British Red Cross Strengths And Weaknesses

Appendix A: SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• Red Cross is an established, reputable and powerful organization in the UK already – it is recognized by the UK government as being one of only three Voluntary Aid Societies - the public and the media are aware of it, meaning its messages are more likely to receive attention
• Experience with issue: British Red Cross has a long history of supporting refugees; brought nearly 7,000 refugees’ family members to the UK since the mid-1990s
• Clarity in messaging - Has focused its refugee advocacy efforts on two main issues: family reunion and destitution
• Resources (financial, manpower) to conduct research & publish reports on issues related to refugee advocacy in UK
• Works closely with other (resourced) organisations

• Saw an influx in donations and grants in 2014 with income rising by 15%, demonstrating continued public and government support for the organization Weaknesses
• This campaign will run parallel to other communication campaigns, including lobbying activity in regards to refugee advocacy, therefore communication resources must be spread around – potentially too thinly
• The British Red Cross is but one organisation under the Red Cross/Crescent umbrella and as such its messages on refugee advocacy are not universal – there is room for confusion across nations, and there is no guarantee of international/inter-branch support
• Only has enough resources to support approximately 6,000 refugees and asylum seekers annually, which may not meet demand due to sudden influx of refugees from Syria and surrounding countries
• Though it has employees, British Red Cross relies heavily on volunteers for work – manpower that is not always readily available or reliable (32,500 volunteers versus 3,500

These large numbers provided without much context contributes to public sentiment of refugees draining national resources.
Social
• There is social stigma / growing intolerance attached to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, particularly destitute ones, making it difficult to garner public support for refugee advocacy. Such narratives are especially evident in UK media. o 2015 poll by Islamic Relief and YouGov: 42% of Britons “do not think foreign nationals seeking safety from conflict or persecution should be welcomed to UK shores”. Similarly, a 2008 opinion poll from Asylum and Destitution Working Group at the Centre for Social Justice showed 71% thought Britain accepted too many refugees. o 2015 report by Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford found the depiction of immigrants in the UK media is primarily negative and predominately associated with the term “illegal”. Another report through The Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK found national and regional paper emphasize chaos and perceived lack of control in coverage surrounding asylum seekers