Taking the Strain of Change: U.K. Local Voluntary Agencies Enter the Post-Thatcher Period

Abstract

This article draws together the findings from a program of research undertaken in the United Kingdom during the decade 1980-1990 ("the Thatcher period"). Using an analytic framework that distinguishes among the activities of agencies, their implicit welfare policies, organizational structures, governance systems, and human and financial resources, this article explores changes in the work of local voluntary and nonprofit agencies. Major changes in each of these dimensions are identified, and the relationships among them are discussed. The broad objective of the article is to increase understanding of the underlying structures of volun tary agencies.

Reshaping Employment Relations in the UK Voluntary Sector: an Exploratory Study into the Impact of Best Value

“…Specifically, in comparison to other countries, it experienced a faster rate of employment growth; a more dramatic shift in its resource base towards reliance on public sector funding (Kendall, 2003); and moved towards delivering mainstream social services that previously were provided by statutory bodies (Billis & Harris, 1992Harris, 2001). In addition, the accompanying advent of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) meant it was no longer sufficient for voluntary organisations to invoke the virtues of voluntarism and charity to receive government funding.…”

Human Services and the Voluntary Sector: Towards a Theory of Comparative Advantage

“…Quandaries Our line of reasoning leads to one central quandary facing UK voluntary agencies, the question of their expanded role in welfare provision (Lewis, 1993;Billis and Harris, 1992). Again it is not a new problem, but we suggest that by taking ideas of comparative advantage into account, a coherent case can be developed.…”

Participatory Governance through Youth Volunteerism in Public Sector of Pakistan

“…ISSN 2161-7104 2016 Instead of competing with the volunteer social organizations, the governments often get involved with them and support them financially or otherwise for expansion and improvement in their operations. Different Governments have acknowledged the importance of volunteering for example Thatcher"s ideals of "activate citizens" and rolling back the frontiers of the state in the United Kingdom (Billis & Harris, 1992) and announcement of President George W. Bush (on January 29th, 2001) for the creation of white house office for religious-based and community groups ("Bush on the creation of a White House Office," 2001). The year 2001 was declared the International Year of the Volunteer by the UN to encourage more governments to focus on volunteering activities (Butcher, 2011).…”