Charity Organisation Society facts for kids

The Charity Organisation Societies (COS) were groups formed in the late 1800s to help people in need. They started in England in 1869. These societies wanted to change how help was given to the poor. They believed that simply giving money or supplies without understanding the root causes of poverty could make people too dependent on charity.

The COS was also known as the Associated Charities. Their main goal was to figure out who truly deserved help and who didn't. They thought that if people just received charity without solving their problems, they might never learn to support themselves.

The idea for these societies first came from Elberfeld, Germany. It then spread to places like Buffalo, New York, around 1877. The main belief was that giving direct help might make people too reliant on others. Instead, the COS wanted to break the "cycle of poverty." This meant they tried to teach people important values like hard work and saving money. They also kept detailed records and trained their staff, which helped lead to the development of modern social work. Over time, paid workers slowly replaced volunteers.

How Did Charity Organisation Societies Work?

Charity Organisation Societies were groups that used a "scientific" approach to helping people. They wanted to do more than just give out money or food. Their main aim was to help people become as independent and responsible as possible.

Because of their work, these societies knew a lot about all the different kinds of help available in their communities. This made them a key place for people to go to find out where to get help. For example, the Charity Organization Society in Denver, Colorado, helped coordinate different religious and community groups. They worked on many issues, from helping people with illnesses to caring for and educating young children.

COS and Settlement Houses: What's the Difference?

The Charity Organisation Society was different from another movement called the settlement house movement. While the COS focused on helping individuals with their personal problems, settlement houses were more about changing society itself to help everyone.

Were the Charity Organisation Societies Successful?

The COS claimed that private charity was better than government help because it improved people's character. However, records from one branch in Indianapolis showed that only a small number of people they helped became fully independent. This was true even though the COS only helped those they thought were "worthy" and could improve.

Also, the workers and "friendly visitors" from the COS often wrote about the people they helped in a negative way. They sometimes seemed bossy and interfered too much in people's lives. Because of this, many poor people didn't like the COS, and some even joked that its initials, COS, stood for "Cringe or Starve."

Britain's Charity Organisation Society

In Britain, the Charity Organisation Society was started in London in 1869. Important leaders included Helen Bosanquet and Octavia Hill. They believed strongly in people helping themselves and wanted the government to get involved as little as possible with poverty.

One early member, Alsager Hay Hill, was very active. He worked hard to help people find jobs. His newspaper, 'Labour News', was an early version of today's job centers.

The organization said it used "scientific principles" to find out who really needed help and who was just trying to get free money. Annie Barnes, who joined the group, understood that many people felt ashamed to accept "charity."

The Charity Organisation Society in Britain changed its name to the Family Welfare Association in 1946. Today, it is still helping families as Family Action.

See also

• Scientific Charity Movement