Charities have a key role to play making Brexit work
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Version 0 of 1. While debate continues to rage over the meaning of Brexit, and the future of our relations with the EU and the rest of the world, what does it all mean for Britain’s charities? This has been the subject of conversation as the Charities Aid Foundation has toured the country to speak to members of the UK’s major political parties at their autumn conferences. Our new report, A Stronger Britain: how can charities build post-Brexit Britain?, examines what the EU referendum told us about our country and looks at the role that people envisage for charities in building a better society. To be sure, 23 June was a watershed moment. The referendum has had a profound effect on how people view their communities and society as whole. Perceptions and expectations have changed dramatically in a very short space of time. This has significant implications for charities, which play such an integral role in our way of life at home, and in our standing abroad. Our research has found that while many people are concerned that their local community has become more divided, they are also becoming much more socially and politically active. Remarkably, nine million people said they felt more inclined to volunteer now, following the Brexit vote, than they did at the beginning of 2016. It is clear that, for many, charities offer an outlet for channelling a renewed appetite for making a difference. This presents a real opportunity to involve growing numbers of people in supporting the work of our charities. But there will be challenges, too. The referendum revealed divisions in society that will not heal overnight. People see a role for charities in working to bridge those divides. When asked which organisations or agencies were most likely to provide effective support to those who needed it at times of political and economic uncertainty, charities were the most popular choice (identified by 55% of respondents), followed by individuals getting involved in their local community (43%) and local authorities (36%). By way of comparison, 16% of respondents chose Westminster government. There is a clear message here to government and national politicians. Charities are born of their communities and are often best placed to see community division first hand. And the public see a legitimate role for charities to speak up on behalf of those they support. This is why we are calling on local and central government to commission charities to monitor levels of community cohesion, and threat, and to use the proposed British bill of rights to protect the freedom of charities to speak on behalf of their beneficiaries. As the government continues to pursue its localism agenda, it would be a missed opportunity not to give local directly-elected politicians a specific mandate for promoting and enhancing the role of charities, volunteering and philanthropy. On the international stage, meanwhile, the Department for International Development should commit to working with governments to ensure that it leaves a legacy of support and infrastructure for the not-for-profit sector. Making Brexit work for everyone and delivering a strong society will depend, in no small part, on making charities a core part of the UK’s new settlement. Charities can bring a huge amount of influence and expertise to the table. Government should embrace it. For more news, opinions and ideas about the voluntary sector, join our community – it’s free! |