UK: Brown paves the way for the Euclid Summit

«It is active citizens who change the world, not the government from above». These are not Beppe Grillo's (a well known Italian comedian and activist who recently organised a ?sod off? day to denounce the corruption in Italian politics) words. No, these are the words that the English prime minister Gordon Brown pronounced during his first official speech after the summer break. A speech that was held far away from the usual political chambers, in the National Council for Volunteers Organisations (Ncvo), a charity founded in 1919 that today represents over 5200 non profit organisations, headquarters.

The premier promised his 13 million volunteers, who are busy at work across England, that he would send Westminster?s old-school politics on early retirement, and with it the mantra that says that the Whitehall man is always right. Brown proposes to "hold citizens juries around the country to involve people in debating the issues that matter to them, like crime, housing development and foreign policy and to find new ways of addressing concrete proposals for change". This confirms the confidence Brown expressed towards the third sector in his 24th of July speech in which he called volunteers ?every day heroes? and spoke of his determination to promote them and social enterprise as a means of overcoming a British way of life that has become too individualistic to be able to deal with this millennium's social issues. From fundamentalism to bullying.

Just another way to collect votes veiled with good intentions, as accuse the Tories? In a country where ?only one out of every 88 joins a political party, against one out of every 11 in the 1950?s? as was reminded by Brown on the 3rd of September, 13 million volunteers may stand him in good stead during the elections.

But it would be wrong to mistake them for easy votes. The ?every day heroes? are careful to make sure that Brown turns the promises he made on the 24th of July into facts. From the 515 million pound funding package to finance local communities to a new bank for the third sector.

A few examples of how this careful monitoring is taking place? Acevo?s top man, Stephen Bubb?s comment of the prime minister?s speech held at the Ncvo: ? It is very encouraging that the premier has chosen the third sector as audience for the season?s first speech. It shows that he really believes in our ability to motivate citizens and to make better communities. I am satisfied that he has reconfirmed his intention to guarantee stable funds for a social investments bank and for advocacy and campaigning activities. Prior to the summer break, Gordon Brown said he wanted to create a global forum of third sector leaders so as to promote civil society, I hope to soon see progress in this direction?. A forum of this kind is what civil society is working on these days: from the 20th to the 22nd of September Lisbon will host Euclid?s first international workshop ? Euclid is a network that brings together European third sector leaders.

In Gordon Brown's footsteps assure the participants, because …

Jim Baker
Director of Age Concern Brighton & Hove (www.ageconcern-bhp.org.uk)

What do you think about Gordon Brown?s speech? I think it is a confirmation of the fact that, even during the Blair era it was he who was behind the growth of the third sector. The International aid department?s budget shows this clearly as there has been a 10% increase since Labour has been in power.

There are some differences though, Tony Blair placed his bets on stars, like Bono Vox, Brown has chosen volunteers?He has moved the cultural axis that revolves around celebrities to one that he knows better: people. He is Scottish, and Catholic. His background is made up of small people and organisations that help each other out. A return to the community that emerges from all his speeches, not just the ones about volunteering.

Will he transform promises into facts, and how long will it take him? He will, but my question is a different one: are we, the third sector, ready for the change he has in mind? For the opportunities he has in mind? I don?t think so. For years the third sector has complained about being an outsider, but in some ways it is easier than accepting to become a fully pledged partner with the government. We must decide ourselves to accept a culture based on contract and compromise: if we don?t, Brown will give away the money he has promised to others. To unions, for profit companies or other partners.

Will Brown?s speech have an impact on the Euclid Summit? Of course. The prime minister has not openly talked about European cooperation, but he hasn?t discouraged it either, as had his predecessors who were scared of taking on board a referendum or of loosing the support of the euro-sceptics. Brown has opened a new space for the English third sector, a third sector that has been arrogant with foreign colleagues till now, but one that cannot solve certain problems, like immigration, without cooperating with their neighbours. The premier also encourages social enterprise to work in fields that have been exclusively been dealt with by NGOs, like aid to development.

Raymond Aitken
Director of Research and Innovation at Amara, an association that helps terminally ill people and their families through psychosocial accompaniment in Lisbon (www.amara.pt)

What are your thoughts on Gordon Brown?s speech? In two and a half words: extraordinary and hope-inspiring. It is a passionate rallying-call and commitment to ordinary people to change the world. It transcends the redundant dogma of socialism versus capitalism and brings us back to the essential common-ground of humanity. He is advocating for a radical change in relationship between the State and its citizens, based on a "new style of inclusive leadership".

Do you think he will transform his promises into facts? I trust that Gordon Brown is speaking from his personal conviction, but at this early stage, the extent and speed of change he wants to see happen is an open question. It depends on how fast a critical mass of British citizens seize the window of opportunity Gordon Brown is prising open. Can the British people rise to the challenge before resistance to change mobilises itself? I certainly hope so, and perhaps this is the most urgent thing that the Prime Minister has to pay attention to.

Why did you join Euclid?I relate more to people than organisations, and I joined Euclid because of the people I met. They demonstrated the courage to be true and proactive in the face of challenge, I like that kind of company, so I joined. Reciprocating this human quality is what I personally can bring to the network.

What do you expect from the summit? From the summit I expect to meet a lot of interesting people from whom I will learn things, which will help me to do more and better in the endeavours I am undertaking, relating to humanitarian development through social enterprise.

Graça Almeida Rodrigues
Executive Director of CIDESC ? The International Centre on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in Lisbon (www.esc-rights.org)

What are your views on Gordon Brown?s speech? I share Prime Minister Gordon Brown?s view that to be successful in the challenges we face today we have to involve ordinary citizens and their communities in building the wellbeing of the country. His message also encourages me to ask the Portughese government for changes.

What changes? For starters, a revision of the law that regulates private associations that was drawn before the Democratic Revolution of 1974. It is inadequate to deal with civil society organisations in a democracy. I would also ask the government to support civil society by offering greater training opportunities as a means of fighting unemployment in our country. The funds for this are available but involve so much bureaucracy that organisations rarely take advantage of them. The gap between the third sector and government is huge, also because civil servants do not have the needed expertise to deal with the third sector and civil society organizations generally.

Why did you join Euclid? I first joined Acevo and later Euclid because of my interest in engaging and promoting civil society in Portugal.

What do you expect from the Euclid summit, and what do you think you can bring to the summit? I hope that Euclid Summit will allow CIDESC and other Portuguese non-profit and private organizations to share the experience of other countries and learn from their know-how and vision. I can bring to the summit CIDESC?s experience of starting a Centre, a ?Think Thank in Action? in Lisbon. It is a private non-profit organization created by a few university professors (mainly women) who work on human rights.

More info:

• Read Brown's 24th of July Speech
• Read Brown's 3rd September Speech