The key points I would like to add are as follows.
1. Please be specific when talking about voluntary activity. Ie, those
who follow traditional business practices, those who have poltical
aspiration (small p), those who dont want to be involved with any kind of
govt, spending.
2. Would some of other 700 mailbase users please make some contributions.
3. Can anyone offer some defintions that clarify community groups, social
movements and voluntary org's and distinctions between them. (a la Castells
and Touraine). Personally i like Touraines (2000) view of the individual
"subject" which opposes power on two fronts, The power of economy,
instrumental rationality etc and the power of identity, community. If a
volunteer views the govt, private business and the local community as
something worthy of resistance, then the project or volunatary activity that
can develop is valubale even if it is ineffective and/or inefficient.
4. My own expereince of voluntary activity tells me that many small
scale voluntary orgs and/or social movements recognise Governement subsidy
as restrictive and choose to operate purely in free markets to secure
project funding by selling services. This means the idea of all volunary
org's being dependant on charitable donations (from direct govt, or through
individuals) is a myth. The org's who take up all the cash are large org's
and small local groups who follow every piece of advice they are given by
their local govt, regeneration officer.
5. Most of the examples used in this debate have been around health
issues. What about education and voluntary orgs who resist joined-up policy.
Following on from the health examples I would suggest many voluntary
education providers are ineffective. They dont all want to be effective,
grow into large org's and be accountable. Some oppose the govt. version of
education which they see as fundamentally flawed and biased towards the
employment agenda.
6. This debate has implication for all welfare services, lets hear from
some of the more marginal social policy interests.
7. Most voluntary org's shouldn't receive financial support from govt. I
think the idea of volunteering should have more credibility, but I share the
concerns that the current VS arrangement doesnt help existing govt.
services. So, the govt, has got it right to promote volunteering, but that
should not mean financial support.
Why does Tim interpet these debates as dichotomous?
Andy Brader
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