you may return to your children, your families and your lives.”

More: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/10523-stars-call-for-russian-authorities-to-release-pussy-riot

Hello, This email message is a notification to let you know that a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the Legacymarketing group. File : /Legacy

can anyone tell us how long we need to keep old legacy files for?  We have SCANNED them all into RE but it's the actual apaper files we're referring to?  We