Older Generations Demonstrate Generosity
15 September 2010 at 12:05 pm
New Australian research reveals that almost 90 per cent of people aged over 60 contribute to charities in some way.
The national study, conducted by Instinct & Reason on behalf of Include a Charity surveyed the attitudes of 505 Australians aged 45 and above towards will making and charities.
The research also revealed that residents of NSW are more likely to consider leaving a bequest to a charity in their Will than those in other states.
Include a Charity says there are many ways to behave charitably be it through donating money or time to a worthy cause or by giving back to local communities
However Include a Charity says another way to help: Leaving a gift to a charity in your Will is an easy way to make a difference for a cause that someone cares about.
Include a Charity, a coalition of Australian charities committed to increase the number of people including charitable bequests in their Wills, is about to undergo a strategic change in order to transform the landscape of bequest giving in Australia, opening itself up to the sector and asking more charities to join the coalition; uniting to increase the number of people leaving a gift to charity in their Will.
Currently only 8% of Australians leave a bequest to charity in their Will and one of the aims of the new model is to double this figure by 2020, by expanding the coalition to create a large consortium of charities. This increase would equate to an additional $577m being donated to charity through bequests, and Include a Charity are asking new members to join the coalition and help them reach this goal.
Michael Perkins, Special Council and Ambasssador for Include a Charity says people need to provide for their families first and foremost; however charities play an important role in many lives and including a charity in your Will is a profound gift, and a lovely way to be remembered,and can be a crucial source of funding for vital charitable programs that address some of the major societal issues; contributing towards good work charities achieve.
Launched to the Australian public in 2006, Include a Charity was originally funded by some of Australia’s leading charities, however this year a structural change will be implemented enabling the coalition to mirror that of the successful UK and Ireland model, whereby a large consortium of charities, of all sizes, help fund a social change campaign.
Perkins says this social change model has had great success, having seen a 4% increase in the number of people leaving a gift in their Will. In addition, a three year creative campaign has been developed, drawing on new advertising on TV, radio, in print, online, and integrated PR activity.
Current member charities include the Heart Foundation, Cancer Council Australia and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (The Spastic Centre), and the organisation says the new offering is a unique demonstration of the charity sector coming together on a project that could transform the level of giving and potentially benefit all Australian charities and their causes.
Marcus Blease, General Manager Fundraising and Marketing, Cerebral Palsy Foundation,says there are not many initiatives that can deliver this kind of benefit to the sector and it can only happen by working together, and the support of charities new to the coalition will be critical.
Include a Charity wants to raise more awareness of the work they are doing as well as dispel the taboo associations that many people feel when it comes to discussing the topic of Wills.
