What makes us poor?
Let's answer that by defining poor...
I don't mean rubbish, in fact the correlation between having a lack of something and being disposable or not up to standard is a tricky triangle to equate.
How can any individual or organisation be expected to measure up when they are missing an important piece of the puzzle that levels the playing field?
Okay, so, the 'poor' I'm on about is living/working with insufficient or lower quality stuff and attempting to deliver services that need to be first class. Quality on a shoe string.
The 'stuff' that's poor can be resources and by that I mean time, tech and understanding, one, two or all three.
This is a problem I see within the sector I'm currently working in and not in other areas where I have previously enjoyed good internet, fast computers and excellent data management and the consequent additional time and efficiency. Nevermind salary.
Having seen the green grass and found myself playing on turbulant turf, with old computers, unstable internet access and software that is almost older than email...I'm increasingly passionate about upping the ante and allowing for inclusive access to good digital tools and training.
Happily, I'm not alone.
I'm glad to see that more and more software companies are developing excellent solutions for our sector, affordable ones too, and bringing on board people who have worked in our sector as fundraisers and understand the hurdles we have yet to fully overcome.
It's encouraging.
Long way to go...but as with any attempt to encourage inclusivity in a world that is run on survival of the fittest, it's good to see that people who can help the helpers are looking to do so, for the greater good of all compassionate causes.
I was never one hundred percent enamoured with 'not-for-profits' being labelled negatively or in the way that frames the lack of commercial drive. Of course we want to profit, we're literally all about raising funds, just not directly for us, as individuals, alone.
And third should not be last, while the 'third sector' is a recognisable umbrella term that usefully covers a range of different organisations with alternative structures and purposes, belonging neither to the public sector (i.e., the state) or to the private sector (profit-making private enterprise), third is not runner-up.
Our story-telling is stellar.
Our commitment to working hard and long, often unconventional hours is hugely impressive.
I look forward to increased access to tech and the teaching that's required so that 'digital poverty' (thank you to Laura Croudace - Technology Impact Evangelist at Cirrico for nailing this term and sharing it with me) becomes an area of exclusion that we can aim to remove.