A critical approach to student
activity and fundraising:
from charity to solidarity
M BARRAGRY
To begin….schools exist in
their societal context
Students do not
come into
schools with an
objective , blank
canvas approach
to either ideas of
poverty,
"charity” or
fundraising –
they have
already
absorbed much
of the discourse
from
mainstream
society.
1.Evolution in ideas of “charity “
 Gradual changes in the discourse surrounding
“charity”. Language has changed and in recent
years there has been a focus on how imagery has
been used.
 As the “Aid Debate” continues, questions regarding
the why and how of aid/charity has continued.
Alongside this, the “charity / NGO sector has
grown significantly .
 Questions are more prominent in public sphere
regarding how organisations use their finances.
In Ireland, we have
traditionally had a
strong "charitable”
sector. Historically, this
has had its roots in the
missionary tradition and
arguably, our own
experience of famine.
Sending “money to the
missions” ; “collecting
for the black babies” and
Trocaire boxes have all
been integral elements
of the Irish charity
psyche.
Undoubtedly, a strong
charitable impulse exists
within Irish society ,but
has it emphasised an “us
and them” approach?
Ireland and the charity context
Think; Pair; Share
Looking at the “Save the
Children” advertisement, what
message(s) does this
communicate to you?
Fundraising, critical thinking
and education can co exist
http://www.loretofoxrock.ie/news/entry/r
un-4-rumbek
2. Students, media and perception
 Students today
absorb ideas,
messages and
perceptions from a
fast moving media
world that is speed
based, rather than
depth based
How are students receiving their information?
 New Media has given us unprecedented access to
instant news, and today, everyone has the
opportunity to be a commentator and journalist.
 How discerning are our
students in deciphering the
material they are faced with?
 What and who are their sources for information
about social justice issues/ Global South?
The celebrity messenger?
Yes Mr Geldof we Africans DO know
it Christmas time
Students follow a celebrity infused world: Celebrity
Humanitarians?
“There can be, in some circumstances, a
role for celebrities in marketing a charity's
objectives, but we need to ask some deeper
questions here. Why should our supporters
back education as a human right for all
children around the globe, or decent
maternity care in Malawi? Because Bono
and Stacey Solomon, however wellintentioned, give it their imprimatur, or
because these are crying injustices that
scar our world and degrade our own
humanity? Celebrities can get in the way,
the messenger becoming more important
than the message.”Are Celebrities a Help or Hindrance
to Charity? Peter Stanford Justin Forsythe, The Guardian, 26
July 2011.”
3.The Politics of Altruism: Responsible messaging
and fundraising?
 Images which produce a
"shame” response” tend to
result in larger amounts of
money being donated
 This has led to the term
"poverty porn”
being coined
 Source: The Politics of Altruism -
Lissner 1977
 Images which perhaps are
more intellectually probing
but less emotive result in
less money being donated.
 This can cause tensions
inter departmentally within
NGOs – schools can also be
under pressure to raise
funds for a “worthy “cause
“In such images,
poverty is dirt and
rags and
helplessness." In
reality, poverty has
many faces and
no simple solution.
Poverty doesn't only
look like a starving child
with flies on his face. In
fact, poverty doesn't look
any particular way. It is
multi-faceted and
should be depicted as
such.”
Simplistic imagery depicts
simplistic poverty
 “Poverty porn” makes a complex
Poverty Porn
Poverty is a result of
both individual and
systemic problems,
involving not only
personal circumstances
but the social and justice
systems in place that
either work to empower
the poor or perpetuate
their condition. However,
poverty porn defines
poverty as merely the
observable suffering
resulting from a simple
lack of material
resources.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/e
mily-roenigk/poverty-charitymedia_b_5155627.html
human experience understandable,
consumable and easily treatable.
 According to Emily Roenigke a
social and digital communications
worker for World Relief , poverty
porn leads to charity, not activism:
donors, not advocates. “Poverty
porn” fails to produce both a deeper
understanding of the issue of
poverty and the necessary structural
changes that must occur to
effectively address it”.
Is it possible to create
thought provoking
imagery which does not
add to stereotyping?
What are the
representations of
homelessness that
are used in
fundraising
campaigns /school
projects?
Do they look at the
complex
interrelated web of
social ,economic
factors or do they
reemphasise
stereotypes?
Often, imagery is used that depicts
a single narrative
Using critical
thinking
questioning,
students might
begin to assess
why health
problems could
make a person
more vulnerable
to homelessness
Two visuals on the same issue :
which educates?
Who defines the experience of poverty?
 In their book, When Helping Hurts, authors Steve
Corbett and Brian Fikkert explain that the helper
and the helped define poverty very differently.
Most North American audiences define poverty by
physical suffering and a lack of material resources,
while the poor define their condition psychologically
and emotionally. They use words like shame,
inferiority, powerlessness, humiliation, fear,
hopelessness, depression, social isolation and
voicelessness (World Bank, 1990).
4.Development Education research findings
Research has been done in both an international and Irish
context regarding the impact of Development Education.
Some interesting findings:
 Tallon and Mc Gregor :
 Research objective: “ to examine these emotional
responses of young people and the demoralising feelings
of guilt, sadness and scepticism that arise, often
alongside an innocent paternalism and a desire to help”
Tallon and Mc Gregor: “Pitying the Third World: towards more
progressive emotional responses to
development education in schools”
Changes in Development Education
 Development education
conducted by INGOs
originally emphasised
social injustice
 Informed by radical
theorists such as Paolo
Freire.
 Irish researcher Audrey
Bryan has argued that
since the 1980s, however,
Northern INGOs have lost
this radical edge and
become depoliticised,
reducing much of what
passes as development
education to campaigns
based on ‘fun,
fasting and
fundraising’
Tallon and Mc Gregor:Research findings
 Although often sympathetic to issues of inequality, a paternalistic
tone was observed with many of the students surveyed– very much
an “us and them” attitude.
 Short-term campaign style emphasis engages young people for a
while, but does not necessarily promote positive long-term
attitudes about development or understanding of systemic issues
and the need for change. The structural causes of poverty and
the practices of Northern people in the global economy are
side-lined as the feel good charitable act becomes
prominent.
 Fundraising
often appears to win over
critical and deep thinking about
development.
Concerns regarding Development Education
 Bourn cites European
Union concerns that
much of what passes for
development education
is surface awareness of
issues and INGO
campaigning, with
‘minimal attention given
to deeper learning and
understanding’

Bourn :Discourses and Practices around
Development Education,”
 How do we
move from
surface
awareness to
meaningful
Development
Education?
Pedagogically, what do we
want?
CRITICAL
THINKING
SKILLS
Do we apply the “Why” and ”how”
questions to whatever projects our
school is involved in?
Workshop Activity : 15 minutes
 Task: To apply a critical thinking approach to the
designated issue/ activity for your table in the light of
today’s presentation
 Please look at the “Issue /Cause” your table has been
assigned
 There is sheet of “guide questions” to help you discuss
your table’s issue
 Facilitator for each table will take notes of discussion
Hither to?
 Look at the Development Education Guidelines
 Keep applying the critical “why "and “how” to any
campaigns / activates you are undertaking
 Remember that selecting one or two issues and
“going deeper” can often be more effective than
trying to cover a multitude of areas
 It is a balancing act! We do not want students to
become cynical or disengaged, nor do we want to
teach “well meant” condescension.
And remember.......
“EDUCATION EITHER FUNCTIONS AS AN
INSTRUMENT WHICH IS USED TO
FACILITATE INTEGRATION OF THE
YOUNGER GENERATION INTO THE LOGIC
OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM AND BRING
ABOUT CONFORMITY, OR IT BECOMES THE
PRACTICE OF FREEDOM, THE MEANS BY
WHICH MEN AND WOMEN DEAL
CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY WITH
REALITY, AND DISCOVER HOW TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF
THEIR WORLD.” PAULO FREIRE
Session Reflection
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO AS A
RESULT OF THIS SESSION?
TAKE THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS
THIS WITH YOUR SCHOOL
COLLEAGUES
Lunchtime!
 Many thanks for your attention, and any comments
or queries can be sent to me, Miriam Barragry:
 mbarragry@loretofoxrock.ie