Originally published in 1985 The Role of Voluntary Organisations in Social Welfare considers the voluntary sector as a provider of social welfare. The book asks the fundamental questions for those involved in social welfare: what should the role of this voluntary sector be, and what should its relationship be with the government sector? Reporting on extensive original research undertaken for the Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust, the study examines the functions, staffing, funding and control of voluntary organisations. It looks at the relationship with the government sector, explores the increasingly important questions of accountability and discusses future prospects.
The last two decades of the twentieth century saw the most fundamental changes in British social policy since the creation of the welfare state in the 1940s. From Margaret Thatcher's radical reassessment of the role of the state to Tony Blair's 'Third Way', the voluntary sector has been at the heart of these changes. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, voluntary organisations have been cast in leading roles on the social policy stage. They are expected to make key contributions to countering social exclusion; to regenerating communities; to providing social housing and welfare services; to promoting international aid and development; and to developing and sustaining democratic participation and the active community. But how are voluntary sector organisations grappling with the implications of their new, expanded role? How is their relationship with the state changing in practice? This book, which has its origins in an international conference of leading academics in the field, provides answers to these pressing questions. It analyses the numerous and complex ways in which the formulation and implementation of social policy is dependent on the contributions of the voluntary sector. It discusses the impact of the new policy environment on voluntary organisations. And it suggests that the successful implementation of social policy requires government to acknowledge and nurture the distinctive features and contributions of voluntary sector organisations. Voluntary Organisations and Social Policy in Britain is essential reading not only for the many people studying, working in or working with the voluntary sector in Britain but also for anyone who is interested in the formulation and implementation of social policy.
The rise of the welfare state threatens the autonomy and survival of nonprofit voluntary agencies as providers of social services. Or does it? In this cross-national, empirical study of the workings of voluntary agencies, Ralph M. Kramer cuts through the conceptual confusion surrounding voluntarism and the boundaries between the public and private sectors. He draws on a survey of voluntary agencies helping disabled people in four welfare democracies (the United States, England, Israel, and the Netherlands) to explain the virtues and flaws of different patterns of government-voluntary relationships in coping with the growing demand for human services. Kramer concludes that many of the most cherished beliefs about the voluntary sector have little basis in fact. The most innovative agencies, for example, are not the smallest, but rather among the largest, most bureaucratized, and most professionalized. Government funding does not necessarily constrain agency autonomy. And giving voluntary agencies the primary responsibility for social services can reduce, not increase, citizen participation. This comparative analysis of the distinctive competence, vulnerability, and potential of the voluntary agency should replace some of the myths that guide public policy and the day-to-day activities of social service agencies. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1981.
Exhorting people to volunteer is part of the everyday vocabulary of American politics. Routinely, members of both major parties call for partnerships between government and nonprofit organizations. These entreaties increase dramatically during times of crisis, and the voluntary efforts of ordinary citizens are now seen as a necessary supplement to government intervention. But despite the ubiquity of the idea of volunteerism in public policy debates, analysis of its role in American governance has been fragmented. Bringing together a diverse set of disciplinary approaches, Politics and Partnerships is a thorough examination of the place of voluntary associations in political history and an astute investigation into contemporary experiments in reshaping that role. The essays here reveal the key role nonprofits have played in the evolution of both the workplace and welfare and illuminate the way that government’s retreat from welfare has radically altered the relationship between nonprofits and corporations.
This book examines the role of voluntary organizations (VOs) in rural development in the south Asian context. While addressing the existing knowledge gap for developmental task sharing with non-government social forces in developing nations; It provides evidence-based knowledge about the structure, functioning, effectiveness, community base, public image, GO-VO equation, strength, challenges, present dynamics, and future trend of the grassroots VOs. The volume also demonstrates the application of an innovative symphony of descriptive and exploratory study design with parametric tools in data collection and analysis. It also specifies the areas for policy intervention, future research and incubation in the sector. The book is indispensable for the students, teachers and researchers in Sociology, Social work, Public Administration, Rural Development, Management studies and related fields. The volume is a hand-guide for funding agencies, planners and executives.
Europe's "Black Death" contributed to the rise of nation states, mercantile economies, and even the Reformation. Will the AIDS epidemic have similar dramatic effects on the social and political landscape of the twenty-first century? This readable volume looks at the impact of AIDS since its emergence and suggests its effects in the next decade, when a million or more Americans will likely die of the disease. The Social Impact of AIDS in the United States addresses some of the most sensitive and controversial issues in the public debate over AIDS. This landmark book explores how AIDS has affected fundamental policies and practices in our major institutions, examining: How America's major religious organizations have dealt with sometimes conflicting values: the imperative of care for the sick versus traditional views of homosexuality and drug use. Hotly debated public health measures, such as HIV antibody testing and screening, tracing of sexual contacts, and quarantine. The potential risk of HIV infection to and from health care workers. How AIDS activists have brought about major change in the way new drugs are brought to the marketplace. The impact of AIDS on community-based organizations, from volunteers caring for individuals to the highly political ACT-UP organization. Coping with HIV infection in prisons. Two case studies shed light on HIV and the family relationship. One reports on some efforts to gain legal recognition for nonmarital relationships, and the other examines foster care programs for newborns with the HIV virus. A case study of New York City details how selected institutions interact to give what may be a picture of AIDS in the future. This clear and comprehensive presentation will be of interest to anyone concerned about AIDS and its impact on the country: health professionals, sociologists, psychologists, advocates for at-risk populations, and interested individuals.
This informative bibliographic study provides the most thorough survey available of the literature on voluntary associations. The authors first sketch major theories on the origin, growth, and functions of voluntary associations and discuss the place of associations in political theory, viewing especially the unproven assumption that voluntary associations are beneficial to a democratic society. They then survey the findings on the role of voluntary associations in the political and social structure (abroad as well as in the United States). The specific organizations themselves are covered and the final chapter views a recent development in the field--volunteers in government service, such as the Peace Corps. The final section of each chapter is an annotated bibliography of works cited in the text or related to its subject; over 600 items are listed.
Voluntary organisations, whatever their size or purpose, need to function successfully in order to fulfil their aims and give staff a sense of purpose. This means that good management, which has clear objectives and sound finances, is essential.
India has a great tradition of voluntary service and social welfare and in spite of rapid changes; the urge to serve fellowrnen is still strong and wide spread. Right through the ages this tradition has been accepted as social obligation on the part of the individual towards his less fortunate humans. Religion emphasized the virtue of 'dan' or alms i.e., free gift that encompassed different forms of social service. Institutions like 'maths' and temples were responsible for the religiously inspired forms of service, and social institution like caste and joint family were concerned with the care of the handicapped, the destitute, the widow and the aged. Religious considerations by and large, motivated acts of charity and service to please God and acquire 'Punya'. They also generated honest desire in a large number of people to help the needy.
This volume draws together a team of expert contributors to explore how the process of outsourcing is impacting the internal and external labour markets of voluntary organisations, and the implications for the policy objectives underlying the externalisation of the delivery of public services to them.
