Are UK NGOs fit for purpose for tomorrow’s world? 2015 is a crucial year for development and NGOs need to fit into a sector with changing demands, funding sources and structures.
Civil society delivers some 70% of the last mile of international humanitarian assistance. A crisis for NGOs would mean a crisis for the entire humanitarian system – or at least the humanitarian system as it is understood today.
The membership body for UK-based NGOs, Bond has identified seven areas of concern for NGOs to focus their work on, including climate change, natural resource scarcity and demographic shifts. These will greatly impact on NGOs work, but are organisations able to adapt to challenges?
In a world of multiple crises coupled with ever shrinking budgets, what value can UK NGOs add to the humanitarian sector? And what resources will be needed to sustain that value?
How do UK NGOs justify their value? Or should preparing for the future be about winding down UK-run operations to move south? What strengths can British organisations make their own in the development world?
Join an expert panel on Thursday 5 March, 1-3pm GMT, to discuss these questions and more.
The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). Get in touch via globaldevpros@theguardian.com or @GuardianGDP on Twitter to recommend someone for our expert panel. Follow the discussion using the hashtag #globaldevlive.
Panel
Thomas Guiney, Futures Project manager, Bond, London, UK @bondngo
Thomas runs Bond’s Development Futures initiative, which will help the development community navigate the complexity and uncertainty of the future.
Connell Foley, director of strategy, advocacy and learning, Concern Worldwide, Dublin, Ireland @Concern
Connell has been working in development for 25 years, spent six years in Cambodia, has worked as a technical adviser and leads Concern’s strategy.
Nuria Molina Gallart, director of policy, advocacy and campaigns, ActionAid UK, London, UK @nmolinagallart @ActionAidUK
Núria joined ActionAid UK in 2013. Prior to this she was director of policy and research at Save the Children and director of Eurodad.
Duncan Green, senior strategic Adviser, OxfamGB, Oxford, UK @fp2p @oxfamgb
Duncan is a senior strategic adviser for Oxfam and author of From Poverty to Power.
Ken Bluestone, political and policy adviser, Age International, London, UK @AgeBluestone @Age_Int
Ken’s priorities at Age International are making post-2015 SDGs relevant for older people and getting a human rights convention for older people.
David Jones, chief executive, Rescue Global, London, UK @rescueglobal
David is one of the co-founders of Rescue Global, an international disaster response NGO, which focuses on resilience, planning and recovery.
Matthew Foster, director of strategy and programme effectiveness, VSO, London, UK @VSO_Intl
Matt is responsible for VSO’s strategic change work and leading the organisation’s monitoring, evaluation and learning agenda.
Dr Zoe Marks, director of the Global Development Academy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK @z_marks @GDA_Ed
Zoe is a lecturer and chancellor’s fellow in African Studies, and fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School.
Nik Hartley, CEO, Restless Development, London, UK @Nik_Hartley @RestlessDev
Nik is CEO of Restless Development, the youth-led development agency placing young people at the forefront of development.
