1:1 calls for people considering pledging

Considering taking a pledge? Chat to another pledger to ask any questions, hear about their experience and hopefully build the confidence to take a pledge!

We’re trialling a new service that matches people who are interested in taking a pledge, with someone who has already pledged for a conversation. You can use this time to ask about specific elements of Giving What We Can's Pledges, discuss a particular concern, or ask questions about what it's like to give away 10% of your income.

The calls are 30 minutes long and organised at a time that suits you. There is never any obligation to pledge after a call but we will send you a follow up survey to help us measure whether this service does help people go on to take a pledge.

Steps to organise a call:

1. Review the people you can request a call with below. You’ll find information about their background, challenges they faced when pledging and their location. (For this trial, all the people are GWWC staff members, but if successful, the service will likely use volunteers in future.)
2. Submit the form to share your preferences of who you’d be interested in speaking to, and some thoughts about what you might discuss.
3. Someone will reach out to you with a booking link, so you can book in a time to talk that suits book people.

After the call, we will send you a survey a couple of weeks later to understand whether the call was helpful to you. Your feedback is essential in helping us decide whether this is an effective program for us to run.

We may end the trial at any time, so request a call while you can!

Request a 1:1 call

Profiles

A bit about James:

James is based in London, UK. He took the 10% Pledge in 2020 after seeing first-hand some of the injustices effective givers often focus on whilst living and working for aid and humanitarian agencies in Somalia, Kenya and Rwanda. He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University with a particular focus on applied ethics. James loves travel, hiking and meeting new people and is excited to talk to anyone about effective giving. He may have particularly relevant thoughts for people who are interested in global health and inequality, young professionals trying to strike the right balance between their earning and giving, or more generally for those wanting to explore the philosophical underpinnings of taking a pledge.

Timezone:

London, UK (suitable for European days, US mornings, or Asia-Pacific afternoon/evenings)

A bit about Grace:

Grace is based in Melbourne, Australia. She first took a trial pledge when working part-time when dealing with chronic health issues as a management consultant, before deciding to take the 10% Pledge. Grace loves talking to anyone about the decision to pledge but might have particularly relevant thoughts for consultants, Australians or people with chronic illnesses.

Timezone:

New York, USA until 7th August (Suitable for Americas, and European afternoons and evenings)

A bit about Lucas:

Lucas is based in Bristol, UK. He took the 10% Pledge at the age of 17 whilst still in high-school, before going to the University of Edinburgh to study philosophy and ethics where he was very involved in the environmental movement. Lucas loves hiking in nature, travelling, and meditation and is excited to talk to anyone about pledging, but might have particularly relevant thoughts for young people, environmentalists, or those interested in philosophy.

Timezone:

Bristol, England (suitable for East Coast US mornings, or Asia-Pacific afternoons/evenings)

Note: Luke is on leave from July 8

A bit about Luke Freeman:

Luke is based in Sydney, Australia. He started giving and fundraising regularly as a child and then ramped up his giving to 10%+ in his early career when he was on a below median wage. He took the 10% Pledge in 2016 and has since donated to a range of causes recommended by Giving What We Can. Luke is eager to discuss philanthropy with anyone but has particular insights for those in startups, parents with young children, and those navigating philosophical or religious differences in their giving discussions with loved ones.

Timezone:

Sydney, Australia (suitable for West Coast US afternoons, East Coast US evenings, or European mornings)

FAQs

Who is this for?

This service is for people who are actively considering taking a pledge with Giving What We Can, and think that a personalised call would be helpful in making a decision.

Why would I do this?

If you've been thinking about taking a pledge and had some questions you couldn't answer in our full list of FAQs, or wanted to chat through your thought process with someone who has done the same thing, this could be a service for you!

Will you just tell me to pledge?

We aim to share some genuine considerations around your situation and pledging, rather than encouraging people to take a pledge no matter what. It's likely that if you're living in a wealthy country and have a consistent income, we will recommend you pledge some amount, whether that's as low as 1%, or up to 10%.

What will we talk about in the call?

That's up to you! We're aiming to help you understand your own thought process on taking a Pledge. Some suggested prompts to think about before coming into the call:

• What don't I know about Pledging that I couldn't find in the FAQs?
• If I didn't pledge in the next 5 years, what would the reason(s) be?
• What impact do I want to have on the world, and can pledging to give help me get there?
• Would I think that a stranger who is in a similar position to me in terms of finances, future plans etc. should take a pledge? Why?