Writing

This is a selection of Julia’s notable formal writing in the form of statements
and published lectures. Blog content can be found on the Thoughts page.

Policy, Writing

Freedom on the Tyne – an evening of history, drama and celebration

A beautiful cold evening in Newcastle and Gateshead on Sunday got me thinking about the inter play between the history of a place, its stories and its sense of self. Freedom on the Tyne – a vast and awe inspiring theatrical celebration of Martin Luther Kings brilliant speech as he received his honorary doctorate from […]

31/10/2017/2 Comments/by juliaunwin

civil society, community, kindness, social change, Writing

Civil Society and public grief – rituals, ceremony and silence

In the public unfolding of grief in the last terrible few months a number of things stand out. The first is of course, the helpers. The courage and generosity of those who run to the site of disaster – whether Manchester taxi drivers ferrying people home, or café owners providing drinks or people contributing money. […]

22/06/2017/1 Comment/by juliaunwin

kindness, Policy, Writing

Could the algorithm kill our capacity for kindness?

We all want services to be kind. Nobody seriously disputes it. All social change starts with the very personal relationship between two people, and yet, as I’ve commented before, we struggle to be kind, citing professional codes, financial challenges and regulatory restrictions to explain our rather cool, and sometimes frankly impersonal, approach to the decisions that […]

11/06/2017/0 Comments/by juliaunwin

Policy, Writing

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The future of civil society It has become increasingly commonplace to say that the world around us is changing and changing fast. The impact of the digital revolution, the rise of new populist forms of politics, globalisation, gender fluidity, demographic change – and everywhere there is a crisis of trust. Devolution in the nations of […]

27/02/2017/1 Comment/by juliaunwin

Writing

What is the role of philanthropy in reducing poverty in the UK?

You would expect me to start this lecture by quoting Joseph Rowntree. You wouldn’t be surprised if I mentioned that the founding memorandum of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation commits us to looking at the ‘root causes of social evil’, not its manifestations. Not to fund the soup kitchen in York, but to find out why […]

31/12/2016/6 Comments/by danclarkson

Writing

Where next for civil society?

Julia Unwin's inaugural lecture for the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) given at their AGM, 24 November 2016, at the Millenium Centre, Cardiff Bay Where next for civil society? This is an amazing building, a tribute both to the drive and commitment of Welsh civil society, and the confidence of a capital city marking its status […]

25/11/2016/1 Comment/by danclarkson

Writing

Why we need to build social capital in cities

Lecture given by Julia Unwin at the Human Cities Institute’s sixth Annual Lecture. Why cities matter Cities are central to the development of our world. By 2030, urban areas are expected to house 60% of the world’s population and generate up to 80% of global economic growth. Over the last 50 years, the percentage of people […]

13/04/2016/0 Comments/by danclarkson

Writing

A recipe for social change

In April 2014 as Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Julia gave a lecture at York St. John University where she outlined her take on the ingredients needed to bring about social change. JRF was established over one hundred years ago in the city of York, a city that has more claim than many […]

31/12/2014/1 Comment/by danclarkson

Writing

Philanthropy then, philanthropy now

A lecture given at Gresham Collage on 29 March 2012. This lecture outlines the challenges of modern-day society and how they affect a charity’s ability to deliver its purpose, and discusses how a ‘Good Society’ could be built through the individual, community, market and state. Read the whole lecture (PDF)

16/12/2014/4 Comments/by danclarkson

Writing

The five Ss in Governance

My interest in governance is as a governor, advisor, author, consultant and chair – and now as a CEO. And my interest also lies in the charity sector, because I think that is where the challenge of governance is most demanding, and the rewards are greatest. But at a time when the criticisms of governance […]

16/12/2013/0 Comments/by danclarkson

Books and Reports

Kindness, emotions and human relationships: The blind spot in public policy (2018)

It argues that there have been very good reasons for keeping kindness separate from public policy; but that the great public policy challenges of our time demand an approach that is more centred on relationships; and, with technology and artificial intelligence transforming the way we do things, it is imperative that we focus equally on our emotional intelligence.

Why Fight Poverty (2013)

The recent crisis seems set to leave us with an economy in which some may never work and there is little public sympathy for the poor. This book looks back at the struggle to end poverty and asks if it has been worth it. What would a poverty-free country be like?

The Grant Making Tango (2004)

An examination of the different issues facing the grant-making economy.

Writing

Freedom on the Tyne – an evening of history, drama and celebration

Could the algorithm kill our capacity for kindness?

What is the role of philanthropy in reducing poverty in the UK?

Where next for civil society?

Why we need to build social capital in cities

A recipe for social change

Philanthropy then, philanthropy now

The five Ss in Governance

Books and Reports

Kindness, emotions and human relationships: The blind spot in public policy (2018)

Why Fight Poverty (2013)

The Grant Making Tango (2004)

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