New charitable initiative Speakers4Africa delivers first tangible results

Released on = November 6, 2006, 6:12 am

Press Release Author = Carole Spiers Group

Industry = Non Profit

Press Release Summary = Speakers4Africa (S4A) is a new initiative to raise much
needed funds for African charities. The way S4A works is that a client wishing to
book a professional speaker can ask them whether they are happy to speak as part of
the S4A initiative. If they agree, the client will pay their expenses as usual but
will pay their fee direct to an agreed African charity.

Press Release Body = Speakers4Africa (S4A) is a new initiative to raise much needed
funds for African charities. It was launched at the Professional Speakers
Association National Convention in Brighton, UK, in October 2005, and is endorsed by
Desmond Tutu, whose words of support, along with those of leaders from the
professional speaking profession are captured at www.speakers4africa.org
(http://www.speakers4africa.org.)

The way S4A works is that a client wishing to book a professional speaker can ask
them whether they are happy to speak as part of the S4A initiative. If they agree,
the client will pay their expenses as usual but will pay their fee direct to an
agreed African charity. With an estimated 10,000 professional speakers associated
with institutions around the world, this is a huge potential fund-raising resource.

"The hard part of the S4A initiative is making clients aware," explains Carole
Spiers, S4A Communications Co-ordinator (UK). "We believe this will happen once the
charities realise the potential funds this channel can provide. In the meantime,
speakers themselves are a great way of making connections.

"One way is to use S4A as an option where the client cannot afford the speaker\'s
usual fee, but the speaker cannot compromise their fee rate - as doing so is
regarded by many speakers as unprofessional and \'the thin end of the wedge\'. An
example of how these situations have led to funds being raised is provided by Clive
Wilson, the founder of S4A."

"My first experience of an \'S4A solution to limited budget\' was in 2005 when a
school asked me to speak on leadership and career development with their sixth form
boys," explains Clive Wilson. "They had heard about my \'Designed for life\' keynote
and wanted a version for the boys as they prepared to make their university choices.
I said I\'d love to speak with them at such a critical time in their lives (who
wouldn\'t?).

When it came to the fee, I gave my quote and could sense the embarrassment at the
other end of the phone. I informed the client that I wouldn\'t compromise the fee
rate but would be happy to waive the fee completely if they would make a donation as
close to it as they could to the Open Arms Infant Home in Malawi. They were
delighted, they got their speaker, and they were proud to have contributed to a
worthy cause. (And their donation was over three times their original budget for the
job, so this was great win-win for us all.)"

"Being prepared to step out and \'speak for those without a voice\', as Carole Spiers
is often reminding me, can be hugely worthwhile for all involved. The funds raised
will keep a young child whose parents died of AIDS in an environment of love and
safety for about a year. Who wouldn\'t speak for a few hours to achieve that?\"


For more information, please contact:

Carole Spiers
S4A Communications Co-ordinator (UK)
Call: +44 (0) 20 8954 1593.


Web Site = http://www.carolespiersgroup.com

Contact Details = Carole Spiers
Gordon House, 83-85 Gordon Avenue
Stanmore , HA7 3QR
$$country

+44-20-8954-1593
cs@carolespiersgroup.com
http://www.carolespiersgroup.com

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