The Directory of Social Change (DSC) has recently published a free handbook offering advice to charities on how to respond to incidents of racism and xenophobia.
Its guidance, entitled Charities Against Hate, sets out practical actions organisations can take “to ensure their safety and continued operation, to re-evaluate strategic planning and to join in solidarity with others to push back against racism and other bigotry and discrimination”.
The launch comes after more than 150 charity representatives signed a letter to the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer last month, warning hat charity workers are increasingly facing abuse through “far-right activity”.
The letter came after the Charity Commission took the rare step of removing the names of trustees from several refugee charities listed on its register in August due to a potential safety risk.
DSC’s new guidance, which is aimed at organisations of all sizes, deals first with steps charities can take when confronted with crisis situations such as incidents of direct discrimination or aggression.
It emphasises the need to ensure people’s immediate safety – and subsequent wellbeing – and to escalate matters to directors and trustees, enabling them to effectively plan any next moves such as holding emergency meetings.
The handbook also underscores the importance of contacting third parties such as the police or charity regulators, where appropriate.
It suggests alternative avenues – such as local resilience forums, or representative bodies – for organisations that may be uncomfortable dealing directly with police.
Besides dealing with immediate situations, the guide also considers charities’ broader strategy in the context of rising incidents of discrimination and hatred.
Among the measures it suggests are devoting time at board meetings to whether approaches need to be modified, including examples such as financing extra security measures – and how these might be funded.
The handbook advocates reviewing risk registers, prioritising top-level diversity and exploring positive and informative communications via social media.
On the latter point, it stresses the need to have a strong and regularly reviewed social media strategy, to champion dependable information sources and to foreground the wellbeing of people working on social channels.
Beyond organisation-specific measures, the new guidance explores collective, sector-wide actions that can be taken.
Among a list of suggestions, the resource mentions joining anti-racism networks, supporting campaigns and embedding and practising anti-racism.
The guide can be downloaded at no charge from the Directory of Social Change website. It is also available as a text only document HERE.
Source: Civil Society News