After reading something jaymar put on my "Amazing TV" thread about the NSPCC advert i mentioned said advert in brief to a mate of mine who's other half does loads of voluntary work and fundraising for local stuff round our way.
He told me that it was a massive "con" as, out of the £3 a month you give to the charity, only around 90 pence of it actually goes to the "actual cause" that you are donating to!! Thinking he was "full of the proverbial" i have been on the wonderful inter - dot - web - thingy and looked round a few sites and he was actually right, with some charities getting even less than 30 p in the pound to the root cause of the problem they try to help!!
"Where does the money go then ?" i hear you cry, well on further investigation it appears that loads of these companies actually have to employ "big cheese's" to run the various parts that make up the whole of the charity such as paying for TV ad's, producing leaflets, paying for them to be delivered, making the bags that they send out for you to fill with your unwanted clothes/shoes etc, etc.
All these things cost the charity to produce, manufacture, print or deliver and they employ "directors" on huge salaries to oversee various parts of the whole process. I have just learned that only around 50% of people working for charities are doing it out of their own free will and the rest are payed employees!! :shock: :shock:
It makes me wonder whether or not i should bother putting money in tins any more or clothes in the bags that we get every week through the door.......
Is this paying for all of this stuff a "necessary evil" we have to endure to get even 30% of our money to the actual cause we want to help, because i can't help thinking its all a bit of a con? :jagsatwork:
Did anybody else know this and if so has it stopped you from giving your hard earned money to these charities?
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Charity Con??
I agree with you in many ways. Any organisation that has 'clout' can only do so with massive financial mechanisms going on behind the scene. Such financial structures can only be handled in the same way as any other 'big player'.
If there is a huge amount of money generated it may well sustain those who need it, but its more often than not; the salaries of 'professional volunteers' who benefit quite nicely out of it.
If there is a huge amount of money generated it may well sustain those who need it, but its more often than not; the salaries of 'professional volunteers' who benefit quite nicely out of it.
You are joking!!!
People actually use these poor children as a way of drawing us in? I take one look at those poor children's eyes and want to reach out and hold them.
My studies in health and social care are drawing me closer to working with children and families but I'll be damned if I'm part of cons to make money. :cry:
I have to add in edit to Srne's bit about stopping putting money in tins.. I don't do this as a rule I cannot abide being stopped in the street and hassled. My view is that I will donate, and I do donate to charities of my own choice.
People actually use these poor children as a way of drawing us in? I take one look at those poor children's eyes and want to reach out and hold them.My studies in health and social care are drawing me closer to working with children and families but I'll be damned if I'm part of cons to make money. :cry:
I have to add in edit to Srne's bit about stopping putting money in tins.. I don't do this as a rule I cannot abide being stopped in the street and hassled. My view is that I will donate, and I do donate to charities of my own choice.
ive worked closely with the nspcc in the last 4 years.
what they do is far beyond what even i imagined.
they fund the childline service, providing professional qualified councellers dosnt come for free, and why should it. people cannot afford to not get paid for doing a highly stressfull job, that the advice they give can mould a childs future.
in an ideal world i would do my job for free, but in a ideal world there would be no need for people to do this job. these jobs are not highly paid.
The money that goes out to the other things that may not be considered as direct assistance bring in their own revenue again.
im sure any reputable charity has to jump through massive hoops and are audited and have a qaf
( quality assessmnet framework)to follow.
i understand the reaction, but a big cheese brings in big money or they wouldnt employe them.
maybe the issue should be is should there be the need for charities or should the government( therfore us in taxes) pay direct?
xxx fem xxx
what they do is far beyond what even i imagined.
they fund the childline service, providing professional qualified councellers dosnt come for free, and why should it. people cannot afford to not get paid for doing a highly stressfull job, that the advice they give can mould a childs future.
in an ideal world i would do my job for free, but in a ideal world there would be no need for people to do this job. these jobs are not highly paid.
The money that goes out to the other things that may not be considered as direct assistance bring in their own revenue again.
im sure any reputable charity has to jump through massive hoops and are audited and have a qaf
( quality assessmnet framework)to follow.
i understand the reaction, but a big cheese brings in big money or they wouldnt employe them.
maybe the issue should be is should there be the need for charities or should the government( therfore us in taxes) pay direct?
xxx fem xxx
Quote by jaymar
You are joking!!!
My studies in health and social care are drawing me closer to working with children and families but I'll be damned if I'm part of cons to make money. :cry:
I have to add in edit to Srne's bit about stopping putting money in tins.. I don't do this as a rule I cannot abide being stopped in the street and hassled. My view is that I will donate, and I do donate to charities of my own choice. Makes me
Yeah i know what you mean about the teary eyed child but im afraid its a lure to pull at both your heart, and purse strings, that child is an actor who's parents are paid for him/her to appear in the very costly add and the even costllier paying the TV channel for it to be aired!!
i used to work for banardos, an oganisation that has minimal advertising compared to something like NSPCC (banardos does so little advertising that most people think they still have orphanages...despite a rebranding years ago...) however, banardos have twice as many actual projects running for children, families and young people that the NSPCC does (to my knowledge) as they prefer to spend thier money on services.
i dont respond to the kind of advertising were talking about here, i give when i can.
i dont respond to the kind of advertising were talking about here, i give when i can.
Talking about us all being taken in...
We have a collection every week of unwanted clothing brick a brack etc and someone took it on themselves to track what happened to all the stuff being collected.. Well, it turns out it all goes straight to poland and the like into shops with New tags etc..
Bloody thieves!!
Mike x
We have a collection every week of unwanted clothing brick a brack etc and someone took it on themselves to track what happened to all the stuff being collected.. Well, it turns out it all goes straight to poland and the like into shops with New tags etc..
Bloody thieves!!
Mike x
Trouble is, these larger charities do have some of the best facilities with a massive reach of people.
When this kind of money is being ploughed into a charity, it can't be left up to voluntary workers working part time to fit around their job to look after, there's too much to be answerable for.
So with the money and the best facilities, the charity then has to employ the best possible people to not only look after the funds, but make decisions about where these funds are going and how much to where etc etc etc.
The best people for the job don't come cheap, and why should they sell themselves cheap when it's their livelihood? I certainly wouldn't, especially if I could do the same job in a corporate company for more money
What does pee me off tho, is those bluddy free pens and envelopes you get through the door If I give money, it's to help the charity concerned, even if it does mean employees wages ......... I don't want to pay for them to send free pens, begging letters and postage paid envelopes to others
And the other thing, when you agree to sign up to a monthly sum, you still get the free pens, begging letters, postage paid envelopes and CALL CENTRE phone calls, asking for more money!!!! :x You then agree to up the monthly payment ........ and the pens/letters/envelopes/phone calls continue!! :evil:
So no, I'll give anonymously as and when I can, usually to smaller local charities, occasionally to the bigger charities that I believe in (which aren't known for their free pens n stuff :? )
When this kind of money is being ploughed into a charity, it can't be left up to voluntary workers working part time to fit around their job to look after, there's too much to be answerable for.
So with the money and the best facilities, the charity then has to employ the best possible people to not only look after the funds, but make decisions about where these funds are going and how much to where etc etc etc.
The best people for the job don't come cheap, and why should they sell themselves cheap when it's their livelihood? I certainly wouldn't, especially if I could do the same job in a corporate company for more money
What does pee me off tho, is those bluddy free pens and envelopes you get through the door
If I give money, it's to help the charity concerned, even if it does mean employees wages ......... I don't want to pay for them to send free pens, begging letters and postage paid envelopes to others And the other thing, when you agree to sign up to a monthly sum, you still get the free pens, begging letters, postage paid envelopes and CALL CENTRE phone calls, asking for more money!!!! :x You then agree to up the monthly payment ........ and the pens/letters/envelopes/phone calls continue!! :evil:
So no, I'll give anonymously as and when I can, usually to smaller local charities, occasionally to the bigger charities that I believe in (which aren't known for their free pens n stuff :? )
Quote by mdr2000
Talking about us all being taken in...
We have a collection every week of unwanted clothing brick a brack etc and someone took it on themselves to track what happened to all the stuff being collected.. Well, it turns out it all goes straight to poland and the like into shops with New tags etc..
Bloody thieves!!
Mike x
That could have more to do with the corruption of the countries that items are going to, rather than the actual charity trying to get stuff to the 'people'.
It is bluddy awful!! :shock:
Quote by Missy
the free pens, begging letters, postage paid envelopes and CALL CENTRE phone calls, asking for more money!!!!
And another thing, while I've got my soapbox out
Not only do I not want to pay for other peoples free pens, letters, postage paid envelopes, call centre phone calls ........... I don't wanna pay the wages for the people that do the envelope stuffing, call centre calls, printers for this junk either!!!
And I don't wanna be paying for their annual office xmas trees or any other festive decorations, or meals out used to schmooze prospective sponsors!!!! :x
When I say the best people for the job, I do only mean the jobs that are needed to keep the charity safe and efficient, not all the frilly jobs that seem to be 'essential' to the running of the office xmas party!!! :evil:
Quote by Missy
the free pens, begging letters, postage paid envelopes and CALL CENTRE phone calls, asking for more money!!!!
And another thing, while I've got my soapbox out
Not only do I not want to pay for other peoples free pens, letters, postage paid envelopes, call centre phone calls ........... I don't wanna pay the wages for the people that do the envelope stuffing, call centre calls, printers for this junk either!!!
And I don't wanna be paying for their annual office xmas trees or any other festive decorations, or meals out used to schmooze prospective sponsors!!!! :x
When I say the best people for the job, I do only mean the jobs that are needed to keep the charity safe and efficient, not all the frilly jobs that seem to be 'essential' to the running of the office xmas party!!! :evil:
Get your soap box, get your soap box get your soap box out for the lads
Quote by Missy
Talking about us all being taken in...
We have a collection every week of unwanted clothing brick a brack etc and someone took it on themselves to track what happened to all the stuff being collected.. Well, it turns out it all goes straight to poland and the like into shops with New tags etc..
Bloody thieves!!
Mike x
That could have more to do with the corruption of the countries that items are going to, rather than the actual charity trying to get stuff to the 'people'.
It is bluddy awful!! :shock:
Sorry to disappoint you Missy but Mike's talking about those companies who mislead people into thinking they're a charity. Their flyers go on about providing clothing for Eastern European countries, and creating jobs sorting and transporting the stuff etc, when in actual fact they take your stuff and ship it abroad to sell at a profit. A number of them have been warned about their wording by Trading Standards in the past.
In edit: Also, some of them have been caught taking genuine charity donations from peoples doorsteps ahead of the official collectors.
Quote by cu3b4ll
Sorry to disappoint you Missy but Mike's talking about those companies who mislead people into thinking they're a charity. Their flyers go on about providing clothing for Eastern European countries, and creating jobs sorting and transporting the stuff etc, when in actual fact they take your stuff and ship it abroad to sell at a profit. A number of them have been warned about their wording by Trading Standards in the past.
In edit: Also, some of them have been caught taking genuine charity donations from peoples doorsteps ahead of the official collectors.
OMG Noway!! :shock: :shock: :shock:
That's sick, just plain sick
:x :x Quote by cu3b4ll
Talking about us all being taken in...
We have a collection every week of unwanted clothing brick a brack etc and someone took it on themselves to track what happened to all the stuff being collected.. Well, it turns out it all goes straight to poland and the like into shops with New tags etc..
Bloody thieves!!
Mike x
That could have more to do with the corruption of the countries that items are going to, rather than the actual charity trying to get stuff to the 'people'.
It is bluddy awful!! :shock:
Sorry to disappoint you Missy but Mike's talking about those companies who mislead people into thinking they're a charity. Their flyers go on about providing clothing for Eastern European countries, and creating jobs sorting and transporting the stuff etc, when in actual fact they take your stuff and ship it abroad to sell at a profit. A number of them have been warned about their wording by Trading Standards in the past.
Yep we also get the leaflet through the door every week for the bric a brac, clothing etc collection, in tiny little letters (so tiny you would be hard pushed to see them) it does state that they are not a charity.
I was well annoyed the other evening, right on tea time I get a knock on the door and there stood before me is a young girl with a clip board name badge and everything wanting me to sign up to a direct debit every month for breast cancer care. Whilst I have no objection to giving to charity ( I completed the race for life again this year), I do not want to be hounded on my own door step. When I told the girl I did not wish to sign up she replied with "what not even for breast cancer care". She made me so cross
, where I live most people struggle to feed and clothe their kids without being made to feel bad for not wanting to commit to giving to charity once a month!Ok rant over
Boy when this subject came up I couldnt put pen to paper quick enough, or at least fingers to keyboard.
I worked for a national charity for thirty years, so I do know a bit about the game.
When I joined in 1966 we were told four shillings out of every pound went on admin, the rest went direct to the care of our aims.I do not know what the percentage is now, but if anybody wants to know any details of where their money goes write to the Director of the said charity and ask!! If it is a bona fide charity it will supply you with a full auditited account, passed by the Charity commisioners, and auditited by an independant company. They have to do this EVERY year with out fail, which is more than the EU does!!!!!
Yes the charity did employ very knowledgable persons, but they all had to earn their keep, if they didnt come up to scratch they are out!!! The charity gave me a reasonable livlyhood for all those years, but I had to graft for them, in the early years I had half a day off a week and one day off a month, which was not necessarily a Sunday, and I was available 24hours a day, the pay was not all that good as the powers that be said they wanted people for the job and not for the renumeration!!!
I could go on but I wont bore you all but just to say if the charity did not have knowledgable persons at the top they would not last the year out, and if anybody wants to know where their money goes write and ask, and they will tell you, if they dont report them to the Charity Commisioners.
If anybody wants to know more then send me a private pm and I will do my best to answer their query.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes but its late and I am tired!!!!
I worked for a national charity for thirty years, so I do know a bit about the game.
When I joined in 1966 we were told four shillings out of every pound went on admin, the rest went direct to the care of our aims.I do not know what the percentage is now, but if anybody wants to know any details of where their money goes write to the Director of the said charity and ask!! If it is a bona fide charity it will supply you with a full auditited account, passed by the Charity commisioners, and auditited by an independant company. They have to do this EVERY year with out fail, which is more than the EU does!!!!!
Yes the charity did employ very knowledgable persons, but they all had to earn their keep, if they didnt come up to scratch they are out!!! The charity gave me a reasonable livlyhood for all those years, but I had to graft for them, in the early years I had half a day off a week and one day off a month, which was not necessarily a Sunday, and I was available 24hours a day, the pay was not all that good as the powers that be said they wanted people for the job and not for the renumeration!!!
I could go on but I wont bore you all but just to say if the charity did not have knowledgable persons at the top they would not last the year out, and if anybody wants to know where their money goes write and ask, and they will tell you, if they dont report them to the Charity Commisioners.
If anybody wants to know more then send me a private pm and I will do my best to answer their query.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes but its late and I am tired!!!!
Quote by boofy
Boy when this subject came up I couldnt put pen to paper quick enough, or at least fingers to keyboard.
I worked for a national charity for thirty years, so I do know a bit about the game.
When I joined in 1966 we were told four shillings out of every pound went on admin, the rest went direct to the care of our aims.I do not know what the percentage is now, but if anybody wants to know any details of where their money goes write to the Director of the said charity and ask!! If it is a bona fide charity it will supply you with a full auditited account, passed by the Charity commisioners, and auditited by an independant company. They have to do this EVERY year with out fail, which is more than the EU does!!!!!
Yes the charity did employ very knowledgable persons, but they all had to earn their keep, if they didnt come up to scratch they are out!!! The charity gave me a reasonable livlyhood for all those years, but I had to graft for them, in the early years I had half a day off a week and one day off a month, which was not necessarily a Sunday, and I was available 24hours a day, the pay was not all that good as the powers that be said they wanted people for the job and not for the renumeration!!!
I could go on but I wont bore you all but just to say if the charity did not have knowledgable persons at the top they would not last the year out, and if anybody wants to know where their money goes write and ask, and they will tell you, if they dont report them to the Charity Commisioners.
If anybody wants to know more then send me a private pm and I will do my best to answer their query.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes but its late and I am tired!!!!
Superb clarification Boofy, appreciate that :thumbup: Really good to hear from the inside, so to speak, rather than me just winding myself up and exaggerating and ending up looking at things right out of proportion (with the odd made up thing in there to wind myself up even more!)
Although still can't understand the free pen thing
While i am sure a lot of charities do great work, the issue to me is that some charities should not NEED to exist in the first place.
The NSPCC should not NEED to exist.
Every child has the right to be protected and i think this responsibility should be in the hands of the like this should be completely government should it be down to a charity to make sure kids are protected.
There should be no need for "begging letters" and free pens in the post to try and raise money should already be there.
The NSPCC should not NEED to exist.
Every child has the right to be protected and i think this responsibility should be in the hands of the like this should be completely government should it be down to a charity to make sure kids are protected.
There should be no need for "begging letters" and free pens in the post to try and raise money should already be there.
Sex God
Quote by Missy
Although still can't understand the free pen thing
It's so you have a pen to hand, to complete the direct debit mandate!
Quote by never_satisfied
While i am sure a lot of charities do great work, the issue to me is that some charities should not NEED to exist in the first place.
The NSPCC should not NEED to exist.
Every child has the right to be protected and i think this responsibility should be in the hands of the like this should be completely government should it be down to a charity to make sure kids are protected.
There should be no need for "begging letters" and free pens in the post to try and raise money should already be there.
But while it isn't, shouldn't we still give?
Sex God
Oh ffs you lot, lets be feckin honest here, the only reason there is a need for any “local” charity in the UK is because we are such a bunch of whiners when it comes to income tax.
An extra penny in the pound would fund the NHS for the next 40 years.
Another penny in the pound would eradicate child poverty in this country almost permanently.
Add one more penny in the pound and homelessness would be a thing of the past. So…….
Why do we need charities to try to provide the things that a truly humanitarian country would provide anyway? Well it just may have something to do with the inbred British hatred of deductions.
Having worked in the voluntary sector, the private, and the public sector, the greed of the British people saddens me beyond belief when it comes to taxes, yet at the same time, we are so ready to give to charity???
A few pence in the pound would solve so much if it was targeted and accountable.
<<<<<<<<<<<<< packs up his soap box for another year.
Bloody good subject by the way :thumbup:
p
An extra penny in the pound would fund the NHS for the next 40 years.
Another penny in the pound would eradicate child poverty in this country almost permanently.
Add one more penny in the pound and homelessness would be a thing of the past. So…….
Why do we need charities to try to provide the things that a truly humanitarian country would provide anyway? Well it just may have something to do with the inbred British hatred of deductions.
Having worked in the voluntary sector, the private, and the public sector, the greed of the British people saddens me beyond belief when it comes to taxes, yet at the same time, we are so ready to give to charity???
A few pence in the pound would solve so much if it was targeted and accountable.
<<<<<<<<<<<<< packs up his soap box for another year.
Bloody good subject by the way :thumbup:
p
Quote by never_satisfied
While i am sure a lot of charities do great work, the issue to me is that some charities should not NEED to exist in the first place.
The NSPCC should not NEED to exist.
Every child has the right to be protected and i think this responsibility should be in the hands of the like this should be completely government should it be down to a charity to make sure kids are protected.
There should be no need for "begging letters" and free pens in the post to try and raise money should already be there.
Your 100% correct
£1 from everyone’s wages each week tax free would bring in enormous amounts of money which could then be distributed amongst charities and would cut out the need for most, but even if this was done the government would still have to employ people to carry this out, it goes in roundabouts?
I give when I can but what does really annoy me apart from the pens, people knocking on your doors, getting harassed in every shop doorway etc as mentioned before, is a lot of these charities are outwith the uk, don’t get me wrong some of these countries need serious help, but why is it always targeted at the UK and why do some go to extreme lengths for some when we ourselves have god knows how many people living in poverty and thousands upon thousands of people living on our streets, Yes help them out but shouldn’t we help our own country first?
Then you have things like live aid, full of famous people putting on a concert and sparing a few hours of their time for free, why don’t they just donate some money themselves from the millions they have in their bank accounts??? Children in need is another, full of famous people and highly paid presenters but hey the good old working class can donate.
The bottom line is as it stands our charities are actually about taking from the poor to give to the poorer; its always down to the working class to donate while the rich get richer and take all the credit, robin hood had the right idea. So no matter what way its done there’s always going to be people being paid one way or another.
Quote by Pete_sw
Oh ffs you lot, lets be feckin honest here, the only reason there is a need for any “local” charity in the UK is because we are such a bunch of whiners when it comes to income tax.
An extra penny in the pound would fund the NHS for the next 40 years.
Another penny in the pound would eradicate child poverty in this country almost permanently.
Add one more penny in the pound and homelessness would be a thing of the past. So…….
Why do we need charities to try to provide the things that a truly humanitarian country would provide anyway? Well it just may have something to do with the inbred British hatred of deductions.
Having worked in the voluntary sector, the private, and the public sector, the greed of the British people saddens me beyond belief when it comes to taxes, yet at the same time, we are so ready to give to charity???
A few pence in the pound would solve so much if it was targeted and accountable.
<<<<<<<<<<<<< packs up his soap box for another year.
Bloody good subject by the way :thumbup:
p
Nail on head comes to mind.
It's a controversial thing to say but I dislike charities and a lot of people who work for them. Most charities shouldn't exist but whilst they do the governments will never change the way they spend (and waste) money. There are millions of pounds swilling around out there that could be used for better purposes and the way we're taxed could be changed to raise more revenue. I'd love all the willing volunteers instead, to donate their time to protesting to the prime minister of the day, to stop wasting money and to slowly abolish the need for any charities.
Further to my post about working for a charity.
I heartily agree with the writer who said certain charities are , or should be unnecerssary, all health charities, Cancer, Alzheimers, MS etc., should be part of the National Health Service, as should be the childrens sociaties, in a welfare state all these should be covered. The only Charities that should not be covered are peoples interests, saving a railway line, preseving a building, saving an old sailing ship!!!or an animal charity, if you are into cats, or dogs or wildlife, then you should support them but as not all people like animals, why should they have to pay out for their support.
One final point, it only happened to me this very morning, I was stopped in the High Street by a student who wanted me to sign up fo some charity in Africa, telling me that 50% of the population were dying, through AIDS and lack of medication, I told her I was very sorry but I believe "charity begins at home" and besides if these African governments could afford tanks, guns, planes etc., and they all have nice little swiss bank accounts, which will support them when they are ousted from power, i.e. Ide Amin for example, then they do not need my money such as it is. The young lady was not impressed with my reply!!! Dear dear!!!
Now it is time I got off my soapbox, and I will let the matter rest.
I heartily agree with the writer who said certain charities are , or should be unnecerssary, all health charities, Cancer, Alzheimers, MS etc., should be part of the National Health Service, as should be the childrens sociaties, in a welfare state all these should be covered. The only Charities that should not be covered are peoples interests, saving a railway line, preseving a building, saving an old sailing ship!!!or an animal charity, if you are into cats, or dogs or wildlife, then you should support them but as not all people like animals, why should they have to pay out for their support.
One final point, it only happened to me this very morning, I was stopped in the High Street by a student who wanted me to sign up fo some charity in Africa, telling me that 50% of the population were dying, through AIDS and lack of medication, I told her I was very sorry but I believe "charity begins at home" and besides if these African governments could afford tanks, guns, planes etc., and they all have nice little swiss bank accounts, which will support them when they are ousted from power, i.e. Ide Amin for example, then they do not need my money such as it is. The young lady was not impressed with my reply!!! Dear dear!!!
Now it is time I got off my soapbox, and I will let the matter rest.
I heard a local news report the other day that a crisis centre is able to stay open for another 12 months due to a one-off rescue package by Thames Valley Police and a local council but will have to find other funding to stay open after that. FFS this type of thing should be centrally funded by the government without doubt, as should a lot of the work that other charities do. And of course then charities wouldn't have to pay someone to raise the funds for them - I know some fundraisers work on a commission basis :shock:
