1. A Favour
In 2003 Max’s grandmother Ruth Wenban Smith asked a favour. After years of service to the UNA UK, (the traditional supporter’s club of the UN in the UK), granny Ruth was too elderly to attend the annual conference and asked if he’d go in her place.

2. Deckchairs
After 3 days Max left the conference in Lancashire both fascinated and frustrated in equal parts. The resulting report for Max’s grandmother, titled ‘Rearranging Deckchairs on the Titanic’ upset Ruth because while agreeing that the key to a more effective UN was from the greater participation of civil society, it suggested that the methods of the UNA network were not capable of enabling a critical mass of support.

3. Cell Phones v Cream Tea
To paraphrase Albert Camus, what distinguishes a revolution from a rebellion is that the former includes a proposed alternative to the current situation and that’s what makes it so much more respectable than the latter.

Max’s report suggested ways of developing a better relationship between the UN and the wider public, moving away from garden party fundraising towards new ideas including a proposal to allow people to pay 1p/minute extra on mobile phone tariffs towards the UN. This proposal to harness technology in addressing the UN’s needs was the conception of the Influx Project.

4. Reflection & Development
The initial suggestions put to the UNA UK were felt to be too radical and rejected. Less than graciously, Max suggested exactly what they could do with their cream teas and headed off to China to brood and pursue other ideas. It was a period of resentment and disillusion but also time for essential reflection and development of the Influx work.

5. The Pilot
After a year in China, Max decided to continue addressing the problem of how to unite the UN and the wider public. In order to build a better grasp of the relevant issues he built a ‘what if’ website under the ‘UN Influx’ banner and moved away from the mobile phone solution to the pledge system we have today. Attending conferences from New York to Geneva, this period of intense investigation lead to graduation from the UN University in Tokyo and visiting the UN Mission in Kosovo.

6. Another Reflection
The exploration of the Influx work reached another break at the end of 2006 when Max had failed to secure the funds to continue. This lead to a second, crucial period of reflection and yet undeterred he found the finance to return again, however with a few changes. It became clear that in order to stand a chance of creating the full potential of the Influx work Max needed to adopt two new rules, and an entirely new attitude.

7. Today
Working from an office rather than home and with others rather than mostly alone has created the professional basis for the Influx Project today. Exchanging the naïve, well-meaning arrogance for a balanced, mindful and steady approach is also serving us well.

That greater public involvement would help the UN achieve its aims is clear. Whether enough people are ready to accept this is not but we believe that its inevitable and that the Influx Project provides the best opportunity to get there sooner rather then later.