Voluntary Sector in Transition: Hard Times or New Opportunities?

by Linda Milbourne

Overview

Voluntary and community organisations have moved to the centre of political debates, as the new UK government reduces the scope of the state and locates solutions in civil society. This new book explores the extensive growth and reshaping of the voluntary sector following sweeping changes to social and welfare policy over 30 years. It draws on contemporary social and organisational theory and debates to consider whether surviving in the voluntary sector now depends on realigning activities and compromising independent goals and values.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847427236
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	07/01/2013
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Linda Milbourne is a senior lecturer and course director for voluntary, community and youth studies in the School of Social Sciences at Birkbeck, University of London. She has undertaken research and teaching in higher education since 1998, focusing on hard-to-reach groups and social policy initiatives related to community-based work. Linda has over 20 years' experience of public and voluntary sector organisations, including as a public sector education manager, voluntary sector trustee and active campaigner.

Table of Contents

The voluntary sector: contested or strategic ground?; The changing face of welfare and roles of voluntary organisations; Researching the voluntary sector ; Dilemmas of market ideology: the impact of growing competition in two urban areas; Performance and shifting accountabilities: from trust-based to regulated inter-organisational relationships; Collaboration in community-based projects: solutions or new organisational challenges?; Community heroes, survivors or casualties? Exploring risk and resilience in the voluntary sector; Advocacy and democratic participation in a changing environment: room for challenge?; Values and visions for a future voluntary sector?.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"An interesting overview of changes faced by voluntary sector employees in the nature of their work." Work, Employment and Society

"This book brings together the most important challenges facing the voluntary sector today in a highly readable style. It is grounded in research, theoretically informed, and illustrates each theme with quotes from practitioners. It is a treasure trove of ideas that will become an indispensable source for policy makers, practitioners and researchers." Dr Mike Aiken, Co-operatives Research Unit, Open University

Editorial Reviews

"This book brings together the most important challenges facing the voluntary sector today in a highly readable style. It is grounded in research, theoretically informed, and illustrates each theme with quotes from practitioners. It is a treasure trove of ideas which will become an indispensible source for policy makers, practitioners and researchers."

Mike Aiken

This book examines the changing nature of the voluntary sector under the previous New Labour and Coalition Governments. After setting out some historical context of the role of voluntary sector organizations in delivering welfare, the book draws upon a wide range of case studies to discuss the impact of ideological changes, accountability and the drift towards community in order to explore the changing nature of the voluntary sector in welfare delivery.

Work, Employment and Society - Lee Gregory