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About OWOS
Our World Our Say works to give people a voice over world changing issues. Through re-connecting ordinary citizens with their elected representatives and giving them a voice, we aim to give people power over their own future. MORE »
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Identity
Our World Our Say is a non-party political organisation with no specific religious affiliation.
Our Mission
Our World Our Say works to give people a voice when politicians circumvent them, particularly over world changing issues. Through re-connecting ordinary citizens with their elected representatives and giving them a voice, we aim to give people power over their own future and invigorate the democratic process.
How We Aim to Meet Our Mission
- Providing ways and opportunities for people to influence key decisions
- Keeping people informed about issues that affect them, presenting this information in a clear, relevant format
- Developing citizenship
- Reaching as many people as possible
Aims and Objectives
At the root of Our World Our Say's approach is this observation: Western governments seem to be increasingly making decisions that fundamentally affect the lives of their citizens without listening to or consulting them. These decisions have implications not just for those individual countries but for the whole planet.
The aim of Our World Our Say is simple: to try and give people the opportunity to express their opposition in a simple and direct way so as to put pressure to the Government and key decision makers. The Internet provides the power to communicate with millions of people instantaneously and to ask them to take action.
The organisation aims to use modern means of communication to best effect in order to allow UK citizens' voices to be heard. Through a combination of national, regional and local press adverts; direct marketing techniques; a dynamic and interactive website; an in-depth database of elected officials and their voting patterns on crucial issues; media testimonies by high-profile personalities; and the use of innovative devices such as virtual lobbies of Parliament and regular electronic mailings to MPs and to our supporter base, we hope to galvanise as many people as possible to pursue simple and practical activities in order to reinvigorate democratic processes in this country. An active and vocal civil society from all ages and walks of life is crucial to the health of the nation.
Campaign Criteria
- World-changing significance (people-centred, is life-threatening and is of long-lasting significance)
- An issue that the public haven't had a chance to influence
- A lack of accurate information on the subject
- Vulnerable people are affected
- A number of people are directly and immediately affected
- Potential to effect change
- Potential for practical action
- Potential for marketing & fundraising
- Level of involvement of other organisations
Who Runs Our World Our Say?
The current directors of Our World Our Say consists of:
Tim Walker
Tim Walker is Chairman of Our World Our Say. His background is in the voluntary sector where he has worked in fundraising and campaigning for organisations such as the Anti Apartheid Movement and John Grooms Association for Disabled People.
Simone La Corbiniere
Simone La Corbiniere was born in St Lucia, West Indies and received her education there, as well as in Jamaica, Canada and England. The principle of service to the community was first instilled in her by her grandparents. Her grandfather, Karl La Corbiniere CBE, was one of the co-founders of the St Lucia Labour party and was the Deputy Prime Minister of the short-lived West Indies Federation.
Simone herself became politically active at an early age, taking part in the Anti- Apartheid Movement from the age of fourteen and also being involved in CND. She is an expert on marketing and fundraising, currently working exclusively in the voluntary sector.
Michael Ketchum
Michael Ketchum has a background in financial administration for organisations like Greenpeace and the Anti-Apartheid Movement.
There is currently only one member of staff at Our World Our Say:
Rob Whitehead
Rob Whitehead has many years experience of working in administration, finance and fundraising with charities and voluntary sector organisations, particularly in campaigns and the law, having worked at such organisations as Liberty, CAB and Law Centres.
Rob was brought up at the end of a runway of a USAF base, and subsequently has been politically active from an early age, working with Human Rights & Civil Liberties groups; as well as being active in community development, he has set up and participated in Housing Co-ops, Bookshop Co-ops and community newsletters.
Our World Our Say is also supported by volunteers who advise on political and peace issues, web design, administrative support, marketing support and research.
How is Our World Our Say Funded?
Our World Our Say is entirely funded by voluntary donations.
What Will the Money Raised be Used for?
The money raised will go into enabling people to target their political representatives over issues of key importance for humanity. The war on Iraq is one example, but state surveillance and environmental destruction are others. By drawing attention to issues and then giving people the opportunity to contract their elected representatives we are ensuring that politicians remain democratically accountable for their decisions.
How is the Money Being Accounted for?
Accounts will be audited on an annual basis. Costs are kept to the very minimum by using as much voluntary help as possible.
No Directors of OWOS receive any remuneration from Our World Our Say, as enshrined in our Articles of Association.
Privacy Policy
Data protection and personal privacy statement
Our World Our Say is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of its website users, subscribers and other contacts.
We are based in the UK and work to enable all our voices to be heard over world changing issues, to increase our control over our future. We enable people to join together to take action to ensure politicians and the powerful act in the interests of people and our world
Our website
Our website aims to provide accurate information on world changing events and related issues which meets the needs of all its users - we welcome news and information for inclusion on the site. We include links to third party web service providers and are happy for other sites to link to us, providing clear acknowledgement is made.
The site is developed in accordance with users' requests for information. Overviews written by OWOS aim to provide a synthesis of current fact and opinion and are not as such policy statements.
Other information comes from a range of sources and where these are cited, the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of OWOS.
We do not use cookies on our websites and you can access and browse them without disclosing your personal data. Anonymous information is collected, such as the number of visitors to the site in a given period, but it is purely statistical and cannot be used to identify individual users.
Email addresses
We collect email addresses from those who voluntarily sign up for our free newsletters. We do not sell or pass on these addresses to any other organisation, or use them for any other purpose ourselves. Other contact details are not passed on without advance notification and consent.
Other personal data
We collect contact details for project partners, donors/supporters, key practitioners and researchers so that we can finance and carry out our work. Professional contact details provided on this site are either taken from public sources or given to us knowingly and used with permission.
We will not include personal email or postal addresses, or telephone or fax numbers in any of our publications, unless we have specific authority to do so.
We use up to date industry procedures to keep personal data as safe and secure as possible and to protect against loss, unauthorised disclosure or access.
Our privacy policy is compliant with the UK Data Protection Act 1998, and we are entered in the Data Protection Register. Visit www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
If you have an enquiry or concern about our privacy policy, please call rob whitehead on 01273 357694 or email rob@ourworldoursay.org
Is Our World Our Say Affiliated to Any Other Organisations?
Our World Our Say is not affiliated to any organisation. As such we do not have a particular political axe to grind. We believe this to be a strength.
What is the Legal Status of Our World Our Say?
Because we are a campaigning organisation Our World Our Say is not eligible for charitable status. Our World Our Say is registered as a company limited by guarantee. Registration no. 04660630. Our World Our Say is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998.
