Immediate Release
Issued by The Wheel
CALL ON CHARITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR IMPACT
Dublin, 31 May - The Wheel, a national body representing 870 community and voluntary organisations, today called on charities to place a greater emphasis on demonstrating their impact to Government, funders and other stakeholders.
Speaking at a national conference for the community and voluntary sector at Croke Park, The Wheel’s Chief Executive, Deirdre Garvey said that demands for charities to provide more information about their work are increasing from all quarters: “Funders, supporters, beneficiaries, policy-makers and the media are keen to know about the difference charities make to the people they help and the causes they champion. Most charities know well the importance of their work to society, however many struggle to measure, evaluate and communicate their impact, and as a consequence, the value of their work is not fully understood and appreciated,” said Ms Garvey.
She added that an increasing scarcity of public resources means that it is more important than ever that charities are able to demonstrate that they are putting those resources to the best possible use. She stressed the importance of funders providing funding to allow charities to undertake this type of measurement and evaluation.
“As mission-driven, rather than profit seeking, organisations we face a growing demand for our services in the face of funding cuts that are challenging our ability to deliver quality public services and support communities.
“Under these circumstances, it is more important than ever to focus our limited resources on doing more with less, while making sure that we can justify the impact and outcomes of our work to ourselves, those who support us and the people and communities we serve,” Ms Garvey added.
The conference, which was organised by The Wheel and sponsored by Ulster Bank, brought together over 160 delegates from 140 charities to discuss the growing challenges faced by the community and voluntary sector. Other speakers at the event included: Seán Healy, Director of Social Justice Ireland; Martin Sime, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations; Nuala Doherty, Chief Executive of the Centre for Effective Services; David Thomas, Managing Director Corporate Banking, Ulster Bank and Fergus O'Ferrall, Adelaide Lecturer in Health Policy TCD.
Commenting on the conference David Thomas, Managing Director Corporate Banking, Ulster Bank said: “We are delighted to be the lead partner of this event. We believe that events like these empower community and voluntary organisations to make the greatest possible impact in the communities and in the lives of the people they serve. In addition to our support for the charity and social enterprise sectors, we have a strong commitment to the communities in which we operate.”
//ENDS
Note for Editors:
Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive Officer of The Wheel is available for interview. Contact Gert Ackermann on Tel: 086 176 9287 or email gert@wheel.ie
About The Wheel
The Wheel, a national body that represents and supports Ireland's community, voluntary and charity organisations. Founded in 1999, The Wheel currently has 870 members across Ireland, reflecting the enormous scope, scale and diversity of this vibrant and vital sector. See www.wheel.ie
