The role of the media is also important, in giving the not for profit sector a public profile. The sector needs to focus more on its presentation and communications policies, including working with media organisations to develop a pool of specialist not for profit reporters and analysts.
Practical strategies for developing relationships could be explored by the sector as a whole. For example, work exchanges and secondments between government, the not for profit sector and the commercial world would provide an excellent method of building greater understanding between the three, adding new skills and perspectives to each, and creating opportunities for longer term partnerships, and sharing of skills, ideas and resources. It could build real links and understanding.
The first step is simple enough, although I don't suggest for a minute that it's easy―the not for profit sector must get together and find a way to speak to Government. From a position of unity and strength, the sector can begin to work to ensure that Government and business recognise the value and importance of not-for-profit work, and appropriate policy supports can then be negotiated.
Conclusion
This is new territory in Australia, and I'm sure in other parts of the world, especially those areas where the development of civil society itself is only in its infancy.
But the work of knitting civil society into the fabric of power and decision making is an important part of the process of democracy. While voting for political representatives is a crucial component of democracy, voting alone does not equal democracy. What really makes democracy work is the right to assemble, the right to put forward a view, the right to have ongoing input into government policy and action between elections.
The not for profit sector provides the glue of democracy. Democracy is complex and often contradictory―the issue of who has the right to represent others, how they are selected, whose voice is heard and responded to in a sea of passionate cries, will always be issues for debate. However democracy is surely enhanced when the greatest possible number of citizens have an opportunity to participate in shaping their collective destiny. The not for profit sector provides this opportunity. There is no doubt that not for profit organisations can be narrow, they can represent minority views, they can contradict each other, but they allow a far greater level of representation and participation in society. Like society itself, the not for profit sector is complex and contradictory, but then a human society would be the lesser if its complexities were artificially suppressed.
Elizabeth Cham
Executive Director
Philanthropy Australia
Bibliography
