The Voluntary Sector. Discuss and evaluate the potential effects of the emphasis towards a contract culture on the voluntary sector in Britain

Voluntary Organisations have a board of trustees or management committee. Every charity has to have one of these in order to arrange and stabilise the organisations effectively. Management committees are good safeguards. We are all accountable to someone, and within a management committee, it is a chance to air your views and off-loaded any opinions you may have.

For instance; if you were working for the charity MIND, which is a befriending scheme for individuals who have suffered a mental health problem or encountering emotional difficulties; the board of committees are there in order to relieve any concerns you may have about your client, to suggest new ideas for the organisation in fundraising, or raising awareness.

A statutory agency is an organisation in which the law has implemented it has to be there. So therefore is an agency largely run by the government. Agency's such as the hospitals or prisons for example.

In order for any organisations to be run successfully, it needs funding. A local Youth group will ask a small supplement for entrance. This is in order to pay for perhaps soft beverages, snacks or the rent of the property. As an example, the Guiding and Scout Movement have their weekly fees in order to supply the youths with a hall to meet in each week, badges for their achievements, accessories for their weekly activities and also the insurance for each child attending. The standard rate may not cover the cost, so the organisation will fundraise with events such as jumble sales or sponsored events. Without the funding, the organisation will simply not be able to carry on.

However larger organisations are becoming increasingly funded by contracts. A contract is where a statutory agency will fund a voluntary organisation for perhaps six months or more. The NHS (National Health Service) is a statutory agency. They help fund organisations such as Cancer research. As a result of the NHS and the Community Care Act which came into effect in 1990, voluntary organisations are becoming increasingly involved in contracts to help the development of their services. Due to these contracts, many have seen existing statutory funding being formalised, and the rules and specifications becoming tighter with increased accountability.

Charities and voluntary organisations have traditionally been at the forefront of social change in Britain. They have done so by conducting carefully orchestrated campaigns to change the views of politicians and other important decision makers.

In the past there have been two models of campaigning. Firstly the inside track, whereby charities have tried to use their influence, reputation and contacts to convince the civil servants and politicians of their cause. The second approach has been more adversarial or confrontational: using the media to expose the issues in public, thereby pressurising politicians by using the weight of the public opinion. If a charities voice is going to be heard it needs to develop far reaching alliances and secure the endorsement of other public interest groups. Campaigners have always needed to illustrate public support for their cause. Today they need to go further. They must show that there is deep rooted and widespread concern for their issues. Grassroots support and local support networks are therefore crucial. (Adam Woolf.2001, The Guardian.)