The mainstreaming of charities into schools

Abstract

This paper focuses on the 'mainstreaming' of charities into schools. There have been growing concerns about the permeation of business and business values in education, but relatively little attention has been paid to the ways in which schools are increasingly engaged in the 'business' of fundraising for charities. Drawing on survey data from the WISERDEducation Multi-Cohort Study (WMCS), the paper outlines young people's relationship with charities. The data show that young people have a high degree of engagement with charities, in which schools play a significant part. There are likely to be many positive aspects to this engagement, inasmuch as it fosters and reflects young people's sense of collective responsibility. However, there are also issues about the extent to which this high level of involvement marginalises other approaches to promote the social good and increases the permeation of business values and business into school. The paper concludes that the current mainstreaming of charities into schools is not necessarily a self-evident 'good' and that this under-researched phenomenon deserves greater critical attention within and outwith schools. Background This paper focuses on the current 'mainstreaming' of charities into schools. Over the last three decades, there has been increasing disquiet expressed about the permeation of business values and business itself into education-particularly in England, the USA, and Australia, but also elsewhere. These have included concerns about the introduction of a culture of entrepreneurialism (Ritchie, 2006; Smyth, 1999; Woods, Woods, & Gunter, 2007), private sponsorship of schools (e.g. Hatcher, 2006), partnership working between schools and business (e.g. Taylor, 1998), commercial activity within schools (e.g. Molnar, 2013; Rayne, 2007), and the implications of new forms of philanthropic investment in education (e.g. Ball, 2016; Olmedo, 2017). However, relatively little attention has been paid to the ways in which schools are increasingly engaged in the 'business' of fundraising for charities. Within the UK, there is a small amount of literature and research on the relationship between charities and schools, but it has tended to be undertaken by charitable organisations.

Engaging Children in Meaningful Charity: Opening‐up the Spaces within Which Children Learn to Give

“…In keeping with previous research, we find that children demonstrate high levels of altruism and understanding about charity and charitable giving, recognising it as a space in which to achieve social good (Power and Taylor, ). However, this ethnographic style study about children’s experiences revealed two key features, which ultimately present as two sides of the same coin.…”

“…As Peterson (2019) points out, engagement in communities and deliberation with others is central to developing individual character, alongside recognising and challenging structural injustices. Power and Taylor (2018) identify charities are increasingly becoming mainstream in schools and most of the big charitable campaigns have established resource packs to assist schools in fundraising or social action endeavours. However, we raise concern with this, while such activity may increase children's experiences of charitable fundraising and volunteering, it is at risk of marginalising their critical enquiry into the cause areas, as well as offers a very limited view of the charitable sector.…”

“…Furthermore, research highlights that increasingly habitual activities such as non‐school uniform days and dress‐up days are problematic for families facing poverty (Mazzoli Smith and Todd, ), and that schools in wealthier areas fundraise significantly more than those in more deprived areas (Body et al , ). Indeed, Power and Taylor () conclude that ‘ the current mainstreaming of charities into schools is not necessarily a self‐evident “good” and that this under‐researched phenomenon deserves greater critical attention within and outwith schools’ (p. 702). In part, we respond to this call with what we believe is the first research of its kind exploring younger children’s perspectives and experiences of charitable giving.…”

“…Half said that they would give a significant amount of the money away, while one quarter said they would give all the money away. A survey of over 1000 young people aged 9–11 and 16–18 revealed that young people are positive about charity and have high expectations of charities to solve social ills (CAF, ; Power and Taylor, ).…”

“…Examples of school engagement in charitable events often tend to describe participation in high profile media campaigns such as BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day. Research by Power and Taylor () with young people aged 10–15 years indicated that Children in Need was the ‘most frequently mentioned school‐supported’ charity. However, we argue that this type of involvement runs the risk that children, especially younger children, may only be engaged in a purely transactional way, turning up with a donation in return for a treat or fun experience.…”