Podcast appearances and mentions of julia unwin

In this episode, we talk to Louise Pulford, Josiane Smith and Dame Julia Unwin about the findings from a new global horizon scan by the Social Innovation Exchange (SIX), looking at the challenges and opportunities facing philanthropy post-Covid. In a wide-ranging conversation we discussed: How many trends in philanthropic funding we are seeing during the pandemic will lead to longer-term changes? How can we be more intentional about pursuing those we want to see? How has the pandemic accelerated or altered existing debates about philanthropy? What can we learn from historical examples of how philanthropy has responded to crises? Or from places in the world where crisis response is part of the normal role for philanthropy? To what extent is it true that “what we did before a crisis is who we are in a crisis”? i.e. is the response of different funders a reflection of their existing ethos and practice, or have some genuinely changed what they do? How do funders balance the immediate short-term demands of a crisis with their role in supporting issues over the longer-term? Has the pandemic affected relationships between philanthropic funders and government around the world? If so, for better or worse? We are seeing the emergence of new organisational models within civil society, including many that look less like traditional hierarchies and more like networks. What opportunities and challenges might this bring? We are also seeing new approaches such as participatory grantmaking, which seek to shift power as well as money towards recipients, gain traction? Will this be a big trend in coming years? Do charities and funders need to be more transparent? If so, why and about what? Who does it benefit? What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision? What should we make of criticisms that since philanthropy is to some extent a product of structural inequality, it can never truly be part of the solution? Do some donors and funders recognise the challenges and are genuinely pursuing structural change? Should cross-cutting issues such as the climate crisis or racial justice not be seen as “causes”, but as factors that all funders need to take into account in their work? How can we ensure funders and CSOs are in a better position to address future crises?     Related Links Julia’s SIX provocation piece “Living in turbulent times and re-centring the conversation” “Philanthropy, Power and New Challenges”, Insights from a global call between SIX and WINGS “What is the power of networks in philanthropy? Reflections from SIX” SIX Funders Node Rhod’s article for World Economic Forum, “Philanthropy is at a turning point. Here are 6 ways it could go”, Our CAF Giving Thought podcast series on “Covid-19: Voices from Civil Society” CAF Giving Thought blog “Philanthropy and Civil Society after Covid-19: Key questions for the future” Our previous CAF Giving Thought podcast with Julia Unwin The CAF Giving Thought microsite

The crisis isn't just forcing us to think differently but behave differently. On March 31st, Compass recorded conversations with members and guest speakers which included: Julia Unwin has been CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Trust, ran the Civil Societies Future project & recently wrote a short book On Kindness. David Robinson helped found & run Community Links & now directs The Relationships Project, Jennifer Nadel is co-director of Compassion in Politics.  It's Bloody Complicated is a new podcast series that features thinkers, politicians, journalists, and community activists from across the progressive spectrum, created by Compass which campaigns for a Good Society, now available on The Real Agenda Network.

If you're looking for inspiration about making a difference in today's society, look no further. Dame Julia Unwin was Chair of the Inquiry into Civil Society Futures, which published in 2018. In the same year she wrote a report on The Role of Kindness in Public Policy for the Carnegie Trust. For ten years she was chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, where she was the driving force behind the 2016 report “UK Poverty: Causes, costs and solutions.” Julia thinks that we need “a fundamental rethink and recognise that we're here to serve people in poverty, to serve people who are disadvantaged, to serve people who haven't been given a fair chance.” That is not just about asking people questions, but also listening very carefully. Julia started her working life as a Field Worker for the Liverpool Council for Voluntary Services. Other roles have included Community Liaison Officer, Director of the Homeless Network, Chair of the Refugee Council, and Charity Commissioner. Julia says that most of her working life is the result of “accident and opportunity mixed with a bit of curiosity.” She's always sought to work where she could affect social change, “but to pretend there was a plan would be to mislead you.” The report on Civil Society Futures contends that “Civil society risks becoming irrelevant if we do not change”: Julia believes that new ways of organising are emerging constantly in communities, for example the response to the recent flooding in the UK, and there is a risk to the established institutions if they don't recognise the new ways of operating. Civil Society Futures has provided “a roadmap for how we can behave differently and how institutions and organisations can adapt their practices, behaviours and attitudes.” Julia maintains that local government has always been dependent on the network of association that naturally arises within any community. It's a recognition of this that has made ‘The Wigan Deal' a success, yet it is perilous to imagine that such networks are inexhaustible. She is concerned that there is a tendency to use the same procurement approach for all local authority services, and that the approach that works for IT and cleaning may be ill-suited to civil society relationships, with the consequence that the authority risks being further distanced from the community. The Wigan Deal and similar initiatives in the NW have positioned local government as a resource for the community, and not the community as a resource for local government. The deal embodies a new relationship for those organisations which are (to use a 70s turn of phrase) ‘outside the state.' The Wigan Deal and similar initiatives have also ushered in a different style of leadership, one which requires courage and flexibility, and the ability to follow as well as lead. Julia would contend that the success of such arrangements depends on a network of leaders rather than a single leader. The deep connections that people make with one another are essential to those networks. However, there are developments that militate against the new way of leading is that leaders don't always have the permission and the space to lead on account of social media for example. Julia is “a huge optimist” – humans have always been at our very best in difficult times. “The Sheffield civil society that you can see outside of this office was created in the heat of the industrial revolution when people's lives were utterly miserable…” She says it is “important that we have the tools and the self-belief to think that we can do something about it.” Julia sees the declaration of a climate crisis by the Government is a tipping point in the realisation (though it may not be a tipping point in action yet) that there is an issue to be faced. She would contend that the last general election was a tipping point that reflected the deep despair and anger in some parts of England. Julia would agree with Kirsty McNeill of Save the Children that civil...

These are unprecedented times and we need to rise to the new and enormous challenges we now face.The crisis isn't just forcing us to think differently, but behave differently. On March 31st, we hosted a conversation with Compass members on The Ethics and Emotions of the Coronavirus Emergency.Tune in to hear our panel and members discuss the big questions: How do we relate to each other socially and politically now? What are the right emotions and tone to adopt? Our guest speakers this week included:Julia Unwin has been CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Trust, ran the Civil Societies Future project and recently wrote a short book On Kindness.David Robinson helped found and run Community Links and now directs The Relationship ProjectJennifer Nadel is co-director of Compassion in Politics."It's Bloody Complicated" is recorded every Tuesday at 6pm GMT. Become a Compass Member to join our live recordings and bring your questions to our guests: https://action.compassonline.org.uk/podcastSupport the show (https://www.compassonline.org.uk/podcast/)

Civil Society Futures was an independent inquiry led by Julia Unwin. In place of recommendations to government it concludes with a set of principles to re-shape public policy; shifting power; changing accountability; deepening connection and investing in the core currency of trust. Julia discusses the findings of the commission in the London Borough of Islington as it brings policy makers, practitioners and citizens together to formulate a relational social policy known as Fairer Together.

In episode 55, we talk to Julia Unwin CBE, Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Civil Society Futures, former CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust and prolific thinker and writer on issues affecting civil society. As part of a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss: What is the Civil Society Futures Inquiry & how did it come about? What is the PACT framework and how is it intended to guide civil society orgs in the future? There is a lot of interest at present in ‘place-based’ approaches. Why is this, and what is the power of place? We are seeing the emergence of new organisational models within civil society, including many that look less like traditional hierarchies and more like networks. What opportunities and challenges might this bring? We are also seeing new approaches such as participatory grantmaking, which seek to shift power as well as money towards recipients, gain traction? Will this be a big trend in coming years? Do charities and funders need to be more transparent? If so, why and about what? Who does it benefit? Is declining trust is an issue for civil society? If so, is this merely part of a wider decline in trust in traditional institutions, or do charities and CSOs face particular challenges? How can we reverse this trend? What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision? What role can philanthropy and voluntary action play in building bridging social capital, bringing diverse communities together or fostering wider civic engagement? Does this value of charitable giving and volunteering as an activity rather than simply the outcomes it produces need to be a more prominent part of the narrative about its importance to society? What do you make of criticisms that since philanthropy is to some extent a product of structural inequality, it can never truly be part of the solution? Do you think some donors and funders recognise the challenges and are genuinely pursuing structural change? A challenge like the global climate crisis raises difficult questions about whether a pragmatic approach of working with existing systems can ever be enough; or whether we need to embrace more radical, transformative change efforts. Do you think philanthropy is well-suited to the latter? The freedom that philanthropy and civil society have to run counter to the status quo or the policies and public opinion of a particular time has been a key part of driving historic social change. How do we preserve this freedom, whilst also answering concerns that unchecked philanthropic power could end up being anti-democratic? Has the policy focus in the UK over the last 20 years on the idea of charities as delivery agents for public services resulted in the importance of the sector’s campaigning role being downplayed? Has this contributed to some of the challenges we now see such as the Lobbying Act and the use of advocacy clauses in grant contracts? How do we rebalance things, and ensure that civil society is able to play its role in speaking necessary truth to power?   Related Links   The Civil Society Futures Inquiry Julia’s Personal website My Giving Thought blog on the why the way in which we justify charity tax may affect the legitimacy of charity campaigning My HistPhil article on the historical importance of charity campaigning

In which I joined Ed and Geoff, along with Julia Unwin and Dr Agnelo Fernandes, to chat about humanity, kindness and sympathy groups in public services.

Hello! Here at Cheerful towers we're talking about how we can enable the human touch to come to the fore in public services and policy and the barriers standing in the way of the people who work in them. Our guest Julia Unwin has been thinking about kindness in public policy, Professor Anthony Costello's new book The Social Edge is about the 'sympathy groups' that transform people's life chances & Dr Agnelo Fernandes talks about his amazing 'social prescribing' experiment in Croydon.ANDComedian Adam Riches wants more sharks, scientifically modified beard, Gerard Butler and... (BOO HISS)... no more podcasts See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Julia Unwin asks whether we've lost the human touch in a world of automation and technology. Touch screens, contactless cards and e-tickets are supposed to make our lives so much easier and more convenient. Julia Unwin, former chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, asks whether technology and automation and the loss of those everyday human connections are harming the way we interact with each other. Producer: Peter Snowdon.

Julia Unwin, former Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, speaks to Edmund Newell, Principal of the educational foundation Cumberland Lodge, ahead of a cross-sector seminar on 'Inequalities & Social Divisions', held at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park on 28 March 2017.

How we can spread prosperity throughout society? This panel at the 2016 Labour Party Conference discussed what enables and hinders life chances in the UK. The speakers also explored how policy-makers can make decisions that promote better cohesion at a national and a local level. Panellists: included Seema Malhotra MP; Julia Unwin, Joseph Rowntree Foundation; Louise Haigh MP and Shanker Singham, Legatum Institute.