Welfare state reform, compacts and restructuring relations between the state and the voluntary sector: reflections on Northern Ireland's experience

Acheson, Nicholas

doi:10.1332/204080510x511238

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…In Northern Ireland, there was a shift away from the focus on public support for community engagement, which in particular had been a central focus of the EU peace process funding intended to build cross‐community collaboration, towards support for organisations to take on public service delivery. This could be seen in the changes between the DSD policy papers Pathways for Change (DSD 2003) and Positive Steps (DSD 2005), discussed by Acheson (2010). In Wales, the Strategic Action Plan for the sector (Welsh Assembly Government 2008) talked about the role of sector agencies in designing and improving access to public services; but the third sector Invest to Serve fund introduced the following year was specifically aimed at helping third sector organizations to develop service provision and compete to win public contracts.…”

Section: Policy Change: Convergence or Divergence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Wales, a Communities First programme has been in place throughout the last decade. In Northern Ireland, the role of voluntary action in promoting community collaboration and cohesion had been a critical aspect of support for the peace process from the UK government and the EU (Birrell and Williamson 2001); although, as Acheson (2010) argued, it has been challenged more recently by the increased focus on public service delivery.…”

Section: Policy Change: Convergence or Divergence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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New Policy Spaces: The Impact of Devolution on Third Sector Policy in the UK

Alcock¹

2012

Soc Policy Adm

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The development of third sector policy in the UK since 1997 has seen changes which have been of significance both for analysts and practitioners. This period has seen government engagement with and support for the sector extend far beyond the levels found throughout much of the last century. This has led to a growth in the size and scale of the sector and a closer involvement of sector representatives in political debate and policy planning. These changes have taken place at the same time as third sector policy has been devolved to the new administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This article explores the impact of devolution on these policy developments and assesses the extent to which political devolution has led to policy divergence across the four countries in the UK. The conclusion is reached that policy devolution has created important new space for policy development for the third sector across the UK, but that the direction of travel in all four regimes has remained remarkably similar.

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Section: Policy Change: Convergence or Divergence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Policy Change: Convergence or Divergence?mentioning

confidence: 99%

New Policy Spaces: The Impact of Devolution on Third Sector Policy in the UK

Alcock¹

2012

Soc Policy Adm

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“…In the New Labour period of direct rule between 2002 and 2007 the balance in government funding shifted decisively towards contracts for outsourced public services. By 2006/ 7 contracts made up 64 per cent of all income from government, up from 7.7 per cent just five years earlier (Acheson, 2010). Current data on the division between grants and contracts is unavailable, but it is reasonable to assume that the proportion of the latter remains at least as high, if not higher.…”

Section: The Sector In 2020mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobilising Voluntary Action in the UK

2022

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“…Results from a recent Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey highlight a percentage increase in the numbers who perceive themselves to be Northern Irish (rather than Irish or British) (NILTS, 2009). On a more positive note, health and social care services are delivered within an integrated service and there is a strong community sector (Acheson, 2010). There are relatively small but growing numbers of ethnic minority communities with other religious beliefs whose needs are often neglected in social work education and service provision.…”

Section: Background To the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

A study of successful applicants’ views of a social work admissions process

Campbell

Das

2012

Journal of Social Work

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• Summary:There are substantial variations in the way that applicants are selected for social work programmes in the UK and across the world. This article begins by reviewing the literature in this field, revealing debates about how effective and reliable are methods of assessment used during admission processes. It then describes a cross-sectional survey of new social work applicants (n = 203) to two programme providers, describing demographic characteristics and their experiences of the admissions process. • Findings:A number of themes emerged from two sets of findings. There were variations in demographic characteristics, particularly in terms of gender and religion. The study was particularly interested in how students viewed the admissions process. Most students were satisfied with admissions processes, and there were some differences in views about the methods used. The article concludes by describing changes to the admissions system that were partly informed by the study. The article acknowledges the expected bias in the methodology, given that successful applicants were surveyed and not those who were not successful. • Applications:The authors discuss the study findings in the context of national and international literature and suggest that more rigorous attention should be paid to such evaluations to enable this important area of education and workforce development to be better understood.

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Welfare state reform, compacts and restructuring relations between the state and the voluntary sector: reflections on Northern Ireland's experience

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

New Policy Spaces: The Impact of Devolution on Third Sector Policy in the UK

New Policy Spaces: The Impact of Devolution on Third Sector Policy in the UK

Mobilising Voluntary Action in the UK

A study of successful applicants’ views of a social work admissions process

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