INTERNATIONAL
GENERAL
“Democracy’s Faith-Based Troubles; Religion and rationality have been clashing for centuries. Is it possible to talk about this conflict without going nuts?” By Peter Steinfels. American Prospect. February 19, 2010. Review of Taming the Gods: Religion and Democracy on Three Continents by Ian Buruma, Princeton University Press.
AUSTRALIA
“Australia’s richest not big givers to charity.” By Adele Horin. Sydney Morning Herald. February 24, 2010. Australia’s dozen or so billionaires fail to rate as serious philanthropists but 20 rich individuals together donated $40 million to a Sydney medical research institute, with one person contributing $25 million, a forum was told yesterday. Bill Ferris, the chairman of CHAMP Private Equity and a companion of the Order of Australia for services to the community, said the future of philanthropy lay with rich individuals not corporations. ”Just as Bill Gates, not Microsoft, and Warren Buffet, not Berkshire Hathaway, have continued the North American private wealth-driven model of philanthropy, we need to see a similar model develop here over time,” he said.
“Hospital venture collapses as receivers brought in.” By Kate Benson Health. Sydney Morning Herald. February 26, 2010. OWEN FERGUSON HEALTH, the company that ran Canada Bay Private Hospital, has collapsed less than a week after the state government expressed confidence in working with it on a $51 million hospital at Homebush Bay. ANZ Bank appointed the receivers Ferrier Hodgson late on Wednesday to take over three of the group’s hospitals, in Lismore, Mackay and Melbourne. The same day the directors Kerry Ferguson and Daniel Owen called in voluntary administrators, who will take control of the closed Canada Bay hospital. The collapse comes a day after Ms Ferguson and Mr Owen appointed an independent consultant to calculate redundancy for staff at the Canada Bay hospital. Some nurses had not been paid since the doors were closed before Christmas. Others have not been paid superannuation for more than 14 months. The pair had been given until Monday to pay overdue rent at Cliveden Hill Private Hospital in Melbourne. They were issued with eviction notices for rent arrears last year by Australian Public Trustees, which owns their buildings in Canada Bay, Lismore and Mackay.
“Fighting dirty against a cultbuster.” By Tim Elliott. Sydney Morning Herald. February 27, 2010. The tactics of the Kenja movement and its slurs against a crusading politician have been laid bare by people close to the case. Kenja is a self-empowerment group that many consider to be a cult. The organization stands accused of attacks on legislators who urged inquiries into its activities.
CHINA
“China tells colleges to cut ties with Oxfam; Education ministry accuses British charity’s Hong Kong branch of having hidden political agenda.” By Tania Branigan. Guardian (UK). February 23, 2010. China’s education ministry has ordered colleges to cut ties with Oxfam and prevent it from recruiting on campuses, accusing its Hong Kong branch of a hidden political agenda. While Beijing is often anxious about NGOs, the British-founded agency has been working on the mainland for more than two decades in co-operation with the government. It is unclear what prompted the surprise decision. A notice attributed to the education ministry said the Hong Kong branch of Oxfam, which oversees operations on the mainland, was a “non-governmental organisation seeking to infiltrate” the mainland. Oxfam has five offices on the mainland and its work has ranged from education projects and advocacy on climate change to helping communities in Sichuan province recover from the 2008 earthquake.
GERMANY
“Germans investigate Catholic school sex abuse.” No by-line. USA Today. February 26, 2010. German prosecutors have opened investigations into allegations of sexual abuse at two Roman Catholic schools — the first legal action since reports of priests abusing students surfaced in January. Senior prosecutor Andrea Titz in Munich is investigating claims of abuse against a member of a Benedictine-run boarding school in Ettal, Bavaria, her office said in a statement Thursday. Barnabas Boegle, the abbot of the Ettal Monastery, which runs the school, stepped down Wednesday after eight former students said they had been abused by school priests in the 1950s, 70s and 80s.
“RIGHTS-GERMANY: ‘Catholic Church Protects Paedophile Priests’.” By Julio Godoy. Interpress Service (IPS). February 28, 2010. The Catholic Church has for decades protected paedophile priests and clerics who sexually abused children from judiciary prosecution, according to German theologians, law experts, and internal church documents. The church hierarchy’s complicity was confirmed recently through thousands of denouncements against numerous priests in Germany. In practically all the cases, the abusers were only transferred from one jurisdiction to another and never legally prosecuted. Similar cases of sexual abuse of children within Catholic schools and other institutions, with impunity for the abusers, have been documented in such countries as Austria, Australia, France, Italy, the Philippines, Spain, and the United States.
HAITI RELIEF
“Aid Groups Fret As Haiti Giving Slows Down.” By Greg Allen. All Things Considered. National Public Radio. February 23, 2010. Just 10 days after the Jan. 12 earthquake, the peak of the public’s outpouring of support came through the Hope for Haiti telethon. It aired on dozens of networks and cable channels nationwide, and raised more than $65 million. The first installment of funds went out to six groups, including the disaster relief powerhouse the American Red Cross. The Red Cross received $6 million from Hope for Haiti to add to the more than $255 million it has raised on its own since the earthquake. After a record January, aid groups say donations for Haiti have slowed to a trickle. Rich Stearns, president of World Vision, a Christian charity in the U.S., says the group is approaching $100 million in contributions from around the world. That’s far less than the $360 million it raised after the Asian tsunami. Stearns says this is a worrisome sign that could hamper plans to rebuild Haiti.
Related Stories:
“The Missionary Impulse.” Opinionator Blog. nytimes.com. February 24, 2010.
“Haiti’s ‘Orphan’ Crisis.” Wall Street Journal. February 27, 2010.
“The Best Charity Singles For Haiti.” Huffington Post. February 26, 2010.
UK
“Arts funding ’significantly safer under Tories’, says shadow minister; Jeremy Hunt outlines proposals at launch of party’s ‘radical’ arts manifesto.” By Charlotte Higgins. Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010. Jeremy Hunt, the shadow culture secretary, says the arts will be “significantly” safer under the Tories than Labour. The claim comes as the Tories launch their arts manifesto, laying out what Hunt in an interview with the Guardian calls a set of “extraordinarily radical” policies “that could mean that the arts are getting substantially more funding at the end of a first term of a future Conservative government than they are at the moment”. Hunt argued that increases to arts funding would come from the National Lottery, which the Conservatives intend to return to its original “good causes”, and from private philanthropy. Gift aid would be reformed, and the scheme under which works of art can be offered in lieu of inheritance tax would be extended to include life-time giving. Arts organisations would also be offered longer-term public funding deals in return for fundraising to build up endowment funds.
“Tuition-free, online education? Try University of the People.” By Steve Kolowich. USA Today. February 22, 2010. It is a grand vision: a global college with no tuition, accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. When higher education entrepreneur Shai Reshef laid out his ambitious plan to build a free university that would use modern technology to spread the promise of a college degree to all corners of the earth, he got an enthusiastic reaction from some high-profile institutions. The United Nations has backed the venture. So has Yale Law School’s Information Society Project. Reshef and his lieutenants also like to mention the many letters of support and offers to pitch in from professors worldwide. But the project drew skepticism as well. Higher education has seen more than one ambitious distance education efforts fail in recent years, including the internationally focused U21 Global, and those projects had the benefit of tuition revenue.
“National Bullying Helpline under fire as patrons resign; Founder of anti-bullying charity pilloried for revealing charity had received calls from Downing Street.” By Steven Morris and Helen Pidd. Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010. The founder of a bullying helpline was roundly pilloried today for revealing that her charity had received calls from people working within Downing Street and was accused of being part of a politically motivated plot to destabilise Gordon Brown. Three patrons of the National Bullying Helpline – Tory MP Ann Widdecombe, TV presenter Sarah Cawood and workplace stress expert Cary Cooper – quit today at the behaviour of Christine Pratt. There were also reports tonight that a fourth patron, Tory councillor for Hillingdon Mary O’Connor, had resigned – which would leave the charity without any patrons. The charity commission also said it was launching an investigation into the helpline because of complaints it had received in the last 24 hours. But despite the criticisms, Pratt insisted she had been right to speak up and hinted that further complaints had been made from employees at the heart of government.
Related Stories:
“Downing Street rules out inquiry into Brown bullying claims; PM’s spokesman says Gordon Brown sees no need for investigation called for by David Cameron and Nick Clegg.” Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010.
“Profile: Christine Pratt and the National Bullying Helpline; Charity boss who claimed Downing Street staff called bullying hotline faces uncomfortable questions about her past and business interests.” Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010.
“Bullying helpline patron quits over claims of Downing Street calls; Professor says helpline founder was unwise to disclose information about confidential calls from prime minister’s office.” Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010.
“Gordon Brown: Brought to book; The root of the PM’s anger may be insecurity, but it inhibits him in the core tasks of delegating and deciding.” Editorial. Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/22/gordon-brown-bullying-inquiry-questions
“Gordon Brown bullying claims: five questions an inquiry could ask; The key questions an investigation into the prime minister’s treatment of staff should ask.” Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010.
‘We all watched Mandy bully on the subject of bullying’.” By Ann Treneman. Times of London. February 23, 2010.
“Charity Commission opens inquiry into National Bullying Helpline; Christine Pratt, the charity’s founder, came under fire for claiming Downing Street employees had called to complain of mistreatment.” Guardian (UK). February 26, 2010.
“Sure Start staff could opt out and be in a co-operative, say Tories; The child care scheme is ripe for reform, says David Willetts, saying it is not truly helping the poor.” By Randeep Ramesh. Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010. Staff at government Sure Start centres will be the first in the public sector to be able to opt out of their current employment and sell their services back to the taxpayer through co-operatives or as partners with a charity if the Conservatives win the next election. David Willetts, the shadow minister for universities and skills – with special responsibility for families – outlined the plan today, claiming public sector employees had failed to help the poor. The Conservatives say that Sure Start was meant to focus money, nursery staff and health visitors on pre-school children in poor areas. Labour has, however, pumped around £1bn a year into the programme, whichby March will see 3,500 centres covering all under-fives in England. “There’s evidence that [we] have lost the focus on the families who most need the help,” Willetts said.
“Charities Q&A: Elections.” By Rosamund McCarthy. Guardian (UK). February 22, 2010. In the latest in a series of pieces giving legal advice to the voluntary sector, Rosamund McCarthy, partner at Bates Wells and Braithwaite solicitors, answers questions on charities and elections.
“Series: Citizen ethics: Citizen ethics; Islam’s role in an ethical society; Muslim teachings have a lot to offer when it comes to bringing personal values into public life and how best to live together.” By Tariq Ramadan. Guardian (UK). February 23, 2010.
“Achievements of Voluntary Organizations.” Guardian (UK). February 23, 2010.
The achievements of voluntary organizations are celebrated in a nationwide photography competition organised by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO). Take a look at what we can achieve, say voluntary organisations (8 pictures).
“A new generation of civil society? The recession will have a dramatic impact on the third sector but will also create gaps charities could fill.” No by-line. Joe Public blog. guardian.co.uk. February 24, 2010. Public service cuts will create a new kind of outsourcing boom, says Nick Seddon. The news that the NSPCC is cutting jobs and restructuring needs signify nothing more than prudent financial management and an emphasis on value and impact by the children’s charity. Still, the recession has exposed vulnerability in parts of the third sector, such as a pensions deficit in the largest fundraising charities so severe that a tenth of donations could be used to fund pensions in some cases. Ben Hall, of actuary Alexander Forbes, has said charities have been hit by a “recession double whammy” – falling donations and the stock market crash. A third – loss of state funding – is around the corner. Three-quarters of charities take no state funding, either in grants or contracts. Like the NSPCC, they depend on public giving, though the record from the last recession suggests this should remain robust. But as public spending has risen, so spending on the charitable sector has also risen, now up to £12bn a year. Becoming a service deliverer for the state has many consequences. One is the risk that charities’ fortunes closely follow those of government. If things are tough now, they will get a lot worse before they get better. The Treasury estimates that the deficit will amount to around £178bn this financial year, or nearly 13% of national income. Getting back to black is possible. Politicians seem unsure about when to start, but public service cuts will certainly be at the centre of any recovery. This will have a considerable impact on the third sector, though the opportunities, risks and outcomes are hard to predict. Cuts will create a new kind of outsourcing boom. Commissioners will want more bang for their buck, and independent agencies will have a chance to explain how their knowledge and techniques can improve service quality and performance, while cutting costs.
“Tories would ask charities and private companies to compete for patients; Hospitals could be forced to offer treatment at same price as more ‘efficient’ competitors under Conservative plans.” By Hélène Mulholland. Guardian (UK). February 26, 2010. Charities and private companies would be encouraged to compete with hospitals for NHS patients under a Tory government, the shadow health secretary, Andrew Lansley, has said. Hospitals could be forced to offer treatment at the same price as more “efficient” competitors in an attempt to drive down costs and ensure only efficient hospitals provide care.
“More than 100,000 children to miss out on first-choice secondary school “Despite flight from private schools and closed comprehensives, national offer day will satisfy majority of England’s parents.” By Jessica Shepherd. Guardian (UK). February 26, 2010. More than 100,000 children across England are expected to discover that they have missed out on a place at their family’s preferred secondary school next week. Monday is national offer day, when parents find out which school their 10- or 11-year-old will attend from September. This year, with applications for 540,000 children, competition for places is likely to be even tougher than usual. Some parents hit by redundancy and the recession will have decided against sending their child to a private school and applied for a state secondary. The dwindling number of secondary schools will compound the problem – at least 85 comprehensives have closed in the last two years. About a fifth of all applicants – or 108,000 children – are likely to miss out on their first-choice school, said Ian Craig, head of the school admissions watchdog. At least 2,000 parents desperate for a place at their top-choice school would have resorted to trying to cheat the system, some successfully, he said.
Parents in cities and in some of the most deprived parts of the country are least likely to be given their first-choice school. Meanwhile, those living in the countryside are most likely to be allocated their favoured school because a decline in the population of 11-year-olds has eased pressure on places.
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