An article offered a critique of the recent commentary regarding the involvement of penal voluntary organizations in criminal justice, suggesting an alternative model that extended beyond that of neoliberalism and marketization.
Source: Philippa Tomczak, 'The penal voluntary sector in England and Wales: beyond neoliberalism?', Criminology and Criminal Justice, Volume 14 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Sep
A report provided findings from a survey of the voluntary and community sector (VCS) in England about how it was engaging with health and well-being boards (HWBs). It said that some good practice was emerging, although reports suggested that the VCS was being under-utilized by local partners in health and care. The report made recommendations to improve links between the VCS and the activity of HWBs.
Source: Supporting Influence on Health and Wellbeing Boards: Report from survey Spring 2014, Regional Voices
Links: Report | Summary | Regional Voices press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A think-tank report said that much had been done to enable the potential of the social sector in Britain (defined as organizations such as registered charities, community interest companies, social enterprises, voluntary organizations, community organizations, or informal groups, that existed to tackle social breakdown and create a better society). However, it said more work was needed to achieve a range of broad aims, such as to increase their role in public service provision, to remove barriers for smaller organizations, to rebalance the geographical distribution of charities and resources across the country, and to enable public and business contributions across the sector. More specific recommendations included: for a new Social Innovation Fund to use dormant insurance and pension funds (estimated to amount to £400 million) to pay for new third sector ideas and to fund anti-poverty charities; for the sector to be mapped to highlight any 'cold spots' with little or no social sector activity, which were often located in the most disadvantaged areas; and for greater use of payroll giving.
Source: Social Solutions: Enabling grass-roots charities to tackle poverty, Centre for Social Justice
Links: Report | Summary | CSJ press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A report called for person centred care to become the central ambition for health reform in England, to improve the quality of life, health, and well-being of people, and the sustainability of care systems. It also discussed the potential contribution of the voluntary and community sector. Recommendations included: for a greater focus on preventive public health measures; to make people the centre of reform, with 'what matters to people' forming one of the key organizing principles for services; for better support and shared decision making for people with chronic conditions and disabilities; for recognition of the role of carers, volunteers, engaged citizens, and the voluntary and community sector, with better support and investment; for better funding for health and social care; and for an end to top-down reorganizations of services.
Source: Person Centred Care 2020: Calls and contributions from health and social care charities, National Voices
Links: Report | National Voices press release
Date: 2014-Sep
A report examined challenges facing the Work Programme, particularly in working with those participants who were the hardest to help. The report discussed shortcomings in the design of the existing scheme and suggested new models for future schemes that would better use the expertise of voluntary organizations.
Source: Ramzi Suleiman, Stepping Stones: The role of the voluntary sector in future welfare to work schemes, National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Links: Report | NCVO press release
Date: 2014-Aug
A paper said that using evidence from the voluntary and community sector enhanced joint strategic needs assessments and helped to create commissioning decisions that better met the needs of local populations. It said that voluntary and community sector organizations held unique evidence about local community assets and needs, which could be combined with data from statutory bodies to offer a richer, more accurate picture of communities.
Source: Comparing Apples With Oranges? How to make better use of evidence from the voluntary and community sector to improve health outcomes, NHS Confederation
Links: Paper | NHS Confederation press release
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined the third sector's role and involvement in the Work Programme, and government-funded quasi-markets more generally.
Source: Christopher Damm, 'A mid-term review of third sector involvement in the Work Programme', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 5 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined the work of the English Commission on the Voluntary Sector and Ageing, a voluntary sector-led initiative aimed at making proposals for voluntary sector organizations on how to approach the ageing population.
Source: Gemma Carney, 'Commission on the Voluntary Sector and Ageing: a policy review', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 5 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
An article examined conflicting perceptions of the purpose of credit unions, and discussed the consequences for using voluntary mutualism as a means to address social inclusion.
Source: Stephen Sinclair, 'Credit union modernisation and the limits of voluntarism', Policy & Politics, Volume 42 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
An article said that wherever non-profit organizations fulfilled significant publicly funded service delivery roles, they should have an internal democratic structure conducive to ensuring that services were legitimate, accountable, and of a high effectiveness and quality. Successive governments had adopted strategies that had led to increasing levels of isomorphism with hierarchical, bureaucratic, and private sector governance structures becoming the organizational archetypal norm within the sector, intensifying and strengthening the significant barriers to democratic governance that already existed.
Source: Stephen Elstub and Lynne Poole, 'Democratising the non-profit sector: reconfiguring the state-non-profit sector relationship in the UK', Policy & Politics, Volume 42 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Aug
A report examined the operation of the Work Programme and made recommendations regarding the role of the voluntary sector in future welfare-to-work schemes. Recommendations included: the involvement of service users and voluntary organizations in the design of future schemes; a role for local and specialist providers; changes to payment models (since payment by results did not fit well with the financial situation of many voluntary organizations, owing to the need to meet up-front costs); better assessment of individuals' needs; and making better use of volunteering as a step towards employment.
Source: Ramzi Suleiman, Stepping Stones: The role of the voluntary sector in future welfare to work schemes, National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Links: Report | NCVO press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2014-Jul
An article examined how the Big Society agenda, alongside public spending cuts, was affecting the independence and ability of women's organizations to engage in progressive policy shaping, taking the domestic violence sector as a case study. It drew parallels between the processes within England and outcomes elsewhere in the world where civil society had been brought into service delivery, with the result that organizations' independence and ability to engage in progressive policy making had been weakened.
Source: Armine Ishkanian, 'Neoliberalism and violence: the Big Society and the changing politics of domestic violence in England', Critical Social Policy, Volume 34 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jul
A think-tank report examined the role of the private and third sector in transforming health and care services. It said that the National Health Service was suffering crises of affordability and quality, and that change was impeded by a 'false loyalty' to traditional models and organizations. The report discussed the possibilities for change, but concluded that this would be subject to ongoing conflict and resistance.
Source: Paul Corrigan and Mike Parish, Going with Change: Allowing new models of healthcare to be provided for NHS patients, Reform
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper examined the impact of neoliberal ideology in the transformation of public services and the welfare state, and the consequences for the voluntary sector.
Source: Dexter Whitfield, The Ideological Context, Working Paper 4, Independent Action
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jun
A report examined how welfare reforms introduced in 2012 were affecting service demand and delivery of third sector social care and support services in Scotland, including the impact on staff roles, welfare and well-being, and the impact on staff training needs.
Source: Gregory White, The Impact of Welfare Reform on Third Sector Care and Support Services in Scotland, Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services/Coalition of Care and Support Providers
Links: Report
Date: 2014-Jun
A paper examined the activities of, and role played by, small volunteer-based community groups (as compared with medium to large voluntary sector groups, with predominantly paid staff), in the context of recent welfare and public services reforms and the underlying political ideology. The paper considered the impact of the changed contracting regime, and the relative implications for groups of different scale and nature, as well as the future support that smaller organizations might need.
Source: Mike Aiken, 'Ordinary Glory' (Big Surprise not Big Society): The changing shape of voluntary services – how this affects volunteer based community groups, Working Paper 2, Independent Action
Links: Paper
Date: 2014-Jun
An article examined the role of voluntary organizations in care co-ordination for older people in England. It highlighted the need for partnership working between service commissioners and voluntary organizations, and for funding and support to enable voluntary organizations to develop appropriate infrastructures.
Source: Chengqiu Xie, Jane Hughes, Helen Chester, Caroline Sutcliffe, and David Challis, 'Exploring the role of independent organisations in care coordination for older people in England', Journal of Social Work, Volume 14 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jun
An article examined the existing debate around the legitimacy of charity campaigning in the United Kingdom. It considered the proposals set out in the Lobbying Bill and changes to judicial review, and said there were shifts that made the overall context of campaigning more challenging.
Source: Brian Lamb, 'Is charity campaigning under threat from the coalition government?', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 5 Number 1
Date: 2014-Apr
A report examined the risks and opportunities facing the voluntary sector as a result of the United Kingdom's ageing population. It argued that the changing demographics represented an opportunity for the sector, including in expanding the pool of volunteers, but said that organizations needed urgently to adapt to the changes in order to thrive in the future. The report raised a range of discussion points for the sector, and invited feedback.
Source: Commission on the Voluntary Sector & Ageing, Age of Opportunity: Putting the ageing society of tomorrow on the agenda of the voluntary sector today, New Philanthropy Capital
Links: Report | Summary | Key figures and trends | NPC press release
Date: 2014-Apr
An article examined key developments in third sector infrastructure building. It focused on market-making in support services, through a discussion of the Big Lottery Fund's 'building capabilities' framework and the promotion of 'demand-led' capacity building.
Source: Rob Macmillan, 'Demand-led capacity building, the Big Lottery Fund and market-making in third sector support services', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 4 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Mar
Three research briefings examined outcomes from research on charities' and voluntary organizations' attitudes and experiences of local health organizations in England. The briefings drew on a survey conducted by NAVCA and discussed the extent to which respondents felt able to influence joint strategic needs assessments, the nature of their relationships with local clinical commissioning groups, and local Healthwatch.
Source 1: Local Need and the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
Links: Briefing | NAVCA press release
Source 2: Working with Clinical Commissioning Groups, National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
Links: Briefing | NAVCA press release
Source 3: Healthwatch and Voluntary and Community Organisations, National Association for Voluntary and Community Action
Links: Briefing | NAVCA press release
Date: 2014-Mar
An article examined public attitudes towards the coalition government's 'Big Society' agenda, and whether the government's approach to rolling back state provision had prompted an increased public appetite for involvement in the delivery of services.
Source: Andrew Defty, 'Can you tell what it is yet? Public attitudes towards "the Big Society"', Social Policy and Society, Volume 13 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2014-Jan