Earlier this week, ITV broadcast a TV adaptation of the superb play ‘My Boy Jack’. It was researched, written by and stars David Haigh as Kipling.
The essence of the story is this: Kipling was a passionate campaigner for volunteering during the early years of the First World War. He persuaded his son to enlist and pulled strings to have him accepted, despite having appalling eyesight. In the mud and rain of the Somme young Jack lasted three weeks before losing his glasses and then his life.
The tragedy of course was that Jack was brainwashed by his father that he had to go to war. Equally his father could not accept the reality that his son was medically not suited to the Front. He was, as the recruiters said, a potential liability.
There’s a lesson here for every budding social entrepreneur. Weak funders often choose weak charities to live out their dreams. They offer much needed funding in return for buying into impossible outcomes. The charity then ventures onto the field of business battle and promptly gets massacred. The funder blames the organisation and seeks another victim.
Social enterprise, particularly for the charity seeking self sufficiency is a great reality check. It’s an opportunity to earn from your chosen marketplace, although perhaps not from those in greatest need. What it does is give you a very strong case to argue the toss with those who might be contracting with you for work in more disadvantaged areas. You have a negotiating standpoint and are far stronger as a result.
If Jack Kipling had been more challenging and stood up to his father; if his mother had put her foot down, or his sister been listened to, Rudyard would have realised that to change the world you don’t need to sacrifice your son. Get the relationship with those who feed your organisation!
Robert Ashton is an author, entrepreneur, social activist and runner. Visit
www.robertashton.co.uk
