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Along with its broader impact in the country, Myanmar's 2021 coup and subsequent revolution have brought an upheaval amongst international aid agencies. As they have pivoted their programmes in the new context, international agencies have faced criticism from many Myanmar humanitarian and advocacy organisations. Drawing on interviews from 2022, this article argues that the way in which aid is given – in relation to context-specific conventions of reciprocity – is significant in creating meaning in partnerships. Engaging with Myanmar studies literature, the article contends that well-known overlapping values of sedana (goodwill), parahita (charity), and metta (loving kindness) inform Myanmar organisation leaders' expectations of reciprocity in their relationship with international aid agencies in the context of Myanmar's revolution. There is often a moral overlay on interpretations of aid partnerships, beyond the project-organised and contractual relationship that characterises the formal realm. Criticism of international aid is not new in Myanmar, yet the revolution has increased the stakes for local organisations and exposed new fractures in their relationships with their international partners. Transnational support is crucial amid the country's revolution and many Myanmar organisation leaders seek relationships of solidarity with international agencies, yet diverging assumptions about reciprocity in partnerships fuel ongoing frustration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in poverty rates among families and individuals in Italy over the past two decades can be attributed largely to repeated periods of economic crisis. Growing concern over the problem has driven interest in the role of policy in supporting household welfare. Responding to the currently limited access to (or provision of) public aid and assistance, private institutions and philanthropic foundations have stepped up their efforts to create new initiatives for alleviating poverty. In this paper, we use a randomized control trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of a new Italian program aimed at supporting vulnerable individuals in four separate but related areas of household welfare: employment, financial circumstances, family responsibilities and housing conditions. The program, known as Integro, was introduced by the Compagnia di San Paolo, one of Italy's largest philanthropic institutions. Our findings indicate a positive and statistically significant impact of Integro on three of the four target outcomes considered, with only the fourth (housing conditions) not being affected. We also sought to identify any initial conditions potentially influencing the extent to which participants benefit from the program. Is Integro equally effective for everyone? According to our data, the program provides the best outcomes for males reporting lower human capital and greater socio‐emotional stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, humanitarian emergencies have grown in number, size, and severity, placing increasing strain on the international aid system, which has not kept pace in terms of financial [...]

Background: Poor parental mental health in the perinatal period has detrimental impacts on the lives and relationships of parents and their babies. Parents whose babies are born premature and/or sick and require neonatal care or those who experience perinatal loss are at increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. In 2021 a North-West charity received funding to offer psychological support to service users of infants admitted to neonatal care or those who had experienced perinatal loss, named the Family Well-being Service (FWS). The FWS offered three different types of support – ad hoc support at the neonatal units or specialist clinics; one-to-one person-centred therapy; or group counselling. Here we report the qualitative findings from an independent evaluation of the FWS. Methods: Thirty-seven interviews took place online or over the phone with 16 service users (of whom two took part in a follow-up interview), eight FWS providers and 11 healthcare professionals. Interviews were coded and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed two themes. 'Creating time and space for support' detailed the informational, contextual, and relational basis of the service. This theme describes the importance of tailoring communications and having a flexible and proactive approach to service user engagement. Service users valued being listened to without judgement and having the space to discuss their own needs with a therapist who was independent of healthcare. Communication, access, and service delivery barriers are also highlighted. The second theme - 'making a difference' - describes the cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal benefits for service users. These included service users being provided with tools for positive coping, and how the support had led to enhanced well-being, improved relationships, and confidence in returning to work. Conclusion: The findings complement and extend the existing literature by offering new insights into therapeutic support for service users experiencing adverse neonatal experiences or perinatal loss. Key mechanisms of effective support, irrespective of whether it is provided on a one-to-one or group basis were identified. These mechanisms include clear information, flexibility (in access or delivery), being independent of statutory provision, focused on individual needs, active listening, the use of therapeutic tools, and positive relationships with the therapist. Further opportunities to engage with those less willing to take up mental health support should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Honour’-based abuse (HBA) studies tend to focus on survivors’ lived experience, with less emphasis on perpetrator characteristics. This study aims to investigate whether various HBA characteristics correlate with different types of perpetrators, based on their relationship with survivors. Savera UK, a charity specialising in HBA and harmful practices, provided 107 cases which were coded for 66 variables. Three main perpetrator types were identified: 1. “Intimate Partner”, 2. “Family” and 3. “Intimate Partner and Family”. Chi-squared analyses were conducted and odds ratios of any significant associations were calculated. The distinct profile of survivor, perpetrator and abuse characteristic for each type was presented. The average number of abuse characteristics reported for the “Intimate partner and Family” perpetrator type was 19, much higher than the other two sub-samples. The implications for professional practice are discussed, highlighting the importance of increasing understanding into ‘honour’-based abuse to improve investigative, safeguarding and prevention interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss and neuro-disability in childhood. In the absence of a licensed vaccine, adoption of hygiene-based measures may reduce the risk of CMV infection in pregnancy, however these measures are not routinely discussed with pregnant women as part of National Health Service (NHS) antenatal care in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, underpinned by Normalization Process Theory (NPT), to investigate how an educational intervention comprising of a short film about CMV may best be implemented, sustained, and enhanced in real-world routine antenatal care settings. Video, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who were recruited using a purposive sample that comprised of midwives providing antenatal care from three NHS hospitals (n = 15) and participants from professional colleges and from organisations or charities providing, or with an interest in, antenatal education or health information in the UK (n = 15). Findings: Midwives were reluctant to include CMV as part of early pregnancy discussions about reducing the risk of other infections due to lack of time, knowledge and absence of guidance or policies relating to CMV in antenatal education. However, the educational intervention was perceived to be a useful tool to encourage conversations and empower women to manage risk by all stakeholders, which would overcome some identified barriers. Macro-level challenges such as screening policies and lack of official guidelines to legitimise dissemination were identified. Discussion: Successful implementation of education about CMV as part of routine NHS care in the UK will require an increase in awareness and knowledge about CMV amongst midwives. NPT revealed that 'coherence' and 'cognitive participation' between service members are vital to imbed CMV education in routine practice. 'Collective action' and 'reflexive monitoring' is required to sustain service changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rehabilitation services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy is an essential part of the healthcare system, which is required to enhance patients' quality of life. These services need a streamlined support system, which is required from the funding sources that significantly impact the efficacy. The accessibility, affordability, and quality of healthcare services are significantly influenced by healthcare finance and its utilization, which involves revenue generation and reimbursement processes to budgetary supervision and allocation of resources. Effective resource allocation is made possible by sound financial management, which minimizes undue usage and maximizes the use of existing resources in underfunded healthcare systems like Pakistan, where there is a greater need for funds for rehabilitation. Despite their value in the budget, rehabilitation services frequently receive a smaller portion of the healthcare budget. There is a need to focus on several funding sources, such as commercial insurance plans, public sector grants, out-of-pocket costs for patients and families, and the functions of foreign aid and charitable donations. The possible ways can be increasing insurance coverage for rehabilitation services, increasing public sector investment and encouraging increased cooperation between public and private sector parties. Ultimately, the healthcare system and the rehabilitative services can be improved for future prevention of disability and evidence-based health policies that maximize available resources and high-quality healthcare. This review offers a thorough analysis of and describes the current state of rehabilitation financing in Pakistan. In addition, it also provides considerable evaluation of barriers and suggested solutions in managing the finances required for running a viable rehabilitation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores partnership representations in the Trustees' Annual Reports & Accounts (TARA) of English and Welsh international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). INGOs are prominent global actors, whose TARA serve important accountability purposes, while also acting as key fundraising communications. The study uses thematic analysis to examine 83 TARA published between 2014 and 2018 by 29 INGOs. Findings show that in these TARAs' narrative sections, partnership relationships are largely described using the language of collaboration, yet accord the INGO the primary role. In the subsequent managerial and financial sections, however, these relationships are presented as a hierarchy, focusing on upwards accountability from project partners to the INGO. These presentations suggest that INGOs continue to embed power inequalities in their partnership relationships. Furthermore, drawing on stakeholder theory, this exploratory study argues that the contradiction found demonstrates that INGO reporting prioritises legitimation rather than authenticity, and obfuscates understanding of international development partnership relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The developing science of cathedral studies has focused mainly on Anglican cathedrals. The present study argues for drawing Catholic cathedrals into this field. Employing data gathered from the websites of the 22 Catholic cathedrals in England and Wales, alongside data gathered from the diocesan reports submitted to the Charity Commission, this study demonstrates the distinctiveness of the ministry and mission of Catholic cathedrals compared with Anglican cathedrals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is charitable giving U-shaped in income? That is, do low- and high-income households donate a higher fraction of their income to charity than the middle class? Decades of correlational studies have found that the share of income given to charity follows a U-shape pattern in the United States, but scholars continue to debate whether the apparent U-shape is a statistical mirage, or accurately characterizes giving across the income distribution. We partnered with a real charity to conduct a charitable-giving experiment where relative endowments are revealed to participants. We experimentally verify that random placement in an income distribution causes a U-shaped giving-income curve. The U-shape observed in real-world data therefore is plausibly not spurious, but a real effect of relative economic status on giving decisions. JEL Classifications: C91, D31, D64, D91, H23 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While food security in Vietnam has significantly improved in recent decades, many urbanites still rely on private food charities. Meanwhile, growing food safety concerns have been studied with a strong focus on emerging middle classes, whereas socio-economic precarity connected to food safety has attracted less attention. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in food charities in Ho Chi Minh City, this article examines how symbolic and spatial boundaries perpetuate power imbalances within charities and affect patrons' food safety practices. It challenges the narrative that caring about food safety is limited to affluent consumers, instead highlighting the structural constraints that prevent people in urban poverty from acting upon food safety concerns, including (1) power imbalances within food charities and (2) lack of overall food security. The research shows the limitations of food charities in establishing long-term food security for socio-economically marginalised citizens and of a governmental food safety approach emphasising consumer 'choice'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses Mary Wollstonecraft's Of The Importance of Religious Opinions (1788), a translation of De l'Importance des Opinions Religieuses (1788) by Jacques Necker. I demonstrate that Necker's text resonates with Wollstonecraft's early works and those of her mentor, Dissenting theologian Richard Price, both for its Providentialism and for its onus on caritas, or "l'esprit de charité", a love of God expressed through love of our neighbours. For Wollstonecraft, Christian charity was coextensive with justice and could embrace the entire human family. I argue that Necker's text initially appealed to her for its representation of religion cultivating this expansive benevolence through sentiment refined by the imagination, depicted as a sacred faculty channelling our errant desires towards the divine. Whereas Necker envisages only celestial rewards in an incurably unjust society, however, Wollstonecraft subtly revises his text to foreground the imagination as the impetus to moral actions that participate in God's plan for human improvement. She thus imagines political justice in the form of a cosmopolitan ideal of universal benevolence, a heartfelt principle of action equally consonant with Christian charity and the demands of justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the relationship between generosity in charitable dictator games (CDGs) and public good games (PGGs). We construct a novel generalized game that subsumes both as special cases and present experimental subjects with different blends of CDG and PGG tasks. Generosity in the CDG and PGG are only weakly correlated, in spite of close experimental control on confounding factors. We furthermore demonstrate how underlying preferences shape these behaviors, revealing important distinctions between preferences for charity and public good provision. Our findings have implications for the generalizability of existing experimental results that rely upon these games. • Charitable Dictator Games (CDGs) and Public Good Games (PGGs) common in the lab. • Both used to study real-world charity and public goods, but different properties. • We construct generalized game that nests CDGs and PGGs as special cases. • Results indicate weak correlation between generosity in CDGs and PGGs. • Implications for generalizability of results from CDGs and PGGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although we have long known that many different types of individuals play video games, the stereotypical "gamer" is often portrayed as a young male. Furthermore, research into questions such as violence and aggression, addiction or problematic play, and toxic gaming communities tends to frame gamers and gaming as anti-social. From a philanthropic perspective, then, gamers appear to be unlikely candidates for charitable giving. Following attendance at a fundraising game tournament for Gamers Outreach, a non-profit charity that provides video game systems to children's hospitals, this research team conducted a survey of attendees. Our findings suggest that gamers are willing to support and monetarily contribute to a cause they believe in, but also that engaging potential donors through their preexisting interests and communities—in this case, games—can be a productive form of outreach. Finally, participants recognized and sought to combat gaming's anti-social stereotypes, revealing a further motivation behind their charitable behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutional theories of 'local area effects' hypothesise that local area differences in organisational resources are an important feature of inequality in individuals' residential environments. However, while the organisational dimension of local areas has been identified as an important research priority within urban sociology, empirical work remains limited, with charitable organisations particularly under-researched. Therefore, a key question remains unanswered: why do charities in more deprived local areas have higher dissolution rates, reinforcing a lower prevalence of charities compared with less deprived areas? This article focuses on this research problem. It shows that volunteer leadership succession is less prominent in more deprived local areas, and that this more limited leadership succession helps explain why charities in more deprived areas experience higher dissolution rates. The results promote understanding of a mechanism underlying local area differences in organisational dynamics that lead to persistent differences in institutional resources between more and less deprived local areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enrollment into critical care clinical trials is often hampered by the need to rely on surrogate decision-makers. To identify potential interventions facilitating enrollment into critical care clinical trials, a better understanding of surrogate decision-making for critical care clinical trial enrollment is needed. What are the barriers and facilitators of critical care trial enrollment? What are surrogate decision-makers' perspectives on proposed interventions to facilitate trial enrollment? We conducted semistructured interviews with 20 surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes using an inductive approach. Thematic analysis confirmed previous research showing that trust in the system, assessing the risks and benefits of trial participation, the desire to help others, and building medical knowledge as important motivating factors for trial enrollment. Two previously undescribed concerns among surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients were identified, including the potential to interfere with clinical treatment decisions and negative sentiment about placebos. Surrogates viewed public recognition and charitable donations for participation as favorable potential interventions to encourage trial enrollment. However, participants viewed direct financial incentives and prioritizing research participants during medical rounds negatively. This study confirms and extends previous findings that health system trust, study risks and benefits, altruism, knowledge generation, interference with clinical care, and placebos are key concerns and barriers for surrogate decision-makers to enroll patients in critical care trials. Future studies are needed to evaluate if charitable giving on the patient's behalf and public recognition are effective strategies to promote enrollment into critical care trials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations' Agenda 2030 has established a series of Sustainable Development Goals to address global challenges, including poverty, food insecurity, access to education, and social inequality. In this context, charitable organizations such as Caritas play a crucial role in mitigating the negative effects of these challenges and promoting fair and sustainable development. This study aims to analyze prevalent needs among individuals seeking assistance from Caritas in Campania and examine how the organization contributes to achieving the Agenda 2030 Goals in the region. The statistical investigation techniques considered include tandem analysis a dimension-reduction technique, such as multiple factor analysis, and then a cluster analysis to identify similar groups of individuals. These exploratory data analysis methods have allowed for the identification of common needs, including food assistance, support for education, employment, and housing assistance. Subsequently, Caritas programs and initiatives aimed at meeting these needs and promoting sustainable development are explored. The results indicate that Caritas plays a significant role in addressing the urgent needs of the vulnerable population in Campania and contributes to the goals of Agenda 2030, particularly those related to poverty alleviation, immigration, health promotion, education, employment, and the reduction of social inequalities. This study provides an important perspective on the relevance and effectiveness of Caritas's work in the context of Agenda 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Zimbabwe, a range of actors are involved in education due to ongoing challenges of resourcing and funding schools. There are complex socio-political arrangements that result from private–public partnerships in the education system. Some schools are created and funded by individuals, and little is known about the tensions these funding structures create for school leaders and teachers. This qualitative study examined one school in Matabeleland North, using semi-structured interviews and observations across one term. It argues there are complexities created through the position of being a school 'founder' that shape a school's administration and leadership structures. Using the example of the school principal's role and two tensions that result from relationships between the principal and school founders, this paper argues that more attention needs to be made towards the arrangements of school funding and the conflicts and tensions that result from complex relationships of power between school founders and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charity regulation is increasing internationally, leading to divergent views on what might constitute "better regulation." The purpose of a charity regulator and appropriate regulation may also be contested. Many modern charity regulators are required to maintain public trust and confidence in charities in order to bolster ongoing charity support from funders and the donating public. Nevertheless, public trust and confidence is precarious. At its nadir, in England and Wales "the person in the street" was deemed more trustworthy than charities, with donations diminishing in the current environment and the charity sector close to crisis. Further, charities contribute to crises when they incite negative media interest in their operations, fail to comply with regulatory filing deadlines, and/or manipulate their accounts. Charity regulators must maintain legitimacy within a changing regulatory space, despite often being resource‐constrained themselves. Yet, some suggest regulators could "do more" to increase sector‐wide resilience and to increase public trust and confidence. Hence, this raises the question of how charities should be regulated and whether (and how) a regulator could build resilience. We depict charity‐sector crises as a vehicular incident and ponder: should the regulator act as a "Guardian Angel" to prevent crises through interventions to build and maintain sectoral resilience, or should it appear postincident as a "Tow Truck" to clear the road for other traffic through closely bounded regulatory action focused on sanctions and deregistration. We address this question by analyzing publicly available regulatory data from the Charity Commission of England and Wales and semistructured interviews, which provide additional "behind the scenes" depth to our analysis and findings. We contribute to literature on charity regulation and expected regulatory responsibilities within a confined but permeable regulatory space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how charities have survived, and sometimes thrived, in the face of crisis has given rise to an increased interest in the resilience of these organizations. Research on dealing with uncertainty and crisis situations notes the ability to adapt as a critical resilience component (Siders, 2019). However, resilience and adaptive capacity in the charity sector are under‐researched areas. This paper contributes to filling this gap by investigating two midsized Scottish charitable organizations that have weathered two significant crises: austerity as a result of the financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID‐19 pandemic. The study findings enhance resilience research by shedding light on the processes, actions and collaborations that facilitate resilience, and the importance of adaptive capacity in response to crisis. Two distinct approaches to resilience were identified: (1) a strategic approach to resilience, where the charity thrived in the face of crisis and demonstrated high levels of adaptive capacity, and (2) a pragmatic approach, where resilience equated to survival, adaptive capacity was low and, as a result, growth was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effectiveness of check-out charity (COC) campaigns, a fundraising strategy where customers donate at the point of sale, as a method for promoting destination social responsibility (DSR) in tourist destinations. Employing interviews, polls, and case studies in Alps ski resorts, it explores whether tourists perceive donations to local projects as a means of participating in DSR, and the impact on their attitudes towards the destination. Despite tourists' willingness to support local causes, the findings suggest COC requests aren't consistently perceived as beneficial to the destination due to a triadic relationship between the cause, the store, and the destination, causing confusion about the donation beneficiary. Moreover, COC requests can unintentionally lead to negative outcomes, including unwillingness to donate and feelings of annoyance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using multilevel mediation involving 322,589 posts made by 384 musicians over 104 weeks, we simultaneously analyze the short-term and long-term effects of charity-related signaling on sales, with social media engagement as the mediator. Specifically, we compare the effects of charity-related signals with those of two other types of signals: mission-related (i.e., promoting music and commercial products) and non-mission-related (i.e., other posts that do not relate to the other two categories). In the short term, the indirect effect of using charity signaling on sales (through engagement) is positive, though smaller than the effects of mission-related and non-mission related signals. However, in the long term, the indirect effect of regularly using charity-related signaling on sales (through long-term engagement) is greater than for the effects involving the other types of signals. We derive from these findings three main implications for the business ethics literature. First, in the long term, the mutual economic benefits of charity signaling should encourage both entities (i.e., musicians and charities) to go beyond short-term, transactional philanthropy. Second, because it is profitable for musicians to partner with charities in the long-term, our research argues that charities have extensive bargaining power in such co-branding decisions. Third, our research highlights the importance of studying the longitudinal aspects of co-branding decisions involving non-profit organizations; the financial outlook of such decisions could greatly vary depending on the timeframe (i.e., short vs. long). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since the onset of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, the health system in Ukraine has been placed under tremendous pressure, with damage to critical infrastructure, large losses of human resources, restricted mobility and significant supply chain interruptions. Based on a longstanding partnership between the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research after Oleksandr Yaremenko (UISR after O. Yaremenko) and the Institute for Global Public Health at the University of Manitoba, we explore the impact of the full‐scale war on non‐governmental organizations (NGOs, including charitable organizations) providing services for key population groups in Ukraine. Methods: We conducted in‐depth qualitative interviews with key representatives from NGOs working with key population groups (i.e., people living with HIV, sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and transgender people) throughout Ukraine. Members of the UISR after O. Yaremenko research team recruited participants from organizations working at national, regional and local levels. The research team members conducted 26 interviews (22 with women and four with men) between 15 May and 7 June 2023. Interviews were conducted virtually in Ukrainian and interpretively analysed to draw out key themes. Results: Applying Roels et al.'s notion of "first responders", our findings explore how the full‐scale war personally and organizationally impacted workers at Ukrainian NGOs. Despite the impacts to participants' physical and mental health, frontline workers continued to support HIV prevention and treatment while also responding to the need for humanitarian aid among their clients and the wider community. Furthermore, despite inadequate pay and compensation for their work, frontline workers assumed additional responsibilities, thereby exceeding their normal workload during the extraordinary conditions of war. Conclusions: NGOs play a vital role as responders, adapting their services to meet the emergent needs of communities during structural shocks, such as war. There is an urgent need to support NGOs with adequate resources for key population service delivery and to increase support for their important role in humanitarian aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Disasters in developing countries result in higher human and financial losses compared to global standards, with the death rate being 12 times higher than that of developed countries. Many experts attribute the failures in disaster management to the lack of a system for documenting and analyzing disaster management functions and not leveraging the experiences and lessons learned. This study employed a qualitative data collection approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with managers, deputies, members of operational teams, and individuals affected by the disaster in the area. This research aims to explore the challenges, strengths, and lessons learned from the response to the Khoy earthquake in Iran. Results: After conducting 40 interviews and achieving data saturation, we extracted experiences and lessons learned to investigate the performance of responsible organizations in the 2022 Khoy earthquake. The obtained data were categorized into 8 categories and 39 sub-categories. These categories encompassed warning and calling forces, disaster assessment, disaster commanding, emergency housing, supply and distribution of items, organization, and guidance of public participation and charities, psychological support, logistics operations, monitoring, evaluation, documentation, information dissemination, and media management. Planners and operational managers can use the findings to review and revise their action and prevention plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes faith as a gift from God and presents it as the light and brightness of the soul. It also explains that faith can be understood as liberation, purification, and energization of the will, directing it towards Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. The author also speaks of faith as a task of man, as a responsibility to keep that light burning. Additionally, it is mentioned that faith has always been accompanied by hope and charity in Christianity. The book proposes ten theses that summarize its entire thought on faith. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on questioning the value of donating money to academic philosophy departments, arguing that such donations may not be a wise use of finite financial resources. It explores the notion that funding academic philosophy could potentially support marginal philosophers producing low-quality work or draw away high-quality philosophers from more productive endeavors, raising concerns about the overall impact and effectiveness of such donations.

Penny banks were Victorian institutions intended to encourage thrift among working-class people. Initially considered a model of its type, the Birmingham Penny Bank (1850–1865) collapsed because of mismanagement, bad investments, and self-dealing by its lower-middle-class directors. Thousands of depositors, including women and children, lost part of their savings as a result. An investigation followed to apportion blame for the failure. A key question was the level of liability and compensation owed by the bank's elite former officers and trustees, including William Scholefield MP, all of whom had stepped down some thirteen years earlier. Commentators argued that the trustees had betrayed the trust of the depositors by failing to publicise their departure from the supposedly philanthropic institution. In the end, they contributed to the public subscription raised in support of the victims, without admitting liability or experiencing reputational damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies of poor relief have focused on parishes either metropolitan or wholly rural, whereas the focus of this article is on the distinctive experience of Battersea, a village in the London hinterland. Although the village suffered from the rising cost of poor relief experienced nationwide at the end of the eighteenth century, this article argues that the response of its vestry was shaped by Battersea's liminal location. Consideration is given to the central role that the workhouse played in the provision of poor relief, and demonstrating that the social networks of parochial leaders were key to the development of policy. Many of the vestry members had commercial and professional interests in the metropolis and elsewhere, and these, together with their patronage of London charitable institutions, helped both to shape their response to the problems of poverty that they encountered, and influenced their administration of the Battersea workhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are philosophical arguments as effective as narratives in influencing charitable giving and attitudes toward it? In four experiments, we exposed online research participants to either philosophical arguments in favor of charitable giving, a narrative about a child whose life was improved by charitable donations, both the narrative and the argument, or a control text (a passage from a middle school physics text or a description of charitable organizations). Participants then expressed their attitudes toward charitable giving and were either asked how much they would hypothetically donate if given $10 (Experiment 1) or told they had a 10% chance of winning $10 and given the opportunity to donate from their potential winnings (Experiments 2–4). Across the four experiments, participants in all of the narrative conditions and in some of the argument conditions tended to express more positive attitudes toward charitable giving and donated about $1 more on average than did participants in the control conditions. These effects appear to have been mediated by the "narrative transportation" scale, which suggests that appeals to donate can be effective if they engage participants' emotions, imagery, and interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Great Recession, a group of identitarian nativist associations emerged in Spain, which, over time, gave shape to a new social movement: the Cultural Associations of National Aid (Asociaciones Culturales de Ayuda Nacional). Based on a digital ethnography and critical discursive analysis, this paper aims to examine their worldview and 'repertoire of contention', focusing on the latest events that have shaken the world and, more particularly, Spanish society. This research highlights two contributions to the nationalism and far‐right social movements study: 'national priority' as a radicalization of the 'national preference', and 'national aid' as a new discriminatory non‐state aid, which we will refer to as 'ultranationalist charity'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hungarian Reformed Church in Elizabeth, New Jersey operated for about sixty years. The congregation was established by Hungarian immigrants to the United States of America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On 21 May 1914, the church became member of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. The close-knit community had an active religious and social life and became an important meeting place for local Hungarians. The congregation, which had become financially independent, organized a number of charity events to finance their own expenses, missionary goals, and fundraising activities. It was also important for the congregation to cultivate its Hungarian roots. In the 1970s, it had to cease independent operation partly due to the assimilation of the second and third generations and partly because of urban planning due to the change in the social composition of the town. Rev. Bertalan Szathmáry, a pastor who had previously served in the Elizabeth congregation for several years, gathered the leaderless Newark congregants and founded a new congregation in Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem definition: Conventional wisdom often cautions charities against providing volunteer opportunities to potential donors based on the assumption that volunteering crowds out monetary donations. We challenge this assumption and investigate the causal relationship between an individual's volunteering activities and their subsequent decisions to donate. Methodology/results: We conducted three consequential experiments where participants engaged in virtual assignments and were subsequently prompted to donate to an existing charity. In the first two experiments, participants were tasked with creating affectionate cards for the homeless, enjoying full autonomy in the design of these cards. In the third experiment, participants colored patterns of varying complexity. Our results indicated that volunteering increased both the propensity and the amount of participants' donations, pointing to a potential explanation rooted in moral consistency. However, as individuals' volunteering efforts intensified, their subsequent donations decreased, reflecting a mental budgeting mechanism in these settings. Managerial implications: Our results suggest that (i) volunteer programs not only build up a charity's labor source but may also increase their donation income; (ii) charities should consider developing virtual volunteering programs that increase their resources by connecting them with more volunteers; and (iii) to maximize donations, charities should carefully design light volunteer tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The purpose of the research is to find out the peculiarities of the organization and functioning of the charity support system during the Great War in the city of Sumy. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, impartiality, comprehensiveness and integrity, and systematicity, as well as the use of descriptive, historical-genetic, historical-typological, and problem-chronological methods. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time, certain aspects of charity activity in the territory of Sumy County during the World War I are highlighted (in particular, the charity activities of Polish organizations, the Sumy Council of Workers and Soldiers Deputies, the peasantry), a generalized and systematized idea of participants, directions, and means of charity action, many previously unknown facts from the history of charity activity in the region were discovered. Conclusions. The structure of the charity action in Sumy County initially developed based on existing local authorities and pre-war organizations (Red Cross branch, Society for the Care of the Poor). Gradually, the list of charity associations increased in the content of their activities. New structures of power and self-organization of the population after the overthrow of the monarchy also became involved in charity work. The areas of charity activity were: providing assistance to the front and front-line soldiers; assistance to members of their families who remained behind; assistance to wounded soldiers; assistance to vulnerable groups of the civilian population; assistance to educational institutions and students; assistance to refugees. The most common form of assistance was monetary aid. The mass number of volunteers and various ways of mobilizing funds for charities led to a sufficiently high efficiency of the charity action, capable of responding to various social challenges provoked by the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public support is critical for the incorporation of farm animal welfare (FAW) standards into national food policies. Multiple pathways, e.g., market-based policies, political mandates, and donations to animal charities, exist for the public to influence these standards. The challenge often remains that citizens may express significantly different regulatory preferences from consumers thereby disproportionally overburdening the latter. For food, this consumer–citizen role is directly linked to dietary choice. Although a large body of research has examined the determinants of dietary choice on the one hand, and FAW policy preferences, on the other, no attempt has been made to address these issues side by side. This study explores the preferences for FAW regulatory mechanisms and strategic behavior among dietary groups. Preferences for private labeling, political mandates, and donations to charities in support of and against conventional agriculture are examined. Data are from an online survey of 1020 residents conducted in the US. The results show a proclivity among segments of the public who do not consume livestock products for political mandates and the tendency to behave strategically. Regulatory preferences are embedded within distinct human value orientations. Urban—non-urban, generational and gender divides in regulatory preferences are also identified. These insights are relevant for the ongoing development of FAW standards given the portfolio of mechanisms at the disposal of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the associations between hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), obesity, and smoking. It highlights the potential benefits of weight loss and smoking cessation in improving HS disease severity. The article provides guidance for clinicians on how to counsel and support patients with HS in accessing various available services for weight loss and smoking cessation. It suggests resources such as the National Health Service (NHS) Quit Smoking app, the Smokefree National Helpline, and the NHS Weight Loss Plan app. The article emphasizes the importance of addressing these modifiable risk factors to effectively manage HS. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: The Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR) held its 59th annual conference from Wednesday, 22nd of February, to Friday, 24th February 2023, in Athlone, Ireland. The following article is a report of knowledge conveyed at the conference. The main themes of this conference explored key areas of basic, clinical, and translational research, which impact the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The research presented at the conference emphasised the continuously changing paradigm within cancer research, with sessions covering a wide spectrum of topics from personalised prevention to personalised intervention, alongside emerging hallmarks, novel drug discoveries, and delivery systems. This was in conjunction with advancements in applications of artificial intelligence and data science within precision oncology that will ultimately revolutionise healthcare for cancer patients. Advancements in oncology, especially with the era of precision oncology, is resulting in a paradigm shift in cancer care. Indeed, innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are paving the way towards enhanced diagnosis, prevention, and personalised treatments as well as novel drug discoveries. Despite excellent progress, the emergence of resistant cancers has curtailed both the pace and extent to which we can advance. By combining both their understanding of the fundamental biological mechanisms and technological advancements such as artificial intelligence and data science, cancer researchers are now beginning to address this. Together, this will revolutionise cancer care, by enhancing molecular interventions that may aid cancer prevention, inform clinical decision making, and accelerate the development of novel therapeutic drugs. Here, we will discuss the advances and approaches in both artificial intelligence and precision oncology, presented at the 59th Irish Association for Cancer Research annual conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of COMPASS, a therapist-supported digital therapeutic for reducing psychological distress (anxiety/depression) in people living with long-term physical health conditions (LTCs). Methods: A two-armed randomized-controlled trial recruiting from LTC charities. Participants with anxiety and/or depression symptoms related to their LTC(s) were randomized (concealed allocation via independent administrator) to COMPASS (access to 11 tailored modules plus five thirty-minute therapist support sessions) or standard charity support (SCS). Assessments were completed online pre-randomization, at 6- and 12-weeks post-randomization. Primary outcome was Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale; PHQ-ADS measured at 12-weeks. Analysis used intention-to-treat principles with adjusted mean differences estimated using linear mixed-effects models. Data-analyst was blinded to group allocation. Results: 194 participants were randomized to COMPASS (N = 94) or SCS (N = 100). At 12-weeks, mean level of psychological distress was 6.82 (95% confidence interval; CI 4.55–9.10) points lower (p < 0.001) in the COMPASS arm compared with SCS (standardized mean difference of 0.71 (95% CI 0.48–0.95)). The COMPASS arm also showed moderate significant treatment effects on secondary outcomes including depression, anxiety and illness-related distress and small significant effects on functioning and quality-of-life. Rates of adverse events were comparable across the arms. Deterioration in distress at 12-weeks was observed in 2.2% of the SCS arm, and no participants in the COMPASS arm. Conclusion: Compared with SCS, COMPASS digital therapeutic with minimal therapist input reduces psychological distress at post-treatment (12-weeks). COMPASS offers a potentially scalable implementation model for health services but its translation to these contexts needs further evaluating. Trial Registration: NCT04535778 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the need to increase cervical cancer screening among underscreened women. Despite the availability of screening programs and HPV vaccination, participation rates remain low in many high-income countries, leading to poorer health outcomes for women. The ACCESS Consensus Group has provided evidence-based recommendations to improve screening participation, including developing national action plans, raising awareness, improving accessibility, supporting healthcare professionals, and advocating for health insurance coverage. The article also acknowledges the burden of cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries and the need for tailored solutions. The text emphasizes the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing to address the impact of cervical cancer and reduce health inequalities. [Extracted from the article]

The societal value of non-profit organizations (NPOs) and the enabling aspect of digital transformations (DTs) pinpoint these as cornerstones in our running after sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, applying DT to NPOs foreshadows outstanding but untapped opportunities to enhance our capacity to meet those goals. This paper shed light on those opportunities by exploring the DT of a food redistribution charity which commits to reach zero hunger in London, the United Kingdom. Our results not only highlight the importance of studying DT in the setting of sustainable-oriented NPOs but also reveal the key role of leadership, entrepreneurship, agile management, co-creation, user-friendliness, and building a data-driven learning culture to strengthen its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charity sport activities provide a sense of contributing to the lives of others and offer participants an extra source of motivation. SL has been used in a variety of sports and recreational contexts to research dedication to leisure activities. However, no study has investigated SL in charity sports events. In this regard, a model integrating key variables from the studies of serious leisure, charity sport event participation motivation, experience value, and behavioral intentions was proposed and tested on the participants of charity sport events. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will help to understand the multidimensional aspects of charity sports event participation, which may increase the effectiveness of the organization of charity sports events. Besides, this research adds to the literature by providing empirical data analysis regarding charity sports events from an unexplored country (Turkey). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the relationship between elite British boarding schools and the overseas branches ('satellites') that they have established around the world. While British schools are categorised as charities, the satellites are operated as commercial ventures through subsidiaries. The UK-based schools can thus profit from the export of their 'brands', extracting capital from their satellites overseas and channelling it back to the UK. Drawing on interviews with staff of these satellite schools and on documentary analysis (including Charity Commission reports), we use the lens of racial capitalism to analyse the relationships between British elite schools and their overseas branches. We argue that through their overseas operations, British elite schools engage in extractive practices and are complicit in processes of enclosure and dispossession. These processes are premised along racialised lines and ultimately ensure that the promised 'British eliteness' remains out of reach for those who subsidise its social reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first academic paper to consider the role that parliamentarians play in access to justice. Under austerity, England and Wales has seen cuts to legal aid and local authority budgets that have impacted the ability of people to get help for legal problems in social welfare law from the advice sector. Members of the UK Parliament and Members of the Senedd Cymru are increasingly being called upon by their constituents to fill the resultant gap in advice. This paper draws on interviews with parliamentarians that draw out the nature of the role they are now playing in access to justice across three key areas of civil justice: welfare benefits; housing; and immigration. The growth of parliamentarians as figures in access to justice has thus far been largely neglected but is crucial to grasp, as the implications for the future of access to justice are massive. The paper calls for more research to better understand the phenomenon but urges caution that elected representatives should not be considered as an adequate substitute for a properly functioning, adequately funded advice sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, titled "Cowboy Charity," recounts a personal experience of the author, Justin Goodson, who learned about charity from a cowboy he met in Wyoming. Despite their differences in personality and beliefs, Goodson and the cowboy, named Paul, got along well until a disagreement arose during a camping trip. However, a month later, Paul approached Goodson and apologized, demonstrating an act of charity. This experience taught Goodson the importance of kindness and understanding, even in the face of disagreements. Unfortunately, Paul later took his own life, highlighting the significance of reaching out and reciprocating acts of charity. Goodson concludes that empathy and basic kindness are essential components of charity, connecting all individuals through their shared human experience. [Extracted from the article]

Background There is substantial evidence on the importance of voluntary activities for the health of middle-aged and older adults. Evidence on the effects of health and well-being on volunteering is more limited. This study examines reciprocal longitudinal associations between voluntary and/or charity activities and 21 indicators related to physical health, well-being, cognitive impairment and daily life functioning among middle-aged and older adults. Methods Longitudinal data were collected between 2011 and 2020 from a sample of 19 821 middle-aged and older adults from 15 countries participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. An outcome-wide analysis and an exposure-wide analysis were applied and generalized estimating equations were used. Robustness analyses were conducted. Results Voluntary and/or charity activities almost every week or more often were prospectively associated with greater emotional well-being, reduced risks of limitations in activities of daily living and of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at a 6-year follow-up. Positive reverse associations were found from emotional well-being to volunteering. Limitations in daily life activities, increased loneliness, high blood cholesterol, hypertension and chronic lung disease were found to impede participation in voluntary and/or charity activities over time. Feedback loops between voluntary and/or charity activities and well-being and limitations in daily activities may exist. Conclusion Understanding the reciprocal nature of the relationship between volunteering and health and well-being can help identify strategies to encourage volunteering among middle-aged and older adults with specific health conditions and to target health promotion efforts towards volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the criticisms of philanthropy, specifically philanthrocapitalism, and the need for reassessment. It introduces the concept of "paraphilanthropy" as a way to address counter-capitalist concerns and decolonial gestures. The article explores the complexities and motivations of giving, using personal experiences and examples of problematic philanthropic practices. It emphasizes the importance of decolonizing philanthropy and questions the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion measures in achieving true decoloniality. The text argues that traditional philanthropy can perpetuate problematic systems and calls for a deeper analysis of power dynamics and structures within philanthropy. It explores the concept of decoloniality and its implications for philanthropy, suggesting that it involves acknowledging racialized production and challenging the logic of whiteness and neurotypicality. The article proposes paraphilanthropy as a means of experimenting with new forms of accountability and abundance, embracing the fugitive and minor aspects of money. It emphasizes the need for co-inquiry and experimentation to envision new worlds beyond coloniality. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides a critical analysis of Effective Altruism (EA) and its limitations. EA focuses on finding the most effective ways to engage in philanthropy, but its heavy reliance on rationalism and narrow measurements of effectiveness prevent it from addressing the underlying causes of social issues. The article also explores Longtermism, a philosophical counterpart to EA, which prioritizes future problems while neglecting current systemic issues. The author argues that EA reinforces materialistic and utilitarian knowledge systems, perpetuating the paradigm of perpetual economic growth and exploitation. The article suggests alternative approaches to philanthropy that take a systemic and historical perspective to address the root causes of social problems. Additionally, the article criticizes the use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in EA, claiming that they fail to capture unintended effects and broader insights. The author also argues against the ideology of longtermism, stating that it prioritizes digital beings over humans and the natural world. Overall, the article highlights the disconnection of EA and LT from the current crisis and the need for a more comprehensive understanding of consequences. [Extracted from the article]

Objectives: To observe the age at primary cleft surgery among charity organizations such as Smile Train in helping Indonesia manage patients with OFC. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted to identify patients with orofacial clefts who underwent primary surgery between 2001 and 2021. The age at the time of surgery was recorded for each patient. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and determine the average age at primary surgery. Results: In the period between 2001 and 2021, a total of 34 239 individuals in Indonesia underwent primary lip surgery, while 16 768 individuals received primary palatal surgery, as recorded in the Smile Train database. Notably, a significant proportion of these surgeries were classified as delayed primary repairs. Approximately 65.3% of primary lip surgeries were performed beyond the recommended timeline of 6 months of age, indicating a delay in the surgical intervention. Similarly, 67% of primary palatal surgeries were also delayed, occurring after the recommended timeline of 18 months of life. Conclusions: This study provides insights into the age at primary surgery among individuals with orofacial clefts in Indonesia. The findings highlight the need for timely intervention and the importance of considering individualized treatment plans based on the specific type of orofacial cleft. Further research is warranted to explore factors influencing the age at primary surgery and their impact on treatment outcomes and long‐term functional outcomes in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]