December 2006

DSC’s November e-news survey asked:

‘Are the government and other bodies, by their recent actions, fundamentally altering the ‘voluntary’ spirit of our sector?’

This elicited a strong response from readers: 837 people responded.

72% said ‘Yes’; 11% maybe; 11% don’t know; 6% no. The question attracted over 200 extra comments.

The majority (86%) of ‘yes’ comments were negative, concerns included government cost cutting, erosion of independence, difficulties with recruitment, a disproportionate impact on smaller organisations, and an increase in red tape. They were focused more on government than other bodies such as the Charity Commission.

‘The large majority of the responses to this survey echo concerns that we have raised regularly over the past year or so,’ said Ben Wittenberg, DSC Head of Policy and Research. ‘In particular concerns about the public service delivery debate and the blurring of the lines between state and sector accountabilities. Also there is fear that the government is increasingly restricting the ability of organisations to act independently and effectively in response to the needs of the people they support.’

‘We feel that the government is still not listening; that what it’s referring to when it talks about ‘the voluntary sector’ is actually only the minority of large, national public service delivering organisations and umbrella organisations; those who are (or can be) grouped into a nice, neat and understandable entity.

The sector is huge, diverse and complex to the point that it almost defies description. We accept that the largest charities and umbrella groups need to be consulted and involved in the government’s decision-making processes and that they are easier, as a group, to engage with collectively. That doesn’t mean it’s good enough. What we don’t accept is that happening without better input from, and understanding of, the other 99% of the sector.’