The challenges and contradictions of state-funded community organizing

Grimshaw, Lucy; Mates, Lewis H.; Reynolds, Andie

doi:10.1093/cdj/bsy040

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 32 publications

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“…Comparatively few developed into sustainable projects; arguably due to the Enterprise discourse's unrealistic expectations of volunteers, and the lack of training, resources and professional support to develop volunteers appropriately (cf. Grimshaw et al, 2018).…”

Section: Interview Transcriptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting ambiguity in community development: lesson from the UK Coalition government (2010–2015)

Reynolds¹

2019

Community Development Journal

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This article scrutinizes the ambiguous nature of community development (CD) in England. It does so by drawing attention to CD’s porous boundaries in relation to its allied community-based practices. Empirical evidence is provided – from national policy-making and the policy and practice in a case study local authority in England – that the Coalition government (2010–2015) exploited the ambiguity of CD by re-shaping its practices as social enterprise, volunteering and community organizing. This was to achieve a ‘new’ permutation of neoliberalism where civil society and its citizens provide local public services instead of ‘relying’ on state intervention and resources. The article concludes that the CD academic and practitioner field both shapes and is shaped by competing discourses of CD ‘fighting’ for hegemonic articulation. Yet, to the detriment of the field, this is rarely acknowledged nor engaged with.

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Section: Interview Transcriptsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting ambiguity in community development: lesson from the UK Coalition government (2010–2015)

Reynolds¹

2019

Community Development Journal

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Training community organizers in the austerity state: lessons from the field

Fisher,

Champagne

2024

Journal of Community Practice

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‘We’re not delivering government’s agenda’: The Community Organisers Programme in England

Fisher

2020

The British Journal of Social Work

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Community organising is expanding globally. One example is the Community Organisers Programme in England, initiated by the Cameron coalition government from 2011 to 2015. This qualitative study of the Community Organisers Programme juxtaposes critical theory regarding neoliberalism and state devolution with the experiences of fifteen subjects interviewed in 2014 and 2015. The three cohorts included (i) five recruited, salaried and trained community organisers, (ii) five administrative staff from key social service organisations and government and (iii) five external professionals including leading full-time community organisers and/or academic activists recognised in the overall field. The case study confirms expected outcomes regarding the existing theory on neoliberalism and state incorporation. Nevertheless, the interviews revealed both more nuance in relation to the existing theory and literature as well as some surprises in the Community Organisers Programme, which are potentially instructive for future community organising within and outside of social work. Two were (i) the relative absence of bureaucratic burden from the government and sense of autonomy felt by the community organisers and staff and (ii) the progressive potential of adding public funding of community organising to diversify and expand the funding mix in response to our extraordinarily challenging contemporary context.

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The challenges and contradictions of state-funded community organizing

Cited by 4 publications

References 32 publications

Exploiting ambiguity in community development: lesson from the UK Coalition government (2010–2015)

Exploiting ambiguity in community development: lesson from the UK Coalition government (2010–2015)

Training community organizers in the austerity state: lessons from the field

‘We’re not delivering government’s agenda’: The Community Organisers Programme in England

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