In 2021 we published over 130 blogs, written by the ACEVO team, our members, partners and fellow leadership enthusiasts and key players in the social sector. As we know that it can be difficult to keep up with so much content, here you will find a list of the 10 most popular blogs this year – content that you definitely don’t want to miss!
1. Can employers require mandatory vaccination of employees? (link)
Tim Hayes, legal director, and Larissa Hawkins, trainee solicitor at BDB Pitmans, explore the topic of mandatory vaccination.
2. Let’s talk about bullying – part 2 (link)
Former ACEVO head of policy Kristiana Wrixon reflects on challenging conversations about bullying in the charity sector.
Recently, I have started to think about whether me becoming more ‘outspoken’ on issues of bullying, racism, ableism may make it harder for people to talk to me, or report me if I do something that harms them. While I am trying to learn and grow, I know that I am still capable of doing something like this because I am in the (permanent) process of trying to unlearn a lifetime’s worth of cultural and societal expectations.
Kristiana Wrixon
3. How can white charity leaders tackle racism? (link)
Akiko Hart and Rosie Tressler share learning from a reflective practice approach to tackle pervasive whiteness and increase anti-racist action in charities.
4. How to create a digital strategy for your charity (link)
Over the past year, thousands of charities have been exploring and trying to use digital to ensure they continue to deliver value to the communities they serve. Given all this work, many are now at the stage to reflect and consider a more strategic approach to digital. Dan Sutch, director at CAST, shares advice on strategising your approach to digital.
Success with digital is often not about understanding technical stuff. That helps, of course; it’s important to know what’s out there and how you can use it. But a lot of it is about culture. It’s about being willing to embrace new things, and develop new structures. As you progress through your digital journey, you’ll want to make changes to your ways of working. So make sure that a human element is built into your planning.
Dan Sutch
5. Part-time, whole self (link)
Pears Foundation director Amy Braier writes about her experience of working part-time.
What works for me may not be possible or desirable for you, but let’s give each other the space to find out what works best for our circumstances and not judge anyone who does it differently.
Amy Braier
6. See you in the office? When and how to re-open (link)
Ed Mayo from Pilotlight shared his – and his peers’ – reflections on returning to the office.
7. What is it like to be an openly autistic charity CEO? (link)
Helen Evans from the PDA Society wrote about sharing her autism diagnosis publicly for the first time.
Since being diagnosed I have a much better understanding of my needs in the workplace. I know I work best at home, where I can manage and modify my work environment. I flourish in being part of and managing smaller teams where the social dynamics are easier to identify and understand.
Helen Evans
8. What do we know about this government, and what can we learn about ourselves? (link)
Naomi Phillips, director of policy and advocacy at the British Red Cross, shares her thoughts on influencing for change.
If our ideas are sound, we shouldn’t be afraid to debate and defend them. When those in power are on the offensive, should we not take criticism head-on rather than putting our fingers in our ears? Too much of our discussion is in echo chambers – we need to move beyond that.
Naomi Phillips
9. Rebalancing the relationship (link)
Kate Welch, CEO of Social Enterprise Acumen and former vice-chair of ACEVO reflects on the Rebalancing the Relationship research findings and the value of collaboration. Kate served as co-chair of the project’s steering group, representing ACEVO.
10. To truly rebalance the relationship, give power to people and communities (link)
Laura Bunt, deputy chief executive at With You, writes about the importance of building collaborative cultures.
Charities aren’t inherently good, but people are drawn to work in charities because they want to make a difference. So what unites us – big and small, local and national – is that we share a sense of mission. We want to make a difference to people’s lives. Everything else is a means to that end.
Laura Bunt
