Hello friends, colleagues and platform pals, I know things are likely to be tough for lots of people leading or working within UK social enterprises, charities and voluntary organisations. Lots are running on low fuel. Competing priorities are everywhere Despite those challenges, I have been deeply troubled, as I'm sure you might too, by the impact and consequences of misinformation, populism, the co-option of our flags, and the increasing visibility of angry nationalism in parts of the UK, across our mainstream media and almost all social media platforms. Is anyone convening a sector wide response that I am unaware of ? I have looked around and found only very localised attempts to rebuttal the narratives promoted by those that seek division . If it's not already underway, I'd like to suggest convening conversations with anyone or any organisations that are interested, about what, if anything civil society organisations (and others) could do to develop a helpful, collective and distinct response. Of course a joint statement or a letter from our sectors representatives might be a useful starting point, but I have also been thinking about how we can use our skills, capabilities, networks and resources much more effectively to do something of actual practical use that can help people connect, contribute and support and protect those among us and in our communities who feel threatened, isolated or unsafe. It might be that we could help enable individuals and communities, to respond with a coordinated, collective and consistent alternative symbol (representing for example: hope, tolerance, peace, resistance etc.) that communities and people might adopt - creating a unified symbol that anyone can use to help remind us all that a counter-movement of tolerance, empathy and compassion exists in abundance within and across our nations. If you would like to come and join a conversation, or start your own, have some great ideas knowledge or skills to contribute , please comment with a 'yes' or send a dm to me. In solidarity, Peter please forward and share with anyone else that might be interested.
Peter Holbrook CBE Totally agree on a collective response and mobilisation. I wrote about this for Third Sector earlier this week https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/zoe-amar-sector-speak-rising-hate/digital/article/1932548 I've also spoken to the wonderful Jane Ide OBE HonDUniv and we at Zoe Amar Digital are happy to support or amplify.
Thanks for all the posts - definitely in need of solidarity. I think the Civil Society Group are working on drafting and Open Letter Ali Harris helping to draft.
Feels like a time for movement solidarity. Orgs who aren't on the front line - could (maybe should) be amplifying the work and resources of those who are. To be clear, orgs with big reach in digital channels could be sharing resources from other orgs in those channels. Here's an example - a guide from Praxis on how to have effective conversations about migration. https://act.praxis.org.uk/sign-essential-guide-changing-minds-migration
Yes we at The Peoples Hub are interested Peter, let's bring more light together🕯️x https://x.com/GoogleExpertUK/status/1964773671962398720
Your concerns are well justified, Peter. And we can be sure that sincere words and well crafted arguments will have no effect on the angry brigade. Our best hope is to empower those who long for tolerance, integration and support for each other. Politically, this requires proportional representation to allow more voices to be heard. And for us, our Social Enterprise Places could develop local programmes bring all sectors of their communities together for mutual support.
I believe this is partly a crisis of loneliness and a lack of belonging. See Kim Samuel's work and the Belonging Forum that she set up. Also please read Noreena Hertz's The Lonely Century. It helps make sense of the link between loneliness and the rise of extremism/populism. You might also be interested in connecting with the Economics of Mutuality Alliance/Nick Gulliver
Great leadership Peter. I hope that Anna Fowlie and Chris Martin have this on their radar. The momentum isn’t the same in Scotland, but in Ireland there was / is a “that doesn’t happen here” mentality. Look how that worked out. Biggest gathering I’ve seen so far Peter is a slack channel organised by Natasha Adams (150+ members mostly working in the sector for almost as many organisations) and also some of the work of the folks that attended the New Organising Conference (NOC) organised by Lucas Sjoerd de Koning and others. I feel like folks like Ashraf H. and Martha Mackenzie also have this front of their mind. Tagging just in case there aren’t connections. IMHO what’s needed here is a rainbow coalition that brings in Unions, Academics, Voluntary Sector, Avtivist Networks, Community Leaders and Faith groups. This isn’t a threat to any one group, it’s to all of us, our democracy and our communities. We often talk of the need to get together on issues, well this is the one where there is no other way. Humanity acts best when rising to a challenge… #OutFuture 🫶🏽✊🏾🫶🏽
Raising a hand here, not least because we need to include LGBTQIA+ voices in this discussion.
There are a number of people convening at grassroots level locally (Bristol) and through some grassroots national networks. I think what's missing from that is someone to support with that coherent storytelling to give what we're saying some wider reach/klout and a shared message we can all get behind (as we've seen with the Labour split and continued fracturing of said left with the latest Your Party drama) we're continuing to fracture when what we need is a coalition working in common endeavor to build a human centric, civic and social justice message and movement that everyone incl disenfranchised folk being manipulated by right wing rethoric can get behind. I'm game and know others are too x
Consultant PR | CharityComms: founding member, former director & trustee | speaker | trustee at The Squad | founder Third Sector Comms Network [Facebook, 2007] | CIPR accredited and member | socially progressive PR
2dThese are questions and opportunities that have been circling around my head too. Raising my hand to help in any way.