UK international aid charities unite in major awareness building campaign
Melanie May | 24 January 2022 | News
The international aid organisations include WaterAid, Care, Save the Children and ActionAid.
The campaign, We The Helpers, aims to tackle growing misperceptions about aid effectiveness and to rebuild trust in the sector by showcasing the positive impact international aid has within countries most in need. It is thought to be the first time the international development sector has come together to speak to the public in this way.
Simon Capper, Head of Performance & Insight at WaterAid said:
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“Support for the Aid sector is in decline – both in funding and broader engagement. Many members of the public want to make a contribution towards positive change in the world, but they are starting to doubt that this is achievable through support of international institutions, and they are losing the belief that they, personally, can make a difference.
“We want this campaign to reignite the belief that it is possible for all of us to make a difference. We are making progress every day, thanks to the helpers; from donors to aid workers, vocal supporters to taxpayers.”
Research by The Good Side among 2,000 UK adults revealed that 41% have donated to charity within the last year, and that 75% of people prefer to donate privately with only 14% wanting to be recognised for their donation.
The alliance of UK organisations has worked with insight, strategy and ideas studio The Good Side to put the campaign together. The Good Side collaborated with a team of expert agency partners to deliver each part of the We The Helpers campaign. It launches with a 60s film, developed by multi-disciplined agency The&Partnership, which highlights human stories of aid workers. A website, developed by creative agency HarrimanSteel, gives in-depth information and facts about how aid is helping.
Saul Parker, founder, The Good Side said:
“Britain has always played a vital role in international aid, but government cuts, negative media coverage and operational challenges in the sector have led to a loss of faith and a reduction in donations. But progress is happening, and by showing directly how aid is helping, we hope to inspire more people to help when and where they can. Through deep cultural insight and audience-led creative development, we have landed on a fresh, new approach to communicating the positive human stories of aid and progress, to reignite a belief that we can make a difference to the lives of others.”
Kirsty McNeill, Save the Children’s Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaign, added:
“We don’t want to show off about all the ways we’re helping, but we do want to make a difference and the really good news is that we are. We are making progress, together, every single day thanks to the helpers. Whether you’ve responded to an appeal, sponsored a friend to do an event, dropped something off at a charity shop, taken a campaign action or just pay your taxes, know that you’re one of the helpers who is saving and changing lives through aid.”
The campaign will run nationwide across digital media and PR and will be supported by all partner aid channels. Media strategy, planning and buying was handled by The Kite Factory and PR specialists Four Communications are supporting the nationwide launch.
- Read International Aid: progress needs solutions, not problems (3 February 2022) by Saul Parker for more background on why and how the campaign developed.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.