I realise before writing what I have planned that I might be treading on a few toes in the next few paragraphs, I might even be 'crapping on my own doorstep' as it were. Please bear with me though, I promise there is a point to be found somewhere.
As I arguably frequent the the fine establishment that is the Prince of Wales perhaps a little too often, I often have to run the gauntlet of 'chuggers' (charity muggers) vying for my attention and money for a variety good and just causes - displayed on the very fetching vests that adorn their person. Now, my problem is not that they attempt to take the money I have already sectioned off to be wasted in the Prince, nor is this a rant against political correctness and I am certainly not in any way against fundraising for charity. Not by a long shot bucko.
Charities need to raise funds to survive, it's an undeniable fact. Rather, it's the nature of charity. I work for a charity and I'm aware of how hard funds are to come by, especially as people struggle financially. In a time of economic depressions, charities find it harder than ever to find the capital to carry out the essential work they do. It would be wrong to ever criticise legitimate fundraising. However, I have a real problem with charities hiring agencies to put out young men and women to actively and psuedo-aggressively fund raise from the general public on the streets.
Someone I know was stopped on their way to work today by a street fundraiser who promptly signed them up to give ten pounds a month to a well-known charity. The process was so quick that the chugger had the paper signed before the person had time to know what was happening. It was the patter of the chugger that won the day, he told the person he was 'only raising funds from good looking people that day' and hence they were stopped. Charm is hard to avoid, especially when starving children, the homeless, abuse victims or any other sort of issue is involved.
'Only raising funds from good looking people'? I am perhaps reading too much into innocent flirtation, but I find that statement slightly on sickening side of discomfort. If this fundraiser was indeed aiming to only raise funds from attractive people that day, apart from ignoring numerous ugly people with perfectly legal tender, was he also only aiming to help good looking landmine victims or homeless people who have time to adhere to a strict beauty regime every morning when they wake up on the street? I would really like the to put that question to him. Although I probably couldn't as I would likely be ignored for neither possessing a pair of tits or killer legs. Maybe my luck would be in and I'd catch him on a day where he had a drive to get some ugly cash but I doubt it.
Street fundraisers are most often contracted by the charity through a professional company. It is rare that they are ever volunteers and never should it be assumed that they are. Agreeing to donate by signing up to the charity muggers ('chuggers') does not actually guarantee that all of that ten pounds will go to aid the work of the charity plastered on their vest. According to charityfacts.org, around ninety pounds for each person that signs up on the street. The same website estimates that it actually takes around a year for the monthly contributions to break even and fully go to the charity and because up to 40% of people cease giving after a year, the maths begins to become interesting.
Yes, I find the people who do such work irritating, I really do. But it would be unfair to spew hate all over them. My real gripe is with the whole process. I had a look at some of the companies who recruit street fundraisers. Their adverts were modern, bright and quite attractive - just like the young people they hope to recruit I presume. One compelled me to 'fight desk job drudgery'. Sounds great, but fighting desk job drudgery? Is that really what these fundraisers should be doing? Shouldn't the primary concern be the charity themselves: fighting poverty, injustice and the like? The answer is no. This is business for these companies - charity comes second - and unfortunately (whether they realise it or not) street fundraisers are also putting charities second.
Charities need to fund raise, I understand that. I don't begrudge charities that bring in companies to recruit street fundraisers. However, I fail to see the point and at times find the practice bordering on illegitimate. The more I delve into trying to research this subject, the more it becomes harder to find facts and figures. It is altogether blurry and this only intensifies my suspicions of the process.
I'm an angry man ladies and gentlemen. The more I look, the more I see things that bring the rage...
Stu
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