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This article explores the organizational innovation of third sector sport organizations (TSSOs) that deliver or facilitate the delivery of sport and physical recreation for disabled participants during the first five months of COVID-19 suppression measures in England. Drawn from qualitative data with key personnel, findings first demonstrate the strategic, financial, user, and human resource dimensions of constraint placed upon the TSSOs. The blend of online/digital and physical innovations adopted by the TSSOs, and how they have contributed to the implementation of novel administrative processes, and technical services and products by the organizations to continue to engage with their target audiences during this time are then documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article suggests why a different approach may be required for commissioning services from third sector providers than from, say, corporate or public providers. English systems for commissioning third sector providers contain both commodified elements (for example formal procurement, provider competition, commissioner–provider separation) and collaborative, relational elements (for example long-term collaboration, reliance on inter-organizational networks). When the two elements conflicted, commissioners and third sector organizations tended to try to work around the commodified elements in order to preserve and develop the collaborative aspects, which suggests that, in practice, they find de-commodified, collaborative methods better adapted to the commissioning of third sector organizations. When publicly-funded services are outsourced, governments still use multiple governance structures to retain some control over the services provided. Using realist methods the authors systematically compared this aspect of community health activities provided by third sector organizations in six English localities during 2020–2022. Two modes of commissioning coexisted. Commodified commissioning largely embodied Washington consensus models of formal, competitive procurement. A contrasting, collaborative mode of commissioning relied more upon relational, long-term co-operation and networking among organizations. When the two modes conflicted, commissioners often favoured the collaborative mode and sought to adjust their commissioning to make it less commodified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I explore how different conceptions of public value influence the types of co-production that professionals undertake in delivering projects to reduce loneliness and isolation of older people. The analysis shows a preponderance of individual and group co-production by the case in England, driven by aims to create user and group value, whereas the French case emphasizes collective co-production linked to social and political value. The research contributes to the co-production literature by showing how types of co-production are prioritized to a different extent to address the same social problem, shaped in part by cultural and political context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Voluntary support organisations increasingly rely on non-state funding. • Offers a rich account of how managers navigate a difficult funding landscape. • Documents how managing care and support organisations is precarious. • Concludes that relationships with local authorities are crucial for sustainability. This paper examines voluntary sector care and support provision under a context of significantly reduced government funding. Whilst geographers have analysed the causes and aftermath of austerity on different populations, our focus is on how managers of voluntary sector organisations have had to learn and evolve through bidding for non -statutory funding to sustain their core provision. Drawing on research with voluntary support organisations in the learning disability social care sector in England and Scotland, the paper examines the effects of the state's continued reliance on the sector for core 'public' services whilst simultaneously withdrawing its funding. Using accounts from managers, the paper offers a particularly novel and potent example of voluntary sector precarity and the deepening unfinished and unsettled nature of care and support that has unfolded in the wake of austerity. Through the empirical research, attention is drawn to three levels of precarity that are experienced by those seeking to sustain voluntary support provision: voluntary sector organisation and structures, the voluntary sector workforce, and individual managers' everyday emotional and affective experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article engages with the shift towards an emphasis on 'resilience' in local government discourses. Using the London Borough of Newham as a case study, it will argue that contradictory definitions of the term have, until recently, been used to justify the erosion of the third sector in the borough, specifically groups who support religious and linguistic minorities. Interviews and documentary analysis are used to consider how the concept of resilience had a racializing effect in this borough, and we argue that as a facet of policy resilience risks treating plurality as a threat rather than a strength. This is highlighted through an examination of how the third sector was characterised as retarding individuals' resilience and promoting 'ethno-centrism' in official resilience discourse. We offer three distinctive insights on the problem of resilience as a feature of policy, firstly, that resilience has a symbolic power that makes it difficult to securitize; secondly, resilience discourses risk instituting racism within policy; and thirdly, that resilience is built against collective forms of resistance and is therefore incapable of harnessing the resources and capacities of local populations. To conclude, we discuss the evolving political situation in the borough and the demise of the administration promoting resilience, through collective forms of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prevalence of self-harm In England is rising, however contact with statutory services remains relatively low. There is growing recognition of the potential role voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) organisations have in the provision of self-harm support. We aimed to explore individuals' experiences of using these services and the barriers and facilitators to accessing support., Methods: Qualitative, online interviews with 23 adults (18+) who have accessed support from VCSE organisations for self-harm in the Yorkshire and the Humber region were undertaken. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo software., Results: Participants described how a lack of service flexibility and the perception that their individual needs were not being heard often made them less likely to engage with both statutory and VCSE organisations. The complexity of care pathways made it difficult for them to access appropriate support when required, as did a lack of awareness of the types of support available. Participants described how engagement was improved by services that fostered a sense of community. The delivery of peer support played a key role in creating this sense of belonging. Education and workplace settings were also viewed as key sources of support for individuals, with a lack of mental health literacy acting as a barrier to access in these environments., Conclusions: VCSE organisations can play a crucial role in the provision of support for self-harm, however, pathways into these services remain complex and links between statutory and non-statutory services need to be strengthened. The provision of peer support is viewed as a crucial component of effective support in VCSE organisations. Further supervision and training should be offered to those providing peer support to ensure that their own mental health is protected., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives To explore the contribution of social enterprises to publicly commissioned public health improvement and assess the risks and benefits of their role. Study design Qualitative case study of four south London boroughs. Methods Documentary research; in-depth interviews with 19 key informants. Results This study identified 24 social enterprises that were currently commissioned to contribute to public health improvement. These organisations ranged in size, longevity, and structure. They were widely reported as flexible and able to rapidly develop services responsive to local community needs. Their work often addressed upstream health determinants. However, to capitalise on securing contracts, they had to bureaucratise and establish provider alliances, which risked losing the very characteristics that make them unique. Social enterprises bore the financial risk of innovative service developments. Emerging mixed economies of public health were fragmented, limiting commissioners' abilities to plan strategically and evaluate the impact. Conclusions Social enterprises have an increasing role in providing potential solutions to intractable health improvement challenges, contributing to a broader vision around upstream action for health. However, the fragmentation and growing outsourcing of public health has risks for coherent and equitable service planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solutions to support older people to live independently and reduce the cost of an ageing population are high on the political agenda of most developed countries. Help-at-home schemes offer a mix of community support with the aim to address a range of well-being needs. However, not much is currently known about the costs, outcomes and economic consequences of such schemes. Understanding their impact on individuals' well-being and the economic consequences for local and central government can contribute to decisions about sustainable long-term care financing. This article presents results from a mixed-methods study of a voluntary sector-provided help-at-home scheme in England for people of 55 years and older. The study followed a participatory approach, which involved staff and volunteers. Data were collected during 2012 and 2013. Social care-related quality of life was measured with the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit for 24 service users (59% response rate) when they started using the scheme and 4-6 months later. A customised questionnaire that captured resource use and well-being information was sent to 1064 service users (63% response rate). The same tool was used in assessment with service users who started using the scheme between November 2012 and April 2013 (100% response rate). Costs of the scheme were established from local budget and activity data. The scheme was likely to achieve a mean net benefit of £1568 per person from a local government and National Health Service (NHS) perspective and £3766 from the perspective of the individual. An expenditure of £2851 per person accrued to central government for the additional redistribution of benefit payments to older people. This article highlights the potential contribution of voluntary sector-run help-at-home schemes to an affordable welfare system for ageing societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of the Health and Social Care Act, 2012 on London’s rough sleepers as seen from the perspective of one former homeless service user (currently working as a support worker in a day centre providing outreach and “drop in” facilities for people who are street homeless and other vulnerable adults including female sex workers). The discussion centres on some of the unintended impacts of changes to healthcare commissioning; the new arrangements for patient, public representation; and the enhanced role of local councils.Design/methodology/approach This paper is grounded in front line practitioner reflection/opinion and draws on practical experience and observation at Spires, as well as research and government papers published by other service providers. The aspirations of the Health and Social Care Act, 2012 are set out before its practical application are examined from the rough sleeper’s dimension.Findings Putting clinicians and GPs centre stage in the commissioning and purchasing of healthcare may have some benefits for individual patient choice, but it can also dilute patient public involvement in health and social care with negative effects for vulnerable and excluded groups, including rough sleepers. The terms of reference ascribed to Local Healthwatch Organisations, the official representatives of the people, are narrower than previously and limit their ability to influence official policy. The Act centralises control whilst devolving operational responsibility, especially for public health provision on which rough sleepers often rely. It is suggested that local voluntary organisations and specialist “inclusion” health groups are increasingly being expected to take over responsibility for delivering health and social care and that mainstream collaboration is much reduced rather than enhanced by this fragmentation.Research limitations/implications This review is based on the opinion of an “expert by experience” which may not be representative.Originality/value This is one of few papers which present a front line service user/practitioner perspective on the impact of clinical commissioning on services for marginalised groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prominence of voluntary organisations in public life and their high policy profile, there is a need for improved evidence regarding the funding base of individual voluntary organisations. This is relevant to theoretical debates about the role of such organisations in a mixed economy of welfare as well as to substantive questions about the balance between public and voluntary initiative. Using unique data for a sample of 7000 charities in England and Wales, for the first time we describe the distribution of charities according to the composition of their income. Importantly, the results illustrate the diversity of organisations with charitable status. They therefore serve to illustrate the different roles that charities play in a mixed economy. They also provide empirical context for substantive discussions relating to the identity of the charitable sector, including the notion of its 'hybridity'-the extent to which an individual organisation draws upon a plurality of financial sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third Sector organisations and the State have sought to work together in England since the inception of the Welfare State, yet rarely has there been greater debate about this relationship than at present. Successive governments have sought to redefine the dominant pattern, with the policy focus moving from more ad hoc relationships to an (expressed) commitment to partnership and, more recently, to a push towards relatively passive delivery of state contracts. This paper maps the sector, charts this changing relationship and explores key areas of debate: the role of charitable organisations in the English policy environment, the importance of scale with regards to relations between State and sector; and the impact of commissioning in recent years. We conclude by considering the potential implication of change for the distinctiveness of the Third Sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact on recovery and personal goal attainment of a transition intervention service for return to the community following exit from an alternative to psychiatric inpatient admission -- a residential recovery house. The services seek to facilitate community reintegration, promote recovery and prevent future mental health crisis. The service was funded by the Stone Family Foundation. Design/methodology/approach -- This evaluation employed a within groups design: a single case evaluation follow-up. Analysis of Recovery Star and personal goal achievement data collected at service entry and exit points during routine practice (n=181), at four sites in England. The adults had mental illness diagnoses including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, and anxiety disorder. Findings -- There was a significant increase in overall Recovery Star scores with a large effect size, and significant increases in eight of the ten Recovery Star life domains. There were significant increases in the goal scores linked to "Managing mental health", "Self-care" and "Living skills". Practical implications -- A transitional intervention service provided by the third sector for return to community following mental health crisis may contribute to recovery and personal goal achievement. A randomised control trial of this transition intervention service is recommended. Originality/value -- This is first outcome evaluation of an alternative to psychiatric inpatient admission transition intervention service and findings indicate the potential positive effect of having this service incorporated into the design of alternative to admission provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2010 a Conservative and Liberal Democrat Coalition Government was elected in the United Kingdom, which immediately started to plan a programme of wide-ranging cuts in public spending. However, in the face of severe economic problems the new government retained the outgoing government's emphasis on active ageing. This paper examines capacity-building partnerships between local authorities and third-sector organisations in LinkAge Plus (LAP) pilot areas in England, which were set up to find better ways to meet the needs of older people and empower them to become active citizens. The study on which this paper reports used theory on partnerships and collaboration to interrogate LAP pilot evaluation reports, along with current thinking on capacity building and work designed to improve services and outcomes for older people. The main findings are that capacity building in partnerships stimulated joined up working, which resulted in improved knowledge and skills in providing existing services. At the same time, new services emerged that meant older people were more involved in networking activities and social capital was created through their engagement in policy making, identifying needs, service design and finding solutions to problems. However, there were few instances of ideological activity that challenged established values and ways of working to go beyond traditional health and social care approaches in the delivery of services for older people. The potential impact of ongoing cuts in public spending are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore change within the commissioning of third sector mental health services in England. Design/methodology/approach -- A case study methodology based on survey and interview data of a sample of third sector organisations and commissioners within an English conurbation. Findings -- Normative commissioning models based on sequential cycles were not fully implemented with the main focus being on the procurement and contracting elements. There were examples of commissioning being an enabler of service improvement but overall it seems to have been limited in its ability to bring about whole system change. Barriers included commissioners' capacity and competence, ineffectual systems within their organisations, and fragmentation in commissioning processes between user groups, organisations and sectors. Research limitations/implications -- The case study conurbation may not represent practice in all urban areas of England and there may be particular issues of difference within rural localities. The view of private and public sector providers and those working in Commissioning Support Units were not sought. Practical implications -- To lead whole system change the commissioning function needs to be adequately resourced and skilled with better integration across public sector functions and organisations. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on implementing the full commissioning cycle, including the engagement of relevant stakeholders throughout the process and the practical application of outcomes. Originality/value -- This research adds to the limited body of empirical work regarding commissioning in mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the participation of ‘third-sector’ organisations in public education in England. These organisations act as a cross-sectoral policy network made up of new kinds of policy experts: mediators and brokers with entrepreneurial careers in ideas. They have sought to make education reform thinkable, intelligible and practicable in terms of a computational discourse consisting of code, networks, interactivity and feedback, and related ideas of decentralisation, open methods and personalisation. What characterises this style of thinking is an ‘anti-political’ preoccupation with computer-coded systems and the idea of networks as a model for new political and educational forms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the delivery of preventative services for older people from third sector organisations (TSOs) and the extent to which current commissioning arrangements enables the aspirations of policy to be achieved. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with key-contacts within a sample of TSOs which had been identified by directors of Adult Social Services as delivering one of the top three preventative interventions in their local authority area. Findings – There was evidence of considerable trust between local authorities and TSOs and as a consequence TSOs were given autonomy to develop holistic and integrated models of delivery that supported rather than diverted the TSOs' core missions. Both sectors found it difficult to set target outcomes and connected performance frameworks for preventative services. As a consequence a major element of the commissioning cycle is not being completed and TSOs cannot be confident that they are using their resources as effectively as possible. Research limitations/implications – This study was based in one English region, and would benefit from being extended to other English regions and home nations. Practical implications – Universities, policy makers, commissioners and the third sector need to work together to develop common outcome frameworks for preventative services and to gather consistent data sets that can be more easily synthesised to give a "realistic" understanding of the impact of different interventions and delivery models. Originality value – The paper contributes to the limited evidence bases of commissioning of TSOs and preventative services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the needs of stroke survivors and the impact of a Life After Stroke service on users, and to explore the effectiveness of a service provided by a third sector organisation working closely with other stroke service provision. Design/methodology/approach – Review of management documents and reports, polling views of 128 service users through a nationally recognised survey designed to assess the service impact, and using interviews and focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of the value and impact of the service from a range of professionals involved with delivering stroke care. Survey response rates were similar to that experienced nationally and the age/gender profile of respondents suggested they were representative. Findings – The service was highly regarded by service users as providing personal, practical and emotional support from people who were knowledgeable and accessible in acute hospitals. From the wider perspective, professionals involved in the stroke pathway saw the service as complementing the acute hospital provision and the stroke community nursing team. The organisation providing the support service worked effectively across health and social care boundaries and built on their existing links and trusted relationships. Originality value – This adds to the evidence that the personal impact of stroke is substantial, and on being discharged from acute care many survivors will still have considerable needs. For those responsible for meeting these needs, the particular model of delivering stroke support evaluated here has been found to have considerable merits and resilience in the changing landscape of tighter resources and NHS restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – To evaluate the impact of crisis house admission in terms of mental health recovery and achievement of personal goals for people using the service. Design/methodology/approach – Mental Health Recovery Star (Recovery Star) and Personal Goal Scoring data were collected at entry and exit points in routine practice as part of a bespoke support planning process from 722 adults using one of three Rethink Mental Illness Crisis Houses. The adults had mental illness diagnoses including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, and anxiety disorder. Findings – There were significant increases in all ten Recovery Star domains, for example: managing mental health (up 2.11 points (1-10 scale)), identity and self-esteem (up 1.56 points), trust and hope (up 1.48 points), and self-care (up 1.35 points). The analysis of Personal Goal Scoring data (scored on 1-10 scale) showed significant increases on how close people were to achieving their goals. For all goals listed there was an average increase of 2.5 point from 3 to 5.5, showing that people made progress during their stay in the service. Practical implications – Services provided by the third sector may offer an important contribution to support people's recovery and prevent admission to psychiatric hospital. Originality/value – The findings of the evaluation study support a growing body of evidence regarding the effectiveness of services offering alternatives to admission, and they highlight the value of using recovery-oriented support planning and outcome capture tools in routine practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a type of partnership that is formed to deliver transition support services for young people with learning disabilities. What makes transition partnerships instructive for partnership research is that they are constituted between statutory and non-statutory agencies across a wide range of service sectors. Transition for this population group with its specific needs has often been described as a ‘wicked problem’. The paper suggests that a split between strategic and operational levels of partnership work adversely affects policy implementation and contributes to the inability of stakeholders to bring about improved outcomes for service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The third sector has been promoted by progressive English governments as a provider of health and social care services for people with mental health difficulties. This article aims to consider the assumptions that lie behind these polices and reviews the evidence that third sector organisations can be said to have a "unique" role and approach. The challenges and opportunities of the current market-based reforms for the third sector are discussed. Design/methodology/approach -- The article is based on literature reviews of the third sector's role in mental health care and commissioning of third sector organisations. Findings -- The third sector delivers a range of mental health services in England, in particular those related to accommodation, advice, advocacy and employment. Its activity extends into other roles such as campaigning and development of new approaches to care and support. Evidence of the distinctiveness of the sector as a whole is limited, but there are examples of such organisations providing innovative and userled services. Market-based reforms are seen as posing a threat to smaller organisations in particular but personalised approaches (including allocation of individual budgets), outcome-based payments and a need for large-scale service redesign are seen as offering considerable opportunity for expansion. Practical implications -- For the new market to include a strong third sector will require leadership within organisations, a collaborative approach within the sector, and commissioners that understand and engage positively with the sector in all its diversity. Originality/value -- This article draws together the research literature on the third sector's engagement in mental health and the impact of market-based reforms and in doing so provides original value in the fields of mental health and third sector studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the importance of the community context for voluntarism within shifting discourses of localism in England and Scotland. Mobilising communities through the encouragement and support of voluntarism is an important policy and practice driver in both jurisdictions, but is non-reserved. In this context, we outline the ways localism discourses have been mobilised, drawing on case study research in deprived urban areas of Scotland and England to explore the implications of these for sustaining voluntarism. We argue it is important to recognise that the social, spatial and economic context in which voluntarism takes place is multi-layered: some acts are undertaken through an organisation, others may be part of one-to-one acts of helping, or through semi-formal or informal neighbourhood/community groups. If expectations of further voluntarism are to be realistic and sustainable, discourses of localism must support this at the local level and recognise the diverse range of both visible and less visible acts which take place over time. Otherwise unrealistic, unsustainable and ultimately unachievable models and amounts of voluntary participation may be asked of communities, posing serious challenges for 'localism' discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines changes in curriculum policy in secondary education in England. It is concerned with recent curriculum policy and reform, and the proliferation of non-government actors in curriculum policy creation. It examines the emergence of a loose alliance of third sector organisations and their involvement in a series of alternative ‘curriculum experiments’. The third sector curriculum policy network revolves around a policy vision of decentralisation constituted by public–private partnership, media-friendliness, social enterprise and an ‘open source’ or network-based organisational logic. It assembles a policy ideal of ‘centrifugal schooling’ which links together ideas about ‘networked governance’ with ‘flexible’ learning and ‘entrepreneurial’ curricula. The article traces and discusses some of the inter-organisational relations, materials and discourses of the third sector network of alternative curriculum policy developments, and provides a case study of a prototypical third sector curriculum programme. It examines the organisational relations and practices by which the project was produced and the conditions leading to its failure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Arts and health organisations must increasingly provide measurable evidence of impact to stakeholders, which can pose both logistical and ideological challenges. This article examines the relationship between the ethos of an arts and health organisation and external demands for evaluation. Methods: Research involved an ethnographic engagement where the first author worked closely with the organisation for a year. In addition to informal discussions, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with core staff and practitioners. Transcribed interviews were coded and emerging themes were identified. Results: Staff considered evaluation to be necessary and useful, yet also to be time-consuming and a potential threat to the organisation's ethos. Nevertheless, they were able to negotiate the terms of evaluation to enable them to meet their own needs as well as those of funders and other stakeholders. Conclusions: While not completely resisting outside demands for evaluation, the organisation was seen to intentionally rework demands for evidence into processes it felt it could work with, thus enabling its ethos to be maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The past 30 years have seen England's housing associations (HAs) transformed from marginal players in the wider housing market to a point where, in 2008, they overtook local authorities as majority social housing providers. This paper reviews theoretical perspectives on the evolution of the UK social housing and the rise of HAs since the 1970s, with a particular focus on the ‘modernisation’ thesis advanced by Malpass & Victory (2010). Against this backdrop, we analyse the sector's recent reconfiguration, integrating the impacts of housing stock transfers and HA mergers. Our analysis focuses on the consequences of sector restructuring in terms of organisational homogenisation and, at least as perceived, the growing dominance of giant landlords. Finally, within the context of the Coalition Government's localism rhetoric, we discuss the accountability implications of restructuring activity and the light our analysis sheds on theoretical understandings of social housing change processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to the contested concept of “social enterprise”. A wide variety of organisational types have had the label attributed to them or have tried to claim the label for themselves. Existing academic literature provides a bewildering array of definitions and explanations for the emergence of social enterprise. This conceptual confusion is because social enterprise is a fluid and contested concept constructed by different actors promoting different discourses connected to different organisational forms and drawing upon different academic theories. This article makes sense of these different social enterprise forms, academic explanations and policy and practitioner discourses. Using the example of England, where social enterprise has been heavily promoted and supported as a site for policy intervention, an analysis of how the meanings of social enterprise have evolved and expanded over time is provided. This demonstrates that the language of social enterprise was initially developed as a way of promoting co-operative and mutual models of public and private enterprise. Its meaning expanded as other actors adopted the language to compete for policy attention and resources. Policy makers deliberately kept the definition loose to allow for the inclusion of almost any organisation claiming to be a social enterprise. This allowed them to amalgamate the positive characteristics of the different organisational forms, and so claim to be addressing a wide range of social problems using social enterprise as a policy tool. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Discussion about, and analysis of, the question of definition and the third sector and civil society more generally has developed to a significant degree in recent years. This paper can be located in a new phase of recent research, which seeks to attend to the historical, cultural and politically contingent nature of this domain's boundaries. The process of constituting the sector is discussed as the product of new discourses of decontestation and contention within third sector policy and practice. It takes England as a case study, drawing on evidence and argument assembled by the authors in recent and ongoing research efforts, variously conducted with the support of the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) and the European Commission. The paper proceeds by discussing relevant literature; describing recent patterns of policy institutionalisation; and then tries to draw out more analytically how this process of constitution has been associated not so much with a stable and consistent set of definitions and constructs, but rather with unstable and changing formulations, which reflect the playing out of a dual process of decontestation and contention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There have been approximately 400 third sector organisations set up across the UK since the 1970s with the primary function of collecting used furniture and electrical appliances and re-distributing them for the relief of hardship. In addition to the resulting socio-economic outputs of these organisations, their role in diverting waste from landfill and increasing re-use and recycling rates raises their standing in the current political climate of high emphasis on improving waste management practices. This paper reports on the current size of the furniture and appliance re-use sector, how re-use organisations operate, and the level of re-use and recycling associated with their activities. It was found that significant improvements in the re-use rate of local authority bulky waste collection services may be obtained if a third sector re-use organisation takes over the service; where re-use organisations collect household bulky waste on behalf of the LA, a 40% re-use rate was achieved, compared to the 2–3% average of waste collection departments. In most areas of the UK, these two sectors are not well integrated at present and this results in potentially re-usable items being disposed of to landfill or incinerated. Establishing partnerships between the two sectors has the potential to benefit both but this will probably require system and culture changes. A significant current barrier is that LA waste management departments are hampered by the current (well-intended) quantitative waste management system coming into conflict with the unquantified, positive social value generated by the distribution of previously used bulky household items to disadvantaged groups by re-use organisations. If added to the environmental improvements and high quality of service provided by third sector-run services, the effort involved in setting up such partnerships may be regarded more favourably. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article contributes to the development of ideas about place leadership by focusing on the role played by housing associations within 'place-shaping networks' in neighbourhoods that have faced a long history of regeneration interventions in two cities in the Netherlands and England. It maps key features of place leadership in comparison with the more established paradigm of network governance. It explores the origins and purpose, content and approaches, and some key challenges faced by each of these perspectives. Longitudinal research on neighbourhood regeneration in priority neighbourhoods in Groningen and Birmingham is used to consider seven themes derived from our conceptual mapping. The article draws some conclusions about the value that place leadership and network governance concepts add to understanding neighbourhood regeneration, and reflects on the notion of 'successful places' as the ultimate outcome of place leadership activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As voluntary and community organizations in the UK (VCOs) expand their role in the provision of public services, they are under increasing pressure from governmental funders to improve their management and organizational systems - to “build their capacity.” This paper considers the theoretical and practical challenges posed by the idea of “capacity building.” It also looks at the challenges for VCOs of meeting the capacity building agenda while simultaneously retaining organizational distinctiveness and independence. Action research is proposed as a means to meet the challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The voluntary sector provides a range of specialist services to survivors of sexual violence, many of which have evolved from grass roots organisations responding to unmet local needs. However, the evidence base is poor in terms of what services are provided to which groups of survivors, how voluntary sector specialist (VSS) services are organised and delivered and how they are commissioned. This will be the first national study on the role of the voluntary sector in supporting survivors in England., Methods and Analysis: This study uses an explanatory sequential naturalistic mixed-methods design with two stages. For stage 1, two national surveys of providers' and commissioners' views on designing and delivering VSS services will facilitate detailed mapping of service provision and commissioning in order to create a taxonomy of VSS services. Variations in the national picture will then be explored in stage 2 through four in-depth, qualitative case studies using the critical incident technique to explain the observed variations and understand the key contextual factors which influence service provision. Drawing on theory about the distinctive service contribution of the voluntary sector, survivors will be involved as co-researchers and will play a central role in data collection and interpretation., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been granted by the University of Birmingham research ethics committee for stage 1 of the project. In line with the sequential and co-produced study design, further applications for ethical review will be made in due course. Dissemination activities will include case study and end-of-project workshops; good practice guides; a policy briefing; project report; bitesize findings; webinars; academic articles and conference presentations. The project will generate evidence about what survivors want from and value about services and new understanding about how VSS services should be commissioned and provided to support survivors to thrive in the long term., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)