Why is it so hard to run an adaptive and responsive charity?

We know that tackling the complex and entrenched challenges of the 21st century requires a different way of working. The last 18 months have been a potent demonstration of the limits of pre-determined targets and fixed outputs. We need to be more comfortable navigating uncertainty and responding to circumstances as they change.

Human centred design provides an introduction for organisations looking to work in a more responsive way. It encourages organisations to invest in understanding the problem before developing a solution, start small, test and build gradually on what works before scaling up. This provides a valuable starting point to explore other ways of working in a more agile and adaptive way. Despite the opportunity it provides, there remain too many common barriers for organisations looking to embed the approach and change how they work. We think that includes:

• Design is too inaccessible, positioned as a highly technical process requiring (expensive) expert practitioners
• Funding too often favours clearly agreed deliverables and quick results
• Trustees and boards remain focussed on outputs and efficiency - what does it mean to govern an organisation to continuously adapt and improve?
• Moving from stakeholder engagement to deep and meaningful collaboration requires leadership to deliver a shift in mindset as well as approach

We think there is more to this than we’ve understood so far. What are the success stories? What other barriers are missing? How do these barriers and solutions show up in different parts of the sector?

If you are interested in these questions, join us at the event where Simon Lickert, Design & Innovation Lead at UnLtd - the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs, will be hosting a conversation to explore them in more detail. You might be trying to lead some of this change in your organisation, whether through fundraising, programme design, or governance reviews. Or you might just be interested in hearing more about the work others are doing to change the way their organisation works. We want to identify what can be done to tackle the barriers and amplify the solutions. As a leader in the social sector, your voice is invaluable, whatever your background and experience.

About Simon Lickert

Simon Lickert is the Design and Innovation Lead at UnLtd, the foundation for social entrepreneurs. His work focusses on bringing people together to create the conditions for creative, collaborative, and thoughtful action which seeks to address the barriers to change. A recent Clore Social Fellow, he is keen to work with peers to better understand and tackle the recurring challenges charities face in creating change.