‘Hard-to-reach’ is a good example of a problematic phrase
that comes up in application forms. On the face of it, it is commonly used in
the voluntary sector and we all sort of know what it means. But it falls down
on closer scrutiny. As such, you should avoid using it (and other such
ambiguous phrases) in funding applications.
As with other problematic phrases,
the first issue with ‘hard-to-reach’ is that it begs the question, why? Are
people hard to reach because:
- they live in a rurally isolated area
- they have no access to a computer and online services
- English is not their first language
- they distrust authority?
Without adding detail, the generic ‘hard-to-reach’ means
very little. And any funder could make the wrong assumption when considering
your application. This matters because the model and costs will be very
different depending which group of people you are talking about.
The second issue
is more political. ‘Hard-to-reach’ can come across as a negative statement. It
puts the problem with the individual – it is their fault for being difficult to
engage with. And I have certainly heard the frustration expressed that there is
a great service waiting for them if only they would engage with it. At an event
last year, Paul Macey of Nurture Works put it well when he said “I am not hard
to reach – they know how to find me to get my Council Tax”. The same can be
said of loan sharks or bailiffs, who seem to have a very effective model for
reaching those they need to.
What I think people mean when they use ‘hard-to-reach’
is ‘people we need to take extra steps and operate in a different way to engage
with’. When sitting around in the usual places waiting for people to walk
through the door is not going to cut it, steps need to be taken to: research
the need; listen to people; work through others; build trust etc. So if you are
taking a positive approach to ensure your services are designed with and for
those in the greatest need, please tell us about that in your application form.
Tell us about the barriers people have in accessing services and tell us what
you do in response whether providing a text service for young people, community
interpreters, or a mobile outreach van. That way we will get a deeper
understanding of the work you do and the costs involved. Please don’t just say ‘hard-to-reach’ and assume
that we will understand what you mean by that.
No comments:
Post a Comment