Charities

[xchaotic]

Hi.

I am not originally from UK, perhaps that's why I'm so puzzled by some strange customs and business decisions I have come across here, but the one area that's most intriguing to me is charities.

During my first contract, in a corporate environment, I noticed that every Friday there would be a donation to some charity, it was some person walking round the cubicles and I immediately noticed how the peer pressure was working and forcing people to donate to a specific charity.
I came across different situations where you were equally expected to pay up, as everyone, including TV presenters wore the badge, again, I'm sure at least some disagree with the cause...

Then I came across the other end - the fact that charities have c-level people paid on par with other industries, and that charities commission expensive IT projects.

But what finally triggered me to vent the frustration, is when I learned that those IT projects are being offshored to India.

Now I really wonder, is that really what people want done with their donations?
Or do they really just want to feel better about having done something?
Or are they simply coerced into donations as described above?

Finally is it legal to advertise yourself as a charity for a certain cause if so much of the money goes in strange directions such as Indian outsourcers and CEO bonuses for 'savings'?

[EternalOptimist]

Where are you from xchaotic ?

[NickFitz]

I once got badly caught out: I went into my then ClientCo on "Children in Need" day (it's in the evening, FFS) and got stung by a receptionist (she's supposed to be in reception, FFS) coming round the developer area with a tin... and the smallest note I had was a twenty

Of course when you're the only contractor in a team of eight, and they've all stuck a fiver in (because the first one didn't have any change and the rest felt they ought to do the same) it's immediately apparent that demanding fifteen quid change isn't really an option

If these children are in that much need, why don't they get a bloody job?

[Paddy]

"it was some person walking round the cubicles"


George Micheal?

[threaded]

Peer pressure? The sheep exist to be shorn...

If it is money for Africa and they start to grumble, I give them the full story of how giving money keeps those poor people in poverty, indeed it's the worst form of imperialism, so giving money is actually quite the wrongest thing to do.

They generally bugger off when they see how worked up about it I get.

If I manage to stay calm I point them at micro-loans, and a fellow contractors work with coffee plantations.

Although most usually I tell them something like: 'Sorry, I never carry cash.'

[Diver]

I just refuse to give to charities any more.

When I recently saw the inflated salaries the various charities directors and managers were receiving, I decided that they could better afford to give than I could, and my standard response now is. "Go and get a donation from your directors, They earn 10 times what I do"

And now the government is getting their grubby little fingers in the pot to scrape out their share.

[EternalOptimist]

The final straw for me was when the director of Oxfam started to make political statements , and not in a personal capacity. I would not donate to a political organisation

[cojak]

I tell them I already give to charity.

I much prefer the Justgiving website - that allows me the choice of giving or not giving and I don't feel pressured into it (the moment that happens my money stays in my purse).

[Halo Jones]

Pick one charity, support that & turn down all others: works for me, any one asks for money I say sorry I only support the MS Society, and I do not belive in charities that support outside of the UK. Even the Christain Aid man has stopped calling on us now

[EternalOptimist]

Pick one charity, support that & turn down all others: works for me, any one asks for money I say sorry I only support the MS Society, and I do not belive in charities that support outside of the UK. Even the Christain Aid man has stopped calling on us now

Hi Halo. We played Vinci here last night, all wrapped up warm with our hot toddies. Highly recommend it to you and BGG