Charity workers on Dublin's streets

anishboi

Before I am misconstrued as being disrespectful or insensitive, I am going to start this post by saying that I am completely in favour of charity and protecting our more vulnerable people here and around the world. I have done extensive, hands-on, unpaid work with the Special Olympics and Enable Ireland. I plan on going on a volunteering trip next year to Vietnam to help and educate underprivileged families, for which I will be covering most of the costs by myself, from my own pocket.

However, that being said, does anyone else agree with me that these charity workers on Dublin's streets who try to stop you in your stride and take your bank details are a little bit of a hindrance? In general they seem to manage to stop you even if you have some extremely important place to be in two minutes on the other side of the city.

Usually I try not to pay attention to them but today was the last straw. I had come from my college to grab a cup of coffee, and to collect my thoughts in preparation for an exam that I had an hour later. This is not exaggerated, I was sitting outside Starbucks with my cup of coffee and my textbooks, reading away when a worker caught my eye, came over to me and started trying fervently to sign me up. Unknown to her she was completely interrupting my flow of reading. Already tired from studying for the past week, she was oblivious to how debilitating my trying desperately to end the conversation and move on with my reading actually was. Finally when she left, I had to take my stuff and move in anticipation of another worker in the vicinity doing the same thing (3 more were within my sight).

I fully understand that these people are just trying to make a living like anyone else, but surely the bosses at the charities should have more sense? Surely there are more effective ways to raise funds, that will raise their PR? I hardly think they believe that many same people are gonna stop what their doing first to talk about the cause, and on top of that give away the details to their bank accounts, potentially containing thousands of euro, to someone that they have just met and may not trust?

I have donated to many charities for many causes, more than I can even count on my two hands, but none of them include charities who have tried to sign me up this way. I think that this tactic backfires on the charities, as people will actually get irritated by it and overall it will tarnish the name of the charity, while wasting the company's resources to do it. These resources would be much better spend on more intelligent fundraising initiatives.

Let me know your thoughts.

Rant over.

- anishboi :)

The Domonator

I just tell them that I'm not concerned(get it).

Help!!!!

Would prefer if they had a bucket to put some loose change in
Bit much asking for a direct debit every month, especially when the next day theres another charity asking for the same thing

Realt Dearg Sec

They should all be shot!

Sorry was reading the daily mail. They're a pest alright but a firm no usually does the job, they essentially take advantage of people being polite, making eye contact and responding to a greeting. You don't have to be rude (although that is fun).

Anyway yeah, they should all be castrated and shot.

odyssey06

I agree completely with you anishboi.

duffman13

You gave them more time than they deserved. I wouldn't have looked up, a simple not interested in a firm tone usually does the trick.

FionnK86

Laziest form of fundraising.

I've worked for charities in the past (travelled to Kenya 3 times with CARA Projects, great charity) and to raise the €3000 each time I had to bagpack in Dunnes on New Years eve from 8am-11pm 3 days in a row. Plus we walked barefoot to school and up Croagh Patrick and did a door-to-door sponsorship. The lads standing on the street actually cost more money to the charities I reckon to pay for the high-vis jackets and pay someone's hours while they put in the request forms to fund-raise.

anishboi

No Makeup Selfies and Ice Bucket Challenges are examples of intelligent initiatives and are the future of charity fundraising.

Look how much the Cancer Society and ALS Foundation raised through those campaigns.

The latter received 115 million dollars from the campaign, I believe.

I donated to the Cancer Society for their campaign.

I know it's wrong to only support a cause when they have a good campaign, you should support it because you believe it's necessary and morally something should be done to help the people concerned. But there are many alternative charities promoting the same cause that don't repel potential donators.

I support a cause, not a particular charity. So if one charity doesn't give me what I believe is right, I can find another one that will help me contribute to the same cause that I believe in.

jimmii

Most of the city centre chuggers are run by one company who have 6 or 7 contracts with the large charities to raise on their behalf that is why you often see the same people in different out fits there day after day. There is a code of conduct they are meant to follow but they clearly don't give a dam about that. They aren't meant to obstruct anyone and aren't meant to follow anyone which they clearly do every day. There is a plan in place to vastly restrict what they are allowed to do with the aim being that they are essentially only allowed to set up a market trader style stall to offer information and that they can try get sign ups from so they could no longer take the tactical street spread approach they take now where its next to impossible to talk down Henry/Grafton St without going within a few feet of one of them. This morning the Gards were asked if there was anything they can do but because they are licensed their hands are tied if they are standing outside a business that business can get the Gardai to move them on if they are an obstruction but other than that there is little they can do.

anishboi

jimmii wrote: »

Most of the city centre chuggers are run by one company who have 6 or 7 contracts with the large charities to raise on their behalf that is why you often see the same people in different out fits there day after day. There is a code of conduct they are meant to follow but they clearly don't give a dam about that. They aren't meant to obstruct anyone and aren't meant to follow anyone which they clearly do every day. There is a plan in place to vastly restrict what they are allowed to do with the aim being that they are essentially only allowed to set up a market trader style stall to offer information and that they can try get sign ups from so they could no longer take the tactical street spread approach they take now where its next to impossible to talk down Henry/Grafton St without going within a few feet of one of them. This morning the Gards were asked if there was anything they can do but because they are licensed their hands are tied if they are standing outside a business that business can get the Gardai to move them on if they are an obstruction but other than that there is little they can do.

I heard a story from a friend in Sligo who got followed to the bank after saying she had no money to donate. After she came from the bank, the worker said "now you have money can you donate"?

Totally ridiculous.

jimmii

anishboi wrote: »

I heard a story from a friend in Sligo who got followed to the bank after saying she had no money to donate. After she came from the bank, the worker said "now you have money can you donate"?

Totally ridiculous.

Thats unreal! That is something they have agreed not to do and I think in that case that is harassment and should be reported to the police as such.

They acutely put me off certain streets when I am in town, after dodging them all afternoon I went for a drink in Grogans and sat outside as soon as I sat down a crowed of R beggars and began to look for money at that stage I nearly gave up.

I cant understand why Primetime or a program like that hasn't done an investigation on the whole chuggers scam that's going on in Dublin.

Beano

why not just ignore them? why give them the time of day at all?

jimmii

Beano wrote: »

why not just ignore them? why give them the time of day at all?

Thats the problem they are following people some times they see being ignored as a challenge and hassle people until they relent.

Beano

Beano wrote: »

why not just ignore them? why give them the time of day at all?

People have the right to walk the streets of Dublin with our being harassed in anyway and while I always ignore them it gets tiresome when walking down one street you are approached 4 or 5 time by different chuggers.

I also believe chuggers should be banned, I have no objection to unpaid/voluntary charity collectors.

Beano

jimmii wrote: »

Thats the problem they are following people some times they see being ignored as a challenge and hassle people until they relent.

a polite "f*ck off" would suffice in that situation . Thought a simple and firm "No" has always worked for me.

jimmii

Beano wrote: »

a polite "f*ck off" would suffice in that situation . Thought a simple and firm "No" has always worked for me.

I tend to not get hassled by them maybe I look very poor or something! I'm amazed anyone stops for them but clearly they do. If everyone just stopped signing up then they would stop being on the streets seems an easy enough way to stop it!

Esho

I just say "No, enjoy your day" to them and don't stop walking.

It bugs me that a stranger greets me with a smile and a "How are you?" when they just want to dip me for their commission.
(Probably because I have this attitude, most of the chuggers I meet daily look at me, and then look for someone else to prey upon)
I did up for a dd with a charity, but not via a chugger.

I reckon they target people that look kind and maybe soft, and work on them. Don't know if I'm right on this.

TheQuietFella

I find Amnesty International cult like in their determination to get you to donate!

dhaughton99

The same chugger I have seen for the past few months at the top of Grafton street is now working from Tesco in Jervis street shopping centre. Why tesco allow a paid 'charity worker' in the store is beyond me.

dhaughton99

I have to admit to telling some to pee off especially the overly enthusiastic ones.

Skill Magill

Vermin, if any of these chuggers knew how close they were to a punch in the face, they would lay off their arm flapping smiley faced, can I talk to you a moment nonsense, and reflect on what direction life is taking them. As it stands, its the Matter

dhaughton99

I can be corrected but to my knowledge, the collection company earns the first 2 years subscription money then the rest is given to the charity.

ToxicPaddy

The charity only gets a small percentage of what these people collect from what I believe, as low as 10% in some cases which I believe which is crazy when you see how difficult it is for some charities to raise money in the current climate and with all the negative publicity surround some of the scandals lately.

Ranchu

anishboi wrote: »

I heard a story from a friend in Sligo who got followed to the bank after saying she had no money to donate. After she came from the bank, the worker said "now you have money can you donate"?

Totally ridiculous.

Chuggers don't take cash off people.

The Hanley Centre and the various junkie god cults are the only ones that ever look for cash.

Ranchu

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

The charity only gets a small percentage of what these people collect from what I believe, as low as 10% in some cases which I believe which is crazy when you see how difficult it is for some charities to raise money in the current climate and with all the negative publicity surround some of the scandals lately.

Most of the charities employ their own chuggers who get a percentage for everyone they sign up. The charity get the rest. It obviously works well for them as does the door to door chugging. I'm no fan of them myself but if it works it works I suppose.

jimmii

Ranchu wrote: »

Most of the charities employ their own chuggers who get a percentage for everyone they sign up. The charity get the rest. It obviously works well for them as does the door to door chugging. I'm no fan of them myself but if it works it works I suppose.

In Dublin its run by an agency based near henry st they run it for a good few large charities I'd imagine they are racking it in.

anishboi

These people are driven by commission, not by the cause itself. The more people they sign, the more money they earn. I get that. I understand that they need to feed their families just like us.

But it's just that if this was any other profession, these workers would never get away with this. If you walked into your local convenience store and the counter clerk wouldn't let you leave until they finally intimidated you into buying a bag of skittles and a newspaper, they'd be reported to the authorities straight away.

Deenie123

anishboi wrote: »

These people are driven by commission, not by the cause itself. The more people they sign, the more money they earn. I get that. I understand that they need to feed their families just like us.

But it's just that if this was any other profession, these workers would never get away with this. If you walked into your local convenience store and the counter clerk wouldn't let you leave until they finally intimidated you into buying a bag of skittles and a newspaper, they'd be reported to the authorities straight away.

Without taking away from the fact that they are a bloody nuisance, you don't appear to have done anything to shoo them away in fairness. Usually a firm "No, I'm not interested, leave me alone" will move them on. If they don't, it's very simple to say to them "I've asked you to leave me alone, you haven't done so. You're harassing me and if you don't stop now I'm calling the gardai". It's not worth it for them to keep at someone who clearly won't give in. As you said, they're in it for the commission. Why waste time on someone they won't get money from?

They're a fact of life at the moment in town, you just have to learn to deal with them.

As an aside, wearing yourself out studying in the way you speak of is entirely counter productive and your results will suffer. You shouldn't be tired going into an exam, you should be focused and calm.

hfallada

I cant understand why DCC havent banned them with a bye law yet. They are incredibly annoying on Dublin foot paths, as footpaths are crowded enough without them blocking peoples why. I cant understand why you need a Gardai permit to collect cash for a charity on the street like Caroling in an non-instrustive manner, but yet you can just collect bank details for a monthly direct debit but stopping them on a street.

No decent charity relies on a massive advertising campaign and using a private company to collect peoples bank details for a direct debit

anishboi

Deenie123 wrote: »

Without taking away from the fact that they are a bloody nuisance, you don't appear to have done anything to shoo them away in fairness. Usually a firm "No, I'm not interested, leave me alone" will move them on. If they don't, it's very simple to say to them "I've asked you to leave me alone, you haven't done so. You're harassing me and if you don't stop now I'm calling the gardai". It's not worth it for them to keep at someone who clearly won't give in. As you said, they're in it for the commission. Why waste time on someone they won't get money from?

They're a fact of life at the moment in town, you just have to learn to deal with them.

As an aside, wearing yourself out studying in the way you speak of is entirely counter productive and your results will suffer. You shouldn't be tired going into an exam, you should be focused and calm.

It generally isn't in my nature to just "shoo" someone away, but it may be necessary in the future if I feel like I'm being cornered, harassed or coerced.

I did tell her many times that I'm not interested, but not the firm "leave me alone".

And as an aside to your aside, the last part of your post made me smile I had actually prepared well, came away with a B+ today, but in general I still get stressed before exams and I would prefer to have some calm, quiet time to relax and reflect before my exam, like you correctly said. :P

jimmii

hfallada wrote: »

I cant understand why DCC havent banned them with a bye law yet. They are incredibly annoying on Dublin foot paths, as footpaths are crowded enough without them blocking peoples why.

A bye law is in the works. If they block you report it as it can only help the case. Anything they do that crosses the line should be reported as it may well help a little bit in a bye law being passed.

CPSW

I always have to laugh at these chuggers, you walk by one and tell them no thanks no interested, then there is another one who is about 10 foot away who has just watched you reject their colleague asking you if you want to donate! Idiots!

Boardnashea

I can usually dodge the chuggers on Shop Street in Galway but if I have been approached more than once on the same trip by the same organisation I feel that could be considered harassment. Is that a job for the Gardaí to deal with? As they are not collecting cash they may not require licence. A copy of the complaint to the charities head office also.

It might also be useful to write to the traders association for the area and tell them that because of chuggers you are avoiding the area and your trade is going elsewhere. That may encourage some action from the local retailers.

jimmii

Boardnashea wrote: »

Is that a job for the Gardaí to deal with? As they are not collecting cash they may not require licence.

It might also be useful to write to the traders association for the area and tell them that because of chuggers you are avoiding the area and your trade is going elsewhere. That may encourage some action from the local retailers.

The Gardai can't do anything due to them being licensed to do it for the charities. If a retailer complains about them though then they will move them on as they know they are an annoyance to the public. I was at a retailers meeting yesterday where it was brought up and retailers groups put pressure on councils to do something about it so definitely do contact them as the more people that do the more important an issue it is for them.

It's all about confidence, smile at them, say you're not interested and just keep walking. You don't have to be rude or even feel awkward. Very easy

Lux23

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

The charity only gets a small percentage of what these people collect from what I believe, as low as 10% in some cases which I believe which is crazy when you see how difficult it is for some charities to raise money in the current climate and with all the negative publicity surround some of the scandals lately.

Where did you hear that? If charities didn't get much out of this, they wouldn't do it. I wouldn't blame the company that provides the service as the demand is obviously there, I simply won't donate to any charity that uses chuggers anymore. They are usually big enough charities anyway and I prefer to give my money to smaller ones.

chopper6

Jay D wrote: »

It's all about confidence, smile at them, say you're not interested and just keep walking. You don't have to be rude or even feel awkward. Very easy

The BEST Thing to say to them..and this always works is:

"Sorry but i have a direct debit with you guys".

Lux23

chopper6 wrote: »

The BEST Thing to say to them..and this always works is:

"Sorry but i have a direct debit with you guys".

They might try and pat you on the back then? No, thanks.

Deenie123

I also don't see why I should have to lie to them. Just tell them to go away!

tradhead

chopper6 wrote: »

The BEST Thing to say to them..and this always works is:

"Sorry but i have a direct debit with you guys".

My sister got a call to her door from one of these boyos and when she (truthfully) told them that she already was signed up, they were even more persistent trying to get her to up her donation! Unbelievable!

As for people going door-to-door, my boyfriend's mam always tells them that she doesn't do any dealings at all at her front door but will take a leaflet or information pack if they have one. Can't argue with that!

For the guys on the street, I smile and say "Sorry, no thank you" but if they persist the smile quickly disappears. I know this is harsh but I really think if you're that concerned about the charity, you can get a real job and donate some of your wages and stop hassling everyone else!!

anishboi

Here's a little picture update for you guys. This is what I see right outside my front door. Her face has been omitted for obvious reasons.

Now I know the next time I leave my house I'll be confronted. Hmm

ireland.man

I wouldn't be the most reserved person in the world but I find it tough being forced to engage chuggers several times a day in Dublin. I can feel my stress levels jump whenever I see a pack of them ahead of me. But playing devil's advocate for a moment, I have to say they might be very positive for charities.

There are big benefits for charities when using them instead of fundraising themselves. For example in terms of long-term planning of resource allocation, increased donations, more publicity around certain causes, etc (all despite having to pay the fundraising companies a hefty fee). Plus many of those chuggers end up working within the charity sector and in development work so it's not always disingenuous smiles and forced enthusiasm for the particular cause.

emzolita

one of them on Grafton Street said to me last week. "hey can I get a hug?" what a w@nker!!

Maximus Alexander

I've been shaving my head with a 4 blade the last couple of years, haven't been bothered by a chugger since.

ireland.man

They should adapt chuggers to Irish culture. None of those fake smiles and 'give me a hug' stuff. Get an elderly woman with a typical Irish mother look, and have her sigh out loud whenever people pass by. Then when people ask what's wrong, she says she's grand a few times until admitting she'd like some donations. Then when you offer the money to her she refuses it a few times until you put it into her hand and demand she take it.

BMJD

Last time I was bothered by one in town, I told him in my finest Dublin accent that I was an American tourist. I don't mind the street ones to much as I can the piss out of them, the door to door one are head wreckers though. I had one last week who wouldn't go away, I told him I wasn't signing up to anything so he asks me if I could sign up in January instead. I had to close the site on his face otherwise I would've knocked him out.

ProudDUB

Lived in town for 2 years. Encountered tons of the buggers on a daily basis. Never had an ounce of trouble with them. Not once. I never made eye contact with them. Ever. Hence the no issues with them. I honestly don't see what the trouble is. Ignore them is the key imo.

flyingmachine

I was followed by one in Dun Laoghaire until I spotted a guard. I made a bee line for the guard and asked if he'd mind asking the person to stop following me and asking me for money. I left as the guard was taking the persons details

downonthefarm

I give my change and cigs to the to the homeless
find more rewarding than some idiot shaking a bucket in my face

dan1895

downonthefarm wrote: »

I give my change and cigs to the to the homeless
find more rewarding than some idiot shaking a bucket in my face

Nothing wrong with the bucket shakers. They usually don't follow people around or get all smart assed if you don't donate.