TREE AID's Values and BeliefsTREE AID has four key values and beliefs: People focused TREE AID's people focused approach is influenced by that of Schumacher[1], as well as the motto at TREE AID's inception, ‘…we who want to help need to learn how to help'. This means building partnerships and trust with local organisations in Africa and, through these, enabling local communities to identify their own problems and solutions to alleviate poverty and build self-reliance. It also means encouraging the efforts of beneficiary communities by listening and responding to what they and our partners think about the work we do, and telling them about the commitment our UK supporters show in raising money for their work. Being people-focused means creating opportunities for participation in decision making, celebrating achievement and striving towards equal opportunities. For our communications and fundraising it means that we treat the people with whom we work and those from whom we raise funds with dignity and respect, as expressed through our ‘friendraising' approach. Positive TREE AID holds a positive view on long-term solutions to poverty. We believe that by securing the woodland resources that people depend on to survive whilst also improving the environment, lasting change is possible. Being positive means that while we are realistic about the problems we are responding to, we focus on the solutions to these and on what is being achieved, and what can be achieved, through the efforts on the ground. Being positive is also about focusing on quality rather than quantity, reinforcing and consolidating what works rather than spreading ourselves too thinly. Professional Despite resource limitations TREE AID strives to be professional in everything we do. We strive to manage the organisation for sustainable growth, ensuring as much of our money as possible is spent on our charitable objectives while also securing adequate funds for running TREE AID effectively. It means having procedures and systems in place to ensure that information on our work, finances and our supporters' needs is accessible, and being accountable to all stakeholders. It means using our resources as cost effectively as possible, in particular through delegating and having clear objectives and work plans to focus our efforts. Passionate TREE AID's staff are passionate about the work that TREE AID does. This means talking sincerely, with enthusiasm and from the heart about what we are doing. It means being creative about finding solutions to problems and new ideas towards developing our work, whether in Africa or as an organisation. It means ‘pushing the boat out' when required to achieve important objectives and striving to find new ways of alleviating poverty through trees. Links The Schumacher Society UK [1]Author of ‘Small is Beautiful', the seminal text that established a now widely adopted approach to development, whereby work is based on the expressed needs of local people and takes account of the local cultural and environmental context, using locally available materials
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