Peter Singer has often been called one of the most influential philosophers of the present time. In his famous 1972 article, Hunger, Abundance, and Morality the researcher, referring to the famine that broke out in Bangladesh in 1971, argued for the moral obligation of people in the wealthy West to help those in developing countries suffering from hunger, poverty, and disease. The reprinting of this article in 2016 suggests that the author continues to hold these views and has not changed his position on this issue. Singers argument is built around the idea that if a person can prevent something wrong from happening without sacrificing something of comparable moral importance to him, then morally, he should do so.
The philosopher argues that giving is a moral duty if not equal or comparable to sacrifice. In this article, Singer appears as a moral reformer. Charity, from a moral point of view, is an action whose commission is morally approved and encouraged but whose failure to do so is not morally condemned. In contrast, acts of moral duty are precepts whose violation is condemned and entails moral guilt. In other words, what used to be regarded as acts of goodwill, that is, non-binding but merely desirable, Singer suggests that they are obligatory acts derived from moral requirements (Singer 769).
Scientists tend to think more about how to improve amenities than how to prevent great suffering. The harm is eliminated as a result of the assistance must be greater than the harm people may cause to themselves or others in the process. It means that benefit that is ezpected to be the result of helping others must not be less than the benefit will have to be sacrificed in doing so. In other words, the total amount of good or benefit must increase as a result of peoples actions, and thus the total amount of evil, or harm, must decrease.
Helping someone far away is as much a moral obligation as helping someone close to us. As can be seen from this thesis, it already assumes that helping is a moral obligation and extends this principle to all people in general, regardless of the distance at which they are (Singer 769). This rejects the common notion that the moral scope of helping is limited to those closest to us, or at least that those closest to us have priority in getting help.
Death as a means and death as a foreseeable side effect of inaction is, in Singers view, morally equivalent, and almost all the distinctions can be made. Morally relevant Singer recognizes the differences in whether people know definitely what happened and what their motive is, but they only matter in condemning or praising the action of not helping the poor should not be condemned in the same way as murder. it can, however, be equated with the murder of a person by reckless driving, which is serious enough.
The philosophers persuasion may seem purely intuitive and is largely based on the example of the drowning child that Singer cites as an illustration. The immediate threat to the life of a child that could be easily saved involves powerful mechanisms of intuitive moral choice that do not require rational justification, especially since the situation requires a quick decision and does not involve time for reflection. However, if sientists reduce the emotional intensity of the moral choice situation, it is evident that this principle no longer seems so convincing.
Another common objection to Singers argument is to point out the excessiveness of the demands he makes, even in a moderate formulation of the principle. This excessiveness is felt especially acutely in an environment where most people ignore these demands, and those who would be willing to seriously recognize and act on them would be overly burdened. (Singer 768). This argument is also related to the problem of iterative help: if one were to draw the analogy of a pond to fit a real situation, one would have to imagine not a pond but a lake or sea overflowing with drowning children who appear there over and over again (Ogbujah 459). Demandingness is thus a hallmark not specifically of Singers principles but utilitarianism as a whole since every inaction becomes a positive or negative contribution to the most optimal state of affairs in the world.
At the global level, individual benefactors and intermediary organizations maintain the existing world order, which involves structural discrimination and allows prosperous countries to profit from unfair relations with those being helped. At the local level, intermediary organizations have a negative impact on states, replacing and discrediting local government structures, imposing certain ideological attitudes, and provoking a brain drain, not to mention specific cases of exploitation, harassment, and abusive treatment by the staff of these organizations themselves.
Accordingly, the problem is not only that Singers approach needs some moral theory to explain the concept of moral relevance but also that it requires a developed theory of justice to put it into practice. For example, Benedict suggests that the utilitarian benevolence approach and the justice approach should be seen as complementary (Ogbujah 458). He emphasizes the importance of conceptualizing persistent poverty as a massive injustice that questions the legitimacy of existing legal, economic and political structures (Ogbujah 459). The effective altruism approach, she argues, eliminates the manifestations of poverty but not its causes, and eliminating extreme poverty is impossible without identifying its roots and eradicating them. Helping the poor is thus both a duty of benevolence and a duty of justice.
The second implication of this principle needs more justification: the fact that there are millions of other people in a similar situation to mine in relation to ONeil refugees does not make this situation significantly different from one in which I am the only person capable of preventing something very bad from happening (212). Again, I recognize that these cases are psychologically perceived differently: one feels less guilt for ones own inaction if one can point out that other people in a similar situation are also doing nothing. However, this detail can have no real bearing on different moral obligations.
Thus, despite the criticisms to which Singers approach has been subjected in its nearly fifty years of existence, his basic argument has highlighted the important fact that helping those in extreme poverty is indeed an integral part of living a morally decent life in the current state of the world. But this obligation to help, which can no longer be called charity in the usual sense of the word, will be refined depending on the particular normative approach and picture of the world one holds.
Works Cited
ONeill, O. A Kantian Approach to Famine Relief . Philosophy, vol. 72, no 2, 1998, pp. 211228.
Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia (CCEV) is a non-profit organization, providing its clients with a broad range of services. It offers sympathetic support to those in need, regardless of racial, ethnic, and religious characteristics. The array of services includes mental health counseling, financial and housing counseling, health and community counseling, as well as older adult services.
Agencys Management Practices
The organization of the working process is based on the standard schedule of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. However, the management acknowledges a frequently occurring need for devising a personalized, flexible schedule. The type of work schedule depends on the professional area of a particular employee. The possibility of arranging a personalized schedule is discussed by the Chief Executive Officer, the Supervisor, and the particular employee. The employees working from home on a daily basis should communicate consistently with their immediate Supervisor during the working hours.
In the case of force majeure events, such as extreme weather conditions, the CEO can declare a liberal leave policy, which implies that an employee may take a personal day without prior approval. Such circumstances might also require the closing of certain facilities of the organization. The decision of closing may be made by the CEO in the case of extreme weather conditions, which may endanger the employees. If the closing is eventually authorized, the CEO decides upon the paid time off for the employees. The cases of extreme conditions demand further instructions on the matter of organization of the working day. The following alterations may be introduced: closings, delayed openings, and early closings.
The companys Administrative Policy Procedures Manual stipulates that all employees should ensure that no conflict of interest arises. Every year, employees sign a form, specifying the absence of conflicts of interest of any kind. Outside employment is also regulated and must be approved by the CEO, and include signing a necessary form. Private practice, which can have an adverse effect on the activities of the Catholic Charity of Eastern Virginia, must not be undertaken by any employee. Should the CEO decide that a particular employees performance is affected by their outside employment, or that a conflict of interest may arise, the employee may be forced to terminate their outside activities.
Employees are encouraged to suggest certain policy improvements through written statements addressed to the management. In order to implement the suggested changes in policy and procedures, the CEOs approval must be obtained. The information about the implemented modifications is provided to each employee. The operational procedures of the Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia are board approved administrative policies. Procedures are executed without the involvement of the government body (the Board of Directors).
Different Areas of Administration
Employer-employee relations are an important area of administration at the CCTV. Both the employer and employee voluntarily enter into these relations and can terminate the employment with or without giving any specific reason for termination, as long as no federal or state law is violated. CCTV management policies do not constitute a contractual agreement.
The Finance Committee of the General Board holds yearly meetings in order to review the financial situation of the organization, as well as to evaluate the potential financial risks. The record retention system serves as a basis for the regulation of accountability and fiscal matters. Maintaining the efficiency of the record system helps the CCEV to ensure proper compliance with the tax regulations, as well as to be prepared for federal audits or other examinations.
The majority of accounting documents are retained on a permanent basis, such as audit reports, checks, fixed assets, financial statements, and insurance records, reports, and claims. Legal and tax-related correspondence, retirement plan records, and Agency Corporate Documents are retained on a permanent basis as well, while other files are retained for two to seven years, depending on the type of a particular document.
Support services of the CCEV include assistive technology provided to those with disabilities, including certain types of devices, modifications, or accommodations necessary for the disabled to improve their functioning capacity. With the exception of legal reasons, all clients are granted access to their case records, which they can amend if the need arises. The client rights brochure is distributed to all clients in order to enhance their knowledge of their cases.
Establishing job positions and descriptions in the CCEV is considered a major commitment of the organization. The job descriptions are tailored to the current needs of the community. According to the official position of the organization, all job positions must have proper descriptions, which are reviewed and updated on an annual basis should the need arise.
Current employees can also apply for a new position in the organization. The manager of the position specifies the resume requirements of the screening process conducted by the Human Resources Department. The candidates references and credentials are verified. The CEO approves the selected candidate, which leads to a verbal offer of employment.
Whatever the reason for the termination of employment, the employee files remain in possession of the organization. Former employees cannot contact their clients without written consent given by the CCTV. In the case of a staff reduction, severance pay can be provided.
Performance evaluation is an important aspect of company policy. Annual, special, and corrective performance appraisals are conducted on a regular basis. Annual performance appraisals are employed to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the performance in order to improve working efficiency. Special performance appraisals are conducted if an employees work is of excellent quality and deserves additional recognition and reward. Corrective performance appraisals are employed when an employees performance is insufficient, unsatisfactory, or raising concerns.
Administrative Governance
The Board of Directors constitutes the governing body of the CCTV. The sole member of the corporation is the Bishop of Diocese of Richmond. As indicated in Table 1, the Chief Executive Officer oversees the principal departments of the organization: Finance, Grants/ODM/PQI, Programs, HR/IT/Training, Board Development, Development/Marketing, and Public Relations department.
The funding for the CCEVs activities comes from grants and state waivers. The organizations gift acceptance policy also stipulates the possibility of accepting donations in various forms. Donation may be transferred as cash, publicly traded securities, real estate, life insurance policies, bequests, gift annuities, and charitable remainder trust (Create a Legacy, n.d., para. 1). As it is a non-profit organization, the local, state, and federal laws constitute its enabling legislation.
Client Population
The majority of clients of the CCEV are under-provided people over 18 years old. The clients served are of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. The services most often provided are Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, or financial support.
Agency Philosophy, Mission, and Goals
All employees of the CCEV are to adhere to the ethical guidelines and professional standards specified by the organization, as well as work by its mission and contribute to the common goals. The mission of the CCEV consists in being guided by Gods love for all people to provide comprehensive, compassionate support, work with local communities and help those in need to improve their life quality (Mission & Vision, n.d., para. 1).
The principal values of the organization include dignity and sanctity of life, service, compassion, empowerment, and stewardship. The basic goals include serving others compassionately and selflessly, recognizing the clients needs throughout all periods of their life, and providing services while abiding by the moral, ethical, and honest principles of the CCTV.
The Code of ethics that all employees must comply with includes several guidelines. Employees must not allow for discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, handicap, sexual preference, or political affiliation. The Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics must also be strictly followed. All employees must respect the informed consent and provide the possibility of the clients participation when making critical decisions regarding their cases.
Employees must also respect the rule of privacy and confidentiality of their clients. The decisions regarding the clients case must be founded on the diagnostic and treatment needs of a particular client, as well as on the Code of Ethics. Clients must be provided with services characterized by integrity in decision-making and by the freedom of choice. All employees must make decisions based on professional responsibilities rather than personal preferences. The services and the corresponding financial arrangements are monitored on a regular basis. All clients have the possibility to file a grievance according to the procedures, as well as refuse participation in clinical studies or other types of research.
The Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics provides fundamental guidelines for all employees to follow. The Code encompasses several core principles of Catholic Social teaching. These principles include human dignity (each person has inherent dignity that must be respected), the existence of common good (everyone has the right to access it to improve their life quality), the principle of subsidiary (empowering those in need, encouraging them to take control of their life), and solidarity with the poor (the underprovided have a special claim to the services and programs of the CCEV).
Role of Preceptor
The Director of Guardianship is the assigned preceptor. She is responsible for the clients, which are in need of guardianship and conservators. The Guardianship Director services include the power of attorney services for clients over 18, who have been adjudicated as unable to care for themselves by a Circuit Court judge and have no family members who are either willing or capable of serving in such capacity.
Conclusion
The Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia is a non-profit organization. Its clients are provided with comprehensive, compassionate services. The majority of clients are poverty-stricken adults over 18. The Guardianship and Related Services program offers guardianship, conservatory, and power of attorney services to underprovided clients of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. The CCEV is guided by the Code of Ethics, as well as by the general philosophy and ethical principles of the organization.
One of the worthwhile activities in which we as human beings can engage in is the protection of our environment, our dignity and our future. To take up this noble cause for our survivals sake, many individual activists and organizations have engaged themselves in various activities all aimed at the protection of our livelihood.
The Catholic Church in particular boasts of a significant number of activists. Some of these activists are motivated by the peculiar dangers that face the world as a result of disease infestation, poverty, illiteracy, moral decadence and the dangers that can occur due to the prevalence of these factors.
Introduction
History has it that in most of the successful ancient civilizations, economic inequality was commonplace between the ruling class and the ruled. This status quo mostly resulted in anger and resentment between the two groups due to the great economic divide. These historical realities are still very much alive today in our present day society where income inequality is rampant.
Traverso (2003) asserts that the difference between the rich and the poor in terms of economy has continued to expand over the last years with the rift between the middle and rich stretching even further. These facts reinforce the supposition that income inequality is at its all time highest level in the world.
Social and economic trends such as change in family structures, increasing numbers of immigrants from poorer nations and globalization have led to rich and middle-income countries experiencing rising economic and social inequality. Ironically, all this is against a backdrop of great economic growth and prosperity that has been experienced by most of the countries in the world.
Mapes (2004) suggests that such inequalities are positively related to social vices such as homicide, substance abuse and racism which inevitably foster social instability.
With these daunting realities in mind, it makes sense to explore the most prevalent types of inequalities as well as the efforts that some organizations have put to come up with solutions and measures that can be used to reduce their effects on a global perspective.
Purpose and thesis statement
Catholic charities have been a beckon of hope and providence to many people suffering from various inequities around the world. Their contribution to the promotion of world peace, unity and equality cannot go unnoticed in many global situations (Kerby, 2009).
This paper shall set out to explore whether Catholic charities have been helpful in diminishing social, economical and political hurdles in the world. This shall be accomplished through an extensive and articulate study of what catholic charities entail and the various factors that have contributed to their success.
Their various measures employed to curb various issues shall also be highlighted and their respective effectiveness showcased. This shall be in a bid to provide a better appreciation of the charities thereby leading to an enhanced understanding of what they are, how they affect different societies and consequently, how they can be helped in their fight against these issues.
Brief overview of catholic charities
Catholic charities are nonprofit organizations located in almost all parts of the world. As the name suggests, they are church owned charitable organizations prominent in championing various relief efforts especially in developing countries around the world. They use their acquired resources in the provision of food, shelter, clothing, education and health aid to the less fortunate across the globe (Friedman & McGarvie, 2003).
History of catholic charities and their evolution
According to Hehir (2010), catholic charities have been in existence for more than a century. It is believed that the catholic charities network was founded in 1910.
During that time, they could only provide human relief to people from all religious denominations within a few countries. Later on in 1923, it was acknowledged as being among the best provider of these services to a more diverse population as it covered more countries. By 1950, they had expanded their services to accommodate community and health services.
Today, according to the organizations official website, www.catholiccharitiesusa.org, the main purpose of the organization is fighting poverty, providing assistance to families and empowering the masses towards the realization of successful and moral living through the preservation of human well-being (Friedman & McGarvie, 2003).
Management of catholic charities
According to Maurutto (2003), management entails the effective and efficient utilization of resources that are available to an organization with an aim of achieving organizational goals and objectives. The author reiterates that it involves planning, organizing, leading and controlling of the organizations activities and resources.
Despite popular belief, the catholic charities network is run by professional specializing in various fields of study. Like any other business, these charities also face the various challenges present in the economy. Therefore, they require an effective and efficient organizational structure if they are to remain relevant in todays dynamic business environment.
Leadership
Leadership most often refers to a process through which one person uses the help and support of others towards achieving a particular goal or task (Palmer & Randall, 2003).
Considering the current state of affairs in the world, the leaders of these charities are always under so much pressure to deliver. As such, their leader have to be knowledgeable professional in the field of expertise, having a proven track record of achieving set goals and objectives and the ability to motivate and delegate effectively.
Leaders also ought to be able to cultivate and identify talent and exhibit sound judgment even under pressure (Brody, 2005). In addition, owing to the diversity of the services offered by these charities, the leaders often apply both the transitional and situational leadership styles so that they can effectively cope with the ever changing situations
Financial management
As mentioned earlier in this paper, catholic charities are nonprofit organizations. Therefore, they depend on well wishers, their church, donations and grants as some of their financial sources (Belcher & Deforge, 2008).
With such sources, the need for accountability is always so high. As such, the charities have a team of highly qualified and dedicated team which is tasked with the duties of distributing, following up, and accounting for, all funds allocated to the charities.
This has been deemed as a daunting task since the number of people in need is often more than the funds available (McKinney, 2004). Therefore, the decision making process in such cases is always tricky and seldom appreciated by many.
Human resource management
The network has employed a large and diverse workforce mainly due to its expansive (global) nature. Mans desire for knowledge and success has over the years expanded beyond the restrictions of localities and regional boundaries (Burlingame, 2004). As such, business mergers and other agreements have been made between countries in search of a larger market base, resources and human capital.
The occurrences of such interactions have over the years brought the human race closer to each other than ever before despite their varied differences in cultures, goals and objectives (Denhardt et al, 2008). Consequently, the advantages realized from globalization in terms of social and economic wellness have been great to say the least.
Since the charities operate in different locations all over the world, they have employed competent people from these locations to oversee the on going projects with minimal complications (language barriers, geographic know-how and cultural barriers). Having such a diverse workforce has significantly contributed to the success of these charities (Denhardt et al, 2008).
Services provided by catholic charities
The main aims of these charities gear towards the preservation of human well-being (Dionne & Chen, 2001). As such, there are many issues that have been addressed by the charities in a bid to fulfill these objectives. They include, but are not limited to:
Health services
Good health is by far the most important aspect to the human race. Without it, there could be no development or growth in the world. That is why most governments have made it their priority to offer reasonable health services to the citizenry (Foster, 2010). However, most countries lack adequate resources to provide these services.
Better health care can in most cases only be achieved by means of reforms. Denhardt et al (2008) describe reforms as meaning positive change. In the developing countries, this would imply coming up with sustainable and efficient systems.
In a developing nations perspective, the reforms cannot take place without involving external donors since most of these nations are plagued by poor, inefficient and corrupt governments. While it can be irrefutably stated that donors are under no legal obligation to aid poorer countries improve their health sectors, they do feel morally obliged to lend a helping hand.
The aid that donors extend has resulted in the accomplishment of significant results e.g. the eradication of small pox through large scale vaccination and the lowering of infant mortality (Foster, 2010). Without the assistance of these donors health in the poor nations would not be appealing. It is for this reason that catholic charities provide aid to the developing nations.
The aid offered is not only limited to material help but also comes in the form of technical aid since most poor nations lack the expertise to set up complex healthcare systems and keep them running.
Without technical assistance, all the monetary and material aid offered would be misappropriated hence setting back any reform efforts. McMillan (2010) articulates that provision of aid would be inconsequential if no expertise accompanied it.
Catholic charities have stepped in to assist the government and other medical organizations in the provision of health services. They have been instrumental in building hospitals, health facilities, recreational and counseling centers in different locations where they are needed (Mapes, 2004).
In addition, they have managed to provide these services at a considerably low cost. This has been very useful to many people especially those with low financial capabilities who account to a large percentage of the total global population. The input of these charities in the health sector has enabled many people who would have otherwise despaired get through difficult situations in their day-to-day endeavors.
Financial services
The campaigns spearheaded by the catholic charities point out to the notion that their projects will lead to creation of more jobs for the local populace. The leaders assert that the creation of social and health amenities opens up employment opportunities (Palmer & Randall, 2002). As such, the charities often extend financial services to local churches so that they can avail such amenities.
In addition, they offer loans to aspiring entrepreneurs with the hopes that they will in turn create more employment opportunities. Also, they offer financial aid to people who have been struck by various disasters around the world. This is done to help the victims have a fresh start with minimum constraints.
Spiritual services
At the present, most economies in the world are working towards recovering from the credit crunch that hit almost all countries in the world. It is a reasonable assumption that most organizations were forced to make changes that included cutting on costs or laying off employees so as to remain profitable.
In such times, there is need for a flame of optimism to be fanned in the organization (Mapes, 2004). At the heart of the efforts of catholic charities are the campaigns to empower the masses through spiritual interventions. One of the philosophies behind actions by the charities is that with Gods guidance, everything is possible. As such, they endeavor to ensure that Godliness comes above all other things.
They have therefore built churches in various locations to ensure that people in different predicaments find solace in the house of God. To support this notion, Basil & Herr (2003), assert that many people suffering from various ailments have been documented as having found peace and comfort in God where everything else had failed.
Burlingame (2004) state that an optimistic nature is one of the defining behaviors associated with a transformational leader. A person who can enthusiastically talk about the needs of the people and draw a compelling image of the bright future that all in a given setting can look forward to is capable of making a difference in the world.
In regard to this, the catholic charities and churches have over the years provided the people with leaders of such stature. The priests and counselors have been known to be good listeners and preachers of hope.
In addition, all organizations and communities often experience contentious issues which elicit different reactions at some point in time. How these issues are resolved, may spell out the difference between success and failure in these settings. Therefore, the presence of a person who can manage such crises in a diplomatic fashion may be crucial to the success of the organization.
Diplomacy entails the using of power and authority carefully so as to achieve positive outcomes by being unanimous or arriving at a consensus. Arguably, this cannot be achieved without spiritual and moral interventions which are core principles in catholic charities (Belcher & Deforge, 2008).
Literature review
Many scholars and critics have documented different views as regarding the existence of these charities. The proponents argue that they have provided viable ways to cope for many while the nay-Sayers argue that they foster some ill sentiments among the masses.
Arguments for catholic charities
Burlingame (2004) argues that catholic charities have been instrumental in the promotion of moral ethics, human rights and unity around the world. He cites the protest against abortion as one of the charities significant successes in the recent past. The charities argued that this practice is unfair to the unborn children since they too have a right to live.
This campaign has to a significant extent been a success for the charities as many countries are yet to legalize abortion. In addition, the author claims that these charities have helped communities that have been abandoned, mistreated and neglected by their governments cope with their sad situations.
One of the latest campaigns by catholic charities is to educate the masses about the effects of the war in Iraq and most parts of the Middle East.
By financing major campaigns and promotions, the charities have managed to provide people with valuable information about the war all the while promoting peace, unity and diplomacy as means to end this costly affair. Dionne & Chen (2001) claim that war and political instability are among the core factors hindering globalization.
As such, the author supports these charities and their recommendations claiming that the full benefits of globalization can only be realized if the human race sets aside their differences and work together towards a common goal.
Arguments against catholic charities
Of particular concern is the speculation that religious organizations have been funding and inciting terrorism across the globe.
According to Flanigan (2006), most terrorists attribute their actions to their religious beliefs as regarding to what is moral or immoral.
That means that their acts of terrorism are directly related to their beliefs. In relation to catholic charities, they have been blamed for interfering in international affairs which in some cases have led to the death of innocent civilians who are viewed as sympathizers.
In addition, McMillan (2010) argues that like any other business, all charities should be taxed accordingly in a bid to ensure fair competition within a market setting. This he attributes to the fact that charities also work according to the forces of demand and supply, they buy raw materials and use similar modes of production as other companies.
Impacts and contribution of catholic charities to the world
Despite the various arguments that have been raised as regarding to the presence of catholic charities, they have evidently been more useful to the people than they often get credit for.
Impacts on globalization
Due to rapid industrialization and development, many a firms have in the past decades sought ways and channels through which they can further tap the market and scarce resources to satisfy their monetary and developmental needs. As a result, they are always looking for new markets and sources of such resources. This has consequently led to investments and establishment of new branches in other countries and regions all over the world.
As such, the best way to ensure that an organization remains relevant in todays global society is by ensuring that it has a diverse workforce which can blend in with new markets and provide valuable leverage as well as competitive advantage against the rivals. The catholic charities have effectively mastered this result and in the process, these charities have created numerous job opportunities for many people across the globe.
This has in turn reduced, even if it is by a small margin, the rate of unemployment around the world, which also affects the rate of poverty and finally, the rate of crime in different areas.
In addition, their fight against such social vices as substance abuse, abortion, corruption and war have been instrumental in unifying many countries across the globe.
These being common problems among many countries, the countries have come together in conjunction with the charities to fight against these life threatening affairs. In so doing, they have been able to set aside their differences and work together as a unit.
Finally, they have been credited for leading by example, through their various initiatives, governments and other organizations have been forced to act ethically in all their dealings (Green & Webb, 2008). In addition, the charities have been a source of inspiration to many individuals (philanthropists) who would like to make a difference in the world.
As such, it can be arguably noted that these charities have impacted the way human beings view each other and at the same time, they have influenced our personal perspective to poverty, diseases, illiteracy etc. through the provision of schooling facilities in different parts of the world, these charities have bridged the communication gap by ensuring that more people understand and speak plausible English.
This will in turn facilitate the interaction between different people from different social and ethnic backgrounds to come together and merge in the interest of global development.
Impacts and contributions on politics
The goodness of an organization can be inferred by the manner in which it treats the people who work for it as well as those around it (Smith, Bucklin, & Associates, 2000).
The relationship that a company enjoys with its employees and targeted audience can be gauged by looking at the rate of employee turnover. Benefits that individuals accrue from the existence of a given organization therefore lead to increased loyalty (Sargeant & Woodliffe, 2007).
The catholic charities have been very instrumental in advocating for change in many countries. They have in some instances fought against political injustices and decisions that could have detrimental effects on many lives. In addition, they have also offered great advice on national matters in the interest of protecting the masses against bad governance.
Impacts on poverty and related vices
The efforts of these charities towards eradication of diseases and providing education have yielded great fruits. This is because these initiatives have enabled many people have the ability to work hard (due to good health) and acquire valuable skills (education) that enable them to look for work.
In addition, through their campaigns and civil education, many people have been able to learn about the effects of drugs and consequently get help when necessary. This has in turn contributed to the reduction of violence, theft and discrimination across the globe.
Recommendations
Arguably, the work that these charities do is very important to the less fortunate people in various localities. As such, governments should ensure that they provide ample assistance to these charities in terms of security and acknowledgement to ensure that they offer their services with ease.
In addition, people all over the world should know that the eradication of these inequalities can only be effective if they become partners in the fight. If each individual contributes in addressing these issues, they will have played a pivotal role in the preservation of life, promotion of peace and unity and ultimately in ensuring that the whole world lives in harmony.
Conclusion
Catholic charities are necessary in todays environment. Their contribution towards the preservation of life cannot go unnoticed. From this paper, the various aspects surrounding these charities have been explored.
The impacts of the same in different sectors have also been discussed. As such, it is important that we as a human race learn from these charities and work hard to ensure that the generations to come have a safe and morally upright future.
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Palmer, P., & Randall, A. (2002). Financial management in the voluntary sector: new challenges. CA: Routledge.
Sargeant, A., & Woodliffe, L. (2007). Building Donor Loyalty: The Antecedents and Role of Commitment in the Context of Charity Giving. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 18(2), 47 68.
Smith, Bucklin, & Associates. (2000). The complete guide to nonprofit management. (2nd Ed.). NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Traverso, S. (2003). Welfare politics in Boston, 1910-1940. USA: Univ of Massachusetts Press.
In the given paper, the outcomes of my practice as a volunteer for a charity shop called North London Hospice are discussed. After my work as a volunteer has been done, the necessity to take a look back and evaluate the lessons learned appears. Hence, the given paper summarizes the learning outcomes and suggests the possible ways of my further development as a professional. In the given report, such methods as sampling and qualitative analysis have been used to produce accurate and objective data.
In the course of the analysis, it turned out that my skills as a manager have grown, as well as communication skills. An important experience in how theory is put into practice, the work in the charity shop has allowed for more options concerning my professional growth. Speaking of the charity shop and its policy, I could recommend that it should introduce the model of transactional leadership for more efficiency.
When the Time to Grow into a Professional Comes: Trying out as a Volunteer in a Charity Shop. Experience and Lessons Learned
Introduction: Welcome to the Charity Shop
Specializing in Management, I was supposed to undergo a practical course in a specific organization. I chose a charity shop called the North London Hospice. Working there for relatively short time, I learned much about the job of a manager, which has shaped my idea of a retail managers functions a lot.
History and background, intentions and hopes
It the help of the SMART framework, the experience at the North London Hospice is going to be assessed. The SEEC framework is going to be used for evaluation.
Aim and the key objectives: what management means
The goal of the given paper is to evaluate the acquired experience and to draw conclusions concerning its significance. In addition, the given report considers the alternative solutions for some of the considered problems and draws the outline for further training.
Methodology: creating the theoretical foil
To evaluate the acquired experience, the method of qualitative analysis is applied in the given paper (Guest & MacQueen, 2008). Analyzing experience, achievements and failures at the North London Hospice, I will be able to define the course of my further professional growth.
Getting Down to the Basics: The Valuable Experience
Retail industry and its many faces
Though the North London Hospice is doubtlessly a charity organization, which is based on completely voluntary work, it also has to face the economical and financial complexities that most organizations do. Therefore, the specifics of retail industry are no longer a closed book for me.
Such retail skills as the ability to understand the market and to access it easily are crucial for me as a professional. In addition, I have mastered the specifics of till system and its application. I have also learned what knowledge and skills the process of stock preparation requires, which will, doubtlessly, help me in my future work.
Job satisfaction as the key ingredient of a perfect work
However, soon after I started working in the North London Hospice I realized that money, no matter how preach that might sound, is not the only issue that matters in the choice of a job. It is clear to me now that job satisfaction is also a crucial aspect of being an employee, and that without the given component, becoming a successful professional is impossible.
Personal development: feeling a dignified and skilled professional
Another important aspect of being a part of a company, even a charity shop, is the sense of dignity that it gives. After the experience ends, one can feel that his/her professional skills have improved and that (s)he has finally seen the practical application of the management theories. Though the given experience was relatively short, I can still say with certainty that it helped me polish the skills that I had already had by that point, as well as acquire new ones.
Lone-term benefits: the acquired skills as the opportunity to develop
Needless to say, the experience in the North London Hospice also helped me grow as a professional. As it has been mentioned above, I have learned much about the specifics of the retail business. Understanding the processes behind the retail industry and, which is even more important, knowing how to make these processes run smooth will definitely help me become even more competent in my job.
Evaluating the Results: What Has Been Learned
Professional skills: everything an expert needs
In a broader sense, the retail industry information mentioned above also helped me understand the specifics of a job of a retail manager from the prospect of a theory of knowledge. Coming in handfuls every day, new information has to be processed and used in the production process. Therefore, the work in the charity shop also taught me to make efficient use of the available information by learning to unite information with the context (Syed, 2011, p. 104)
Problem-solving: when it is necessary to think fast and efficiently
Another important skill was the ability to solve problems. After working as a retail manager, I realized that there is a unique solution to any problem.
Communication skills: when having a talk is essential
Another important information concerned the importance of communication skills. Though the problems have to be voiced, they need to be addressed in a tactful manner.
Working together: the real meaning of team spirit
I also learned how important it is that the employees should cooperate and share knowledge with each other. Though the given experience is extremely important for me, it does not actually break any new grounds in terms of learning theories in general and the theory of knowledge in particular. According to what Darroch said, the correlations between knowledge sharing and overall performance are always positive (Darroch, 2003, 51).
Conclusion: There Is Still a Long Way to Go
Of course, the given experience was rather short and relatively scarce compared to my future professional career. However, this experience has shaped me as a professional. It was the best way to learn the specifics of retail industry and evaluate the difference between theory and practice. The SEEC D27 framework is going to be used to draw the future development plan. Being at the SEEC D6 stage, I will have to work my way up to SEEC D7.
Recommendations: What Could Be Improved
In a retrospective, I realize that the North London Hospice could have been run in a much better way. For example, the emphasis on the visual merchandizing could have been much stronger. Thus, more people would have been attracted and, therefore, the shop would have received much more revenues.
In addition, the analysis of the target market could have been done in a much more accurate way. Since the customers often took their children with them, it would have been a good idea to offer candies, small toys, etc. as well. Anyway, the experience at the North London Hospice was priceless and provided the reason for my further professional development.
Reference List
Darroch, J, 2003, Developing a measure of knowledge management behaviors and practices, Jpournal of Knowledge Management, vol. 7 no. 5, 4154.
Guest, G & MacQueen, K M, 2008, Handbook for term-based qualitative research, Altamira Press, Lanham, MD.
Syed, A U, 2011, A theory of knowledge management, Journal of Contemporary research in Management, vol. 6 no. 1, pp. 103119.
The Ronald McDonald Charity House is organized into chapters that help communities across the globe in terms of shelter, funds, scholarships, grants, and other charity needs. The organization consists of a board of directors and chapter leaders who have the role of managing any logistical support and requests. The charity center exists in most of the states within the US and other 58 countries across the world. This paper will concentrate on the Connecticut chapter.
Connecticut chapter
The Connecticut chapter is one of the largest among other chapters of the Ronald McDonald Charity House. The chapter is based in New Haven.
Internal organization
The Connecticut chapter has 78 employees and more than 2,000 volunteers across the New Haven region. Most of the volunteers are young people who participate in community activities (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut par. 7).
Programs
The chapter offers programs such as grants, scholarships, and housing. The chapter also offers special programs such as the local hero award, which targets talented teachers within Connecticut (Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut par. 7).
Events
The Connecticut chapter is associated with several annual events that are aimed at empowering communities. The annual local hero award is an event which occurs after every twelve months and has a large following among the young adults and education professionals.
Budgeting issues
Most the events and sponsorships are planned within the annual budget. During the process of budgeting, priorities are addressed depending on their urgency and availability of funds. Despite heavy support, this chapter has not donated very much to the surrounding communities.
Media tactics
There is need to establish an effective communication tactics to address the current problems such as little publicity and low donation among others.
Search engine optimization
The Connecticut chapter may use the internet in the form of search engine optimization. This form of media targets the middle aged audience who has access to the internet.Search engine optimization for the Ronald McDonald Charity House website can be achieved through installing plugins that possess extra features such as page navigation, thumbnail, and customized page numbers.
Specifically, this proposed system in Google will consist of a multi tab page that will serve different areas and services to online customers (Jin, Suh, and Donavan 48). Thus, constant blogging of the website and recruiting other independent bloggers will give the Ronald McDonald Charity House website a competitive advantage in marketing its products.
Social media
Social media, especially Google, Linkerdin, and Twitter have gained popularity among charity organizations and individuals who use these sites as interaction modules to share experiences and exchange ideas. In the charity industry, social media has penetrated the communication environment and currently commands a large following among the users.
Reflectively, Google, Linkerdin, and Twitter are ideal tools for branding and building community following for the Ronald McDonald Charity House website. Through likes and tweets, the donor base for the Ronald McDonald Charity House website will expand substantially over a short period of time (Jin, Suh, and Donavan 49).
To increase credibility and maintain professionalism, the current bomb internet channels, used by the Ronald McDonald Charity House website for reaching the consumers, should be tailored to encompass processes and features that flawlessly facilitate a healthy and lifetime relationship between the Connecticut chapter and its clients. This will create a long term loyalty among clients. This strategy may target the youths who frequent social media (Lutgen 23).
Works Cited
Jin, Hyun, Jaebeom Suh, and Todd Donavan. Salient Effects of Publicity in Advertised Brand Recall and Recognition: The List-Strength Paradigm. Journal of Advertising, 37.1(2008): 45-57. Print.
Lutgen, Sandvik. Destructive organizational communication: Processes, consequences, and constructive ways of organizing. New York, NY: Routledge, 2010. Print.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut 2014, Special programs. Web.
Traditional nonprofits are dependent on money or goods contributed by people who give only after their own needs and wants have been met, which in turn put them in lack of finance, training, and resources, needed to reach their full potential. In addition, charities are facing increased competition from other charities and form private sector, which develop their own welfare programs, together with waning donors. The concept of social entrepreneurship combines the best methods from hard-headed fiscal conservatism, and soft-hearted liberalism to combat the problems encountered by nonprofits. The difference in the new breed of philanthropists is that they are as entrepreneurial in their charities as they are in their business. They consider grants as investment and invest precious philanthropic resources in helping to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector. Thus, an analysis of different issues and their ramifications in nonprofit sector require urgent attention.
It is opined that philanthropy is not just about money or volunteer, but about giving the skill sets that businesses use. (Deutch). GE Finances experiment to share some of its management practices with its paying customers is a successful example to this approach. It is blamed that in many voluntary charitable organizations money is fritted away by inefficiency. By transferring management and human relations skills in a sustainable manner the problems of non-profit organizations shall be solved. Programs designed to help teach younger generation that by applying resources and making good choices they can make a difference to the community will also assist in nonprofit management. To facilitate better understanding of the issue analysis of examples in present approaches to nonprofit organizations and different hurdles encountered by them are necessary.
Roberts Lee (2006) sites the example of Megan Hoot, 23-year old, who considers contributing to charities is the most valuable way to help improve the world, and she thinks for students, time is much easier to come by than money . Augmentation by students in charity work will inspire people to pursue volunteer work throughout their lives, and with students, you pull people in with a smaller commitment. It is viewed that there is difference in perception and priorities of charity and voluntary work among generations of those born in the 1960s and 70s (Generation X), and those born in the late 1970s through the 90s (Generation Y). Younger generations are more likely to engage in volunteer work and donate money for the cause they believe in and that shows tangible results. A 2001 study by the United Way of America found that older generation demand more information before making gifts, tend to distrust large organizations, and refrain from challenging volunteer activities with social connections.
Another study in 2003 by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in Indianapolis showed that just 53 percent of Generation X households made donations of $25 in 2000, compared with 75 percent of baby boomer households and 80 percent of prewar households . In addition, Generation X is dedicated to specific projects that are impact-focused and look for ways to integrate volunteerism into their career, leveraging their professional skill . Whereas, Generation Y follows positive signs of volunteerism, as it is evidenced from recent study by the University of California at Los Angeles that 90 per cent of college-bound high school seniors devote their time for voluntary work. According to Prof. Leslie Lenkowsky, who teaches public affairs and philanthropic studies at the Centre of Philanthropy, collective experience do mobilize civic engagement, and younger generation is more vibrant in giving their valuable time and money for charity. (Roberts).
From the example of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, that received $100 million gift in January for its cancer centre, and Childrens Hospital and Health Centre in San Diego receiving $60 million in June, it becomes clear that hospitals have no difficulty in raising money. According to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, 60 percent of donations are raised from individualsgrateful patients, their families, doctors, and others, and promoting and recognizing donors assist such campaigns. However, programs without the popular appeal of cancer or pediatrics get fewer donations, and the area with limited donor support is mental-health. In the words of Robert G. Kiely, Middlesex Hospital, a community hospital in Middletown, the hospital raised $416,000 for its hospice program, compared with just $9,000 for its mental health services.
It shows that areas that need unlimited funding, like psychiatric care and substance-abuse, receive less attention from donors. Community hospitals receive less attention from potential donors, and other sources of philanthropy like foundations and corporations fall back from giving money to essentially mediocre services. There is diminishing trend among foundations and corporations to donate money to support hospitals, because they are not in the business of charity and there is increased interest for gaining clear advantage for their philanthropy. Without special events or adopting creative methods to increase popularity it is difficult to raise funds, as the donors are biased with potential stigma attached to certain services as well as the social standing of an institution. There is an alarming trend among corporations to donate money to entities where their headquarters are based than supporting local initiatives. But, the smaller manufacturing companies and privately held business are being receptive, and hence, concentrating on potential donors need to be refined. (Abelson).
There is a large increase in new wealth, driven by the changing role of the state and the emergence of private equity and hedge fund donors to participate in philanthropy. In the U.K, being a comprehensive welfare state that influences decision of individual and government share in each activity, the attitude of people towards charity is influenced by their personal and social view. Childrens Investment Fund Foundation, known as TCI, is a large Hedge fund in the UK, having offices in New York and London, is keen to support international health and development causes. In an e-mail message former President Bill Clinton wrote The marriage of business and philanthropy that is at the heart of the Childrens Investment Fund and the Childrens Investment Foundation provides a great tool to effect serious change in the developing world. (Anderson). The TCIs managers use a portion of the fees generated by the hedge fund to finance foundation and thus donate to charity. In another example, Blue Orchid Capital 1 percent as a management fee and a 5 to 7 percent incentive fee, of which half the incentive fee goes to foundation. The consistent theme across both is they are in the business of investing in people, and there is marriage between the theme of business and philanthropy in charitable circles of America, which is anew concept in Britain. (Anderson).
However, one challenge that foundations face in distributing large amounts of money is finding organizations well equipped to handle it. The approach of Target group has to be considered as a successful example in tackling this issue. There are certain retail chains committed to giving back part of their earnings for charity, and the Minneapolis based discount retailer, Targets point is that its customers become philanthropists, simply by shopping there as part of their income is distributed to support arts, education, and social services. Their first program, Take Charge of Education, involves giving 1 percent of any purchase to the school of the shoppers choice (Vogel, Carol. Attention Shoppers: Philanthropy in Aisle 5. New York Times. November 12, 2007). Thus, through successful engagement of professional management ethics nonprofit organizations may be converted into profit making enterprises.
As a charitable agency, Ill Take That works closely with other charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill to collect much-needed clothes for those in need. One of the current projects of Ill Take That is a Prom Dress and Tuxedo collection drive which seeks to collect a reasonable amount of hand-me-down donations involving party clothes for young men and women from various companies and individuals. These clothes are then shared with the young women and men of lower-income families and communities. However, it is not easy to come up with the sponsorship for these types of projects. Through this paper, I plan to present my suggestions regarding how we can source donations for the aforementioned cause.
To begin with, we will have to come up with a creatively worded letter of request for submission to various clothing companies. The letter must appeal to their charitable or Good Samaritan side to convince them that donating their overrun or quality control failed clothing to our organization would be a very neighborly thing to do. Perhaps even suggesting that they work with us in developing a clothing voucher system which can be used by our member communities at a partner thrift store. Through this network, we can ensure that all the clothes donated to us by the companies will be allowed properly so that each girl or boy who needs a dress,gown, tuxedo, or coat, will be sure to receive one.
It would probably also be wise for our agency to approach the various thrift stores around the city and ask about their unsold dresses and coats in storage. Since clothing donations can be used as tax write-offs, coming to an agreement with them may just prove to be beneficial to both parties. They get their tax write-off, we get the clothes we badly need.
Another idea we can also consider is approaching the rental firms around the city and talking to them about the possibility of having them work with us in developing a clothes rental discount voucher for the communities within their immediate vicinity. Once again, the idea of the tax break should come into play and be hyped up to the company in order to get them to agree with our suggestions.
We must not also forget that charity begins at home . So, we should ask our relatives and children to go through their closets and see if they have any dresses or coats that still have a few good wears in them which they would not mind donating to our cause. We can divide the clothes between the number of communities we support and then maybe, raffle off the clothes so that all the teenagers will have a fair shot at getting a dress, tuxedo, or coat for themselves. The clothes can be given to the teens wrapped in company-sponsored bags. Thus making their act of charity an act of free, and I emphasize the word free, advertising as well.
Collecting clothes for charitable causes is no easy task because the companies would rather sell than donate their items. It is the job of Ill Take That to change this mindset and show them that being charitable has its benefits. We can start doing this with the tax write-off system and keeping in touch with the companies throughout the year, constantly reminding them that our organization is always available to help them lessen their tax burdens anytime they want to.
The key here is to maintain a warm relationship all year round with the companies and individuals by convincing them that our actions help them more than it helps our cause. By doing that, we can ensure that communities we support will always have clothes to get from our organization whenever they need them.
Before the expatriates are posted from the headquarters to the division where they are to carry out their job duties, there is need to carry out an elaborate training program for the expatriates so that they are fully equipped to manage crisis and carry out their duties. In this information age, different organizations are striving to improve and manage their expatriates before, during and after the international assignments so that they can reduce the cost incurred due to expatriate failures in different fields. This paper analyses a needs analysis for a training Programme for the expatriates in Charity Health care Organization.
Organizational Analysis
With the globalization of organizations, challenges of using expatriates on international assignments have become a reality (Gregersen & Black 14). Charity Healthcare Organization estimates all the expenses for the training of their new expatriates to be $ 200 for each of the four trainees. Each trainee will be trained for the position of the regional sales manager for the company. The organization goals include offering the best health care services to patients, monitoring patient progress in the hospital and offering inpatient and outpatient services. The organization expects to fulfill all its goals through sales managers who will ensure that patients are well informed about Charity Healthcare Organization. The organization will implement classroom training and role-play. In the classroom training, the trainees will be trained on the organizational products, asked questions and their abilities analyzed. In role-play, the trainees will carry out specific roles in turns to enhance team play.
Task Analysis
The trainee sales managers shall be accountable for developing a workable sales plan and sales strategy to ensure the attainment of the organizations goals. They shall also coordinate with other organizations department in preparing action plans. These plans can be made by individuals or as a team. The main aim of the action plans is to provide timely feedback to the managers. The expatriates must have good communication skills so that they are able to communicate to the clients and to other people. The expatriates must also poses good marketing skills. This will help them identify the best markets both locally and globally. The managers should also have good leadership skills since they will be assigned sales representatives to direct and manage. Leadership skill will enhance good leadership to their juniors.
Person Analysis
The different expatriates must have certain personal attributes for them to be considered as expatriates. The expatriates must have good listening skills so that they are able to understand the needs of different customers. Active listening demonstrates good understanding of what other people communicates to the manager. This helps the manager to bring different people together so that a good environment for business can be created (Selden 60). The expatriate should have a good team work experience. Due to the fact that the manager will be responsible for a team, its important that the manager understands the differences in the team members and attempt to understand each member of the team. This helps to motivate the other members of the team so that they can carry out their duties appropriately
Conclusion
Expatriates should be carried through an elaborate training program so that they are well equipped to carry out their duties. The organization should be analyzed properly so that the roles of the trainees are understood. Their tasks should be clarified and personal analysis carried out on the trainees. This will ensure that there is continuity and growth (Selden, 12).
Works Cited
Gregersen, Hall and Stewart, Black. Multiple commitments upon repatriation: Japanese Experience. Journal of Management, 22 (1996): 209-230.
Selden, Paul. Sales Process Engineering: An Emerging Quality Application. Quality Progress, 2 (1998) 5963.
Throughout the history of its development, the sphere of social work has witnessed the work of various contributors dedicated to achieving social equality and creating an inclusive environment in which all people can feel accepted and valued. Considering the diversity of such professionals is important for illustrating the multi-dimensional nature of the sphere. For this assignment, E. Franklin Frazier, a Marry Elle Richmond, and Dorothy Height were chosen. Their contributions to social work and accomplishments will be discussed from the standpoint of human rights, as well as social, economic, and environmental justice.
Mary Elle Richmond is considered the mother of professional social work. She was instrumental in increasing the publics awareness of the Charity Organization Society (COS) and the opportunities associated with supporting social work (Arnold, 2015). Therefore, her contribution correlates to work in human rights and social justice as Richmond traveled to visit homes of populations in need and worked to help them. Besides, she developed the concept of casework and suggested how it can be used to aid populations in need.
Edward Franklin Frazier was a social a prolific social worker and writer, a person of color celebrated for his book The Negro Family in the United States that analyzed the historical influences that impacted the development of the African-American family. Frazier was the first black president of the American Sociological Association and dedicated his work to examining the economic, political, and attitudinal factors that form social relationship systems and race relations.
Dorothy Height was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement who, in her work, focused on Black womens issues ranging from unemployment to family roles. Height presided over the National Council of Negro Women for four decades and emphasized the importance of political mobilization for women of color (WOC) as they were excluded from engaging in political affairs and could not participate at the same level as their white counterparts did (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020). Her contribution was especially important due to the fostering of the dialogue between white and WOC and being a mediator in disputes during meetings of leaders with varying philosophies.
The problem of economic inequality during the pandemic has significantly affected people of color (POC), and the perspective offered by Edward Franklin Frazier could be instrumental in addressing the issue. As suggested by Frazier, the black community has been historically exposed to socioeconomic racism, which resulted in the exclusion of the group from opportunities to become financially independent and prosperous (Platt, 1988). This historical exclusion persists today as it has shown that POC are more susceptible to the economic challenges caused by the pandemic. According to Hardy and Logan (2020), several pre-pandemic economic conditions, such as lower income levels, higher unemployment, and greater levels of housing and food insecurity, have left black families with fewer buffers to absorb the financial shocks of the healthcare crisis.
Fraziers approach to studying social, economic, and political inequalities in the United States is essential in the described context because of the scholar did not share the disillusionment with social reform and action that supposedly gave more freedom and equality of opportunities to people of color (Jarmon, 2013). Instead, being faced with racism every day of his life, Frazier encouraged POC to speak for themselves and defend their freedoms because no one except them could do that. Therefore, if the social work profession was alive today, he would encourage POC to speak loudly about the economic barriers that have prevented them from surviving the pandemic without going into debt or suffering from food insecurity.
It is notable that besides economic inequalities, POC have also been experiencing health barriers before the pandemic, including the high rates of pre-existing conditions such as lung disease and hypertension (Shadmi et al., 2020). These conditions have an adverse impact on mortality rates among Black Americans, with the population being in the lead of the highest overall COVID-19 mortality rates (Hardy & Logan, 2020). This issue is important to consider because it points to decades of POCs abandonment in terms of providing effective and accessible health care that could have reduced the impact of highly prevalent diseases. Such an issue would have been highlighted by Frazier, who consistently emphasized the socioeconomic roots of racism and the need to build collective forms of resistance and self-help to build a sense of community and mutual support.
To conclude, the issue of economic inequality in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is highly relevant to racial minorities whose lives were adversely affected by the healthcare crisis. The socioeconomic limitations that had existed before the pandemic did not go away but rather exacerbated, leaving minorities to their own devices when dealing with them. Therefore, the contributions of social workers are imperative for alleviating socioeconomic burdens and creating a safe and welcoming environment in which people can recover from the healthcare crisis. Such prominent figures as Edward Franklin Frazier show an example of speaking loudly about minority issues without being afraid to be inconvenient or loud.
References
Arnold, S. (2015). Gender, money, and the Charity Organization Society: 1900-1919. CUNY Academic Works. Web.
Hardy, B., & Logan, T. (2020). Racial economic inequality amid the COVID-19 crisis. Web.
Jarmon, C. (2013). E. Franklin Fraziers sociology of race and class in Black America. The Black Scholar, 43(1-2), 89-102.
Platt, T. (1988). Constant struggle: E. Franklin Frazier and Black social work in the 1920s. Social Work, 1988, 293-297.
Shadmi, E., Chen, Y., Dourado, I., Faran-Perach, I., Furler, J., Hangoma, P., & Willems, S. (2020). Health equity and COVID-19: global perspectives. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(104).
Charities are organizations that are established to extend humanitarian assistance or services to the community. A charitable organization can be local or international. A local charity organization caters to the humanitarian needs of the people within the locality in which the organization is based. An international charitable organization is global. This simply means that it has functional offices in several countries around the world, and therefore extends its humanitarian assistance to people whose place of origin or residence is not related to the place of origin of the charitable organization.
Profiles and Functions
The United Kingdom is one of the countries in the world with the highest number of charitable organizations. These charitable organizations fall into the two classes or categories identified above. Local charity organizations or organizations that operate within the borders of England only are as many as the international ones. Examples of local UK charity organizations include Textile Industry Childrens Trust, Catholic Childrens Society (Westminster), and Happy Days Childrens Charity. International charitable organizations on the other hand include SEWA International, Oxfam, Save the Children, and Plan International.
Budgetary Nature of the Charity Organizations
The Charity organizations operate on budgets of various sizes. Some charitable organizations operate on small budgets, others on medium-sized budgets while others operate on big budgets. All these types are found in the United Kingdom. Happy Days Childrens Charity is an example of a small-budget charity. The Textile Industry Childrens Trust is a medium-sized budget charity whereas Oxfam is a large budget charity. The nature and quality of the services offered by any charity organization are heavily dependent on its budget.
The Services Offered By the Charities
Charity organizations provide a range of services to the people. Some of these are education, nurturing of sports talent, spiritual nourishment, poverty eradication or economic empowerment, promotion of health among the people, protection of the environment, protection of children in general and vulnerable children in particular, and the promotion of good citizenship among the people. Other services can include caring for the disabled, caring for the old, rehabilitation of drug addicts, caring for victims of domestic violence, caring for refugees, and taking care of orphans. Some charity organizations restrict themselves to dealing with only one service while others combine a number of these services.
Again multi-tasking within charity organizations depends on the resources at the disposal of the organization because the ability to offer different services has a lot to do with sufficient staff and adequate equipment. Big charity organizations with strong budgets are usually able to offer several services to the people. For example, Oxfam has been able to deal with education, health, and civil education in several African and Asian countries as well as in the United Kingdom (Oxfam 2010, p.1). This is possible due to the relative financial superiority of Oxfam compared to the smaller charity organizations that can only be able to employ a small number of people who can offer only one service.
Where to look for what charities do
The work that is done by charity organizations is normally mentioned explicitly in the vision and mission statement of the charitable organization. All the services that are offered and any goods that the charity may be giving to the people are also stated in the information accompanying the mission statement. Most charity organizations in the United Kingdom have taken the online route. This means that by visiting the charities websites, you can get all or most of the information concerning a particular charitable organization.
Financial Nature of Charity Organizations
Charity organizations do not engage in any profit-making undertakings. They rely on donations from well-wishers and donors, and sometimes they can partner with governments to accomplish some missions that are of significance to the people. They are however required to handle the resources at their disposal with utmost transparency. This is accomplished through proper record keeping. Another crucial financial aspect that is associated with charities is that they are exempt from taxation.
Leadership
Charities have different levels of administration. Most UK charities have well-established structures of leadership or administration. Such positions as managers, chief executives, financial directors, and presidents are part of most charities. These positions are normally in the hands of aged and experienced men and women although nowadays it is possible to find charity organizations that are in the hands of middle-aged people as well.
Workforce/Employees
The people who work in charity organizations are not paid. They are volunteers and are given allowances meant to assist them to meet their daily needs as they work for charitable organizations. The workers, the leadership, and the clients or customers form part of the stockholding as far as charity organizations are concerned.
Partnerships
Most charity organizations are always willing o partner with other social entities as they try to improve the lives of the people in the society. These partnerships can be between these charity organizations with other charity organizations at the local or international level, companies, and government institutions such as schools and hospitals. The partnerships can be for various reasons.
For example, charity organizations have partnered with pharmaceutical companies in the past to seek cures and care for certain diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis, and anemia (Cancer Research UK, 2010, P.1). Partnerships can also be for the extension of education to the citizens or children. We have also had partnerships between charity organizations and companies whereby these charities have assisted in taking the goods donated by certain companies to the people in need of them (Marion, 2004, p.24).
Do Charities Compete?
Competition among charity organizations exists. It is both advantageous and disadvantageous in that too much competition can affect service delivery since they are supposed to have a humanitarian touch. But again it can be an advantage in that service delivery will be better. The charities that have an edge in the field are those that are located at strategic points in terms of access to customers and points of service.
Strategic Review
External Economic, Political and Social Factors Affecting Charities
Charity organizations do not operate in a vacuum. They operate within a system that is political and has both economic and social aspects that touch on the charity organization.
Political Factors
Charity organizations can get affected by politics in terms of their leadership if they are large enough to cause a political impact in elections. The government of the day may try to influence the outcome. In the United Kingdom, however, independence is fairly high for charity organizations. The other angle of politics in charities is the voice they have when commenting on issues such as jobs, taxation, and economic oppression of the citizens especially in difficult economic times like recession time.
Economical
The economy of the United Kingdom has been stable for a long time and this has made the charities in the UK have a good operating fiscal scale or budget. Things however changed with the financial meltdown that affected every part of the globe.
Social Factor and Legal Factors
The rapid technological innovations that have seen the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace have revolutionized the way charities work. Networking is high and more information can now be shared with the public at rapid speeds. Legally, charities must have operational licenses and be able to meet all the requirements such as payment of rent in case of rented premises and pay other dues that are supposed to be paid. Genuine charities in the UK always find it very easy to operate given the conducive operational environment made possible by the government (Charity Commission, 2010, p.1).
Conclusion
From the above, we have seen that charities are non-profit organizations formed to extend humanitarian services to people. They provide crucial services such as education, economic empowerment, and health information. Charities care for children, the sick, the displaced, the disabled, the poor, and the aged. Most UK charities have well-established leadership structures and Oxfam is an example of large UK-based international charity organizations. Charities in the UK play a crucial role both at the local and the international level.
References
Cancer Research UK. (2010). Research Highlights. Web.
Charity Commission. (2010). About the Charity Commission. Web.
Marion, R. F. (2004). Governing Nonprofit Organizations. New York: Harvard University Press.