Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)

📓 JRF's annual report on the state of #UKPoverty launched this morning, revealing some stark truths. 👇      📊 The latest analysis from our researchers shows a worsening picture of poverty in this country, with families in poverty now on average needing thousands to get out of poverty.   The average person in poverty has an income 29% below the poverty line, equating to a gap of £6,200 for a couple with two children under 14.   📈 With 14.4 million living in poverty in 2021/22, our politicians must take action on this vital issue.    🗳️ A general election is on the horizon, and we are demanding practical solutions from political parties to address this.    Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ebJWWJ_R

Today's King's Speech has lots of ambition to address some of the leading drivers of poverty, but there is a critical missing piece. 💥 Reforming social security so we all have a safety net to rely upon. The Government talks of helping the country move on from the cost of living challenges with local wealth creation. But, almost 4 million people experienced destitution in one year, going without enough food, unable to replace worn out clothes or pay their energy bills. 🔎 See our full response to the speech, here: https://lnkd.in/e3GzAHsQ

🗣️ As AI technologies evolve, they must do so in ways that benefit the whole public. To achieve this, everyone must be given the platform to participate in conversations about the design, use, and governance of AI. The voices of non-profit organisations, particularly those that are grassroots, have so far not been adequately represented in decision-making about AI technologies at various levels. Recognising this, we commissioned @WeandAI as part of our AI for Public Good programme to explore the following questions: - Why and how do non-profit and grassroots organisations in the UK engage with generative AI tools? - What are the main drivers and key elements that shape this engagement? - How do these organisations see their role in shaping the broader AI debate? 🌀 We found a mixed picture. Many are excited about the potential for tools to increase productivity and enhance service delivery but concerns were raised around privacy, accuracy and bias, alongside ethical dilemmas around trust and disclosure. Our upcoming event launches the findings of our research, which engaged a broad range of social and environmental organisations in a survey, discussion groups and interviews. You will hear an overview of the research, main findings, and key themes for wider discussion. There will also be an audience Q&A. This event is perfect for: - Non-profit and grassroots organisations: Those questioning how their organisation can engage with generative AI tools, navigate AI ethics, or influence wider AI discourse. - Tech for good innovators: Pioneers dedicated to utilising technology and data to improve communities and lives. - Funders: Resource-holders eager to understand how they can engage with AI to support the wider non-profit ecosystem. - AI enthusiasts: Individuals curious about how AI can be used to generate public good. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gwXYZJgK

🤔 Are you: - a campaigner on housing, poverty and homelessness issues - a policy adviser and policymaker - a housing professional - an academic - a health and wellbeing professional - a local authority staff - a communicator in the housing sector 🔎 Do you want practical insights and tips to help you: - Show the importance of improving private renting, and establish this as a part of redesigning our housing system - Hone your explanation skills, to build understanding about policies that would improve renting - Use storytelling to build connection and add scale and context 🌐 Then join JRF in partnership with FrameWorks UK and Nationwide Foundation for our free Talking about Housing webinar on 23rd July on how to talk about private renting. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3VMdVM6

Do you work in a non-profit or grassroots organisation (or in funding this sector)? Are people in your organisation using generative AI tools at work? Are there formal policies or guidelines in place to guide AI use? Is your organisation engaging in wider AI discourse? My guess is if you answered 'yes' to the first two questions, you also answered 'no' to the final two! The latest Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and We and AI research finds high numbers of non-profit and grassroots orgs are making use of generative AI tools, without having any governance structures in place. While there are clear incentives and benefits to reap, there are also risks and ethical questions to grapple with - and very few organisations are engaging in wider AI debates. We'll be exploring these findings and more at our online webinar launching this research. Join us to hear an overview of the main findings, and key themes and questions for wider discussion. Register for the event here: https://lnkd.in/efWaU57H Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/eRyvXR_g #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #AI4good #AIforgood #aicommunity #ai4all #techcommunity #techevents #thirdsectorevents #thirdsector #charityevents #charity #aievent #aievents #tech4good

Unpaid carers provide a vital service but many suffer financially for their sacrifice. 🔎 Our new analysis finds carers are more likely to fall into poverty, and stay once there. Those who became carers unexpectedly are twice as likely to enter poverty than the general public.   Dropping out of work or losing benefit income is pushing carers into hardship.   💼 The new government must protect carers from poverty by providing opportunities to care alongside work and make the benefits system cover the cost of living.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/eQQQrnhY

🗣️ We want the priorities of people with direct experience of the economic injustice of poverty to be reflected in the government institutions and organisations seeking to address it. Those who create knowledge hold power. People most impacted by poverty are largely excluded from taking part in knowledge creation efforts that underpin social change work; from having a say on what the most important issues to address are, to having the opportunity to work up solutions alongside these issues. At JRF, we are developing a knowledge bank that captures the areas deemed most important to address as prioritised by those affected by the economic injustice of poverty. Working with GMCVO and GMPA we are collecting examples of robust participatory and power sharing work. We’re pulling out key themes that we hope will be useful to government, funders, poverty organisations, community people led organisations and the wider sector to draw on in their work. 🤔 We’re keen to find out: - How much robust, deep power sharing work exists in poverty related social change efforts. - What the barriers are to working in more in-depth ways with people affected by the injustice of poverty. - Whether the priority areas of those directly affected by poverty are sufficiently reflected in social change initiatives and if not, why not. This is part of a wider theme of work which we are developing that advocates that the ‘how’ of any social change work is as important as the what. We will be looking at the deep systemic barriers to more inclusive ways of working and we are interested in hearing from others out there who are also thinking about this in a deeper way. 🔎 Find out more in this blog from Sarah Campbell: https://lnkd.in/gKqTYnH5

🌐 Latest JRF and We and AI research shows - 78% of non-profit and grassroots organisations use generative AI tools in some capacity - 71% do so to work more efficiently But these organisations haven't been adequately represented in discussions or decisions on the design, use and governance of AI technologies. 🤔 We commissioned We and AI to explore: Why and how do non-profit and grassroots organisations engage with generative AI tools and the broader AI debate? We found that non-profit and grassroots organisations are excited about the potential for generative AI tools to: - increase their productivity - lighten workloads - remove administrative or access barriers - enhance service delivery ❌ But opportunities are not without challenges. - 73% of organisations use generative AI tools without any formal policies or guidelines in place. Concerns were raised around privacy, accuracy and bias, alongside ethical dilemmas. - 47% of organisations use Gen-AI tools to save labour costs. - 59% feel they aren't engaged in the broader AI debate. Without sector engagement, initiatives aimed at developing AI for public good cannot have an adequate understanding of what that might entail. 🔎 Find out more from Yasmin Ibison and We and AI: https://lnkd.in/emnNySva

Great to read Sophia O.'s reflections on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)'s #NextFrontiers2024 conference, with special mentions for Maike Kauffmann, Astrid Scholz & Dana K. Bezerra. Have a read: https://lnkd.in/ewWpuVPH

📢 Free Talking about Housing webinar on 23rd July on how to talk about private renting. The way we frame our communications matters if we want to see change happen. 👥 When we talk about improving housing in the UK, people often focus on the desire to own a home. Renting is seen as a temporary step along the way. As a result, improving renting is not always seen and understood as a vital part of what needs to happen to ensure everyone has a decent, affordable place to call home. Join JRF in partnership with FrameWorks UK and Nationwide Foundation, for a webinar packed with practical insights and tips to help you: - Show the importance of improving private renting, and establish this as a part of redesigning our housing system - Hone your explanation skills, to build understanding about policies that would improve renting - Use storytelling to build connection and add scale and context Are you: - a campaigner on housing, poverty and homelessness issues - a policy adviser and policymaker - a housing professional - an academic - a health and wellbeing professional - a local authority staff - a communicator in the housing sector 🌐 Then this webinar is for you! Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3VMdVM6