Author Archives: Andy Benson

Interviewing the real ‘big society’

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Photo of Sarah LambSarah Lamb is a trustee of Adur Voluntary Action. She was one of the people who contributed to qualitative research in 2009 on The local state and voluntary action in West Sussex which showed the damage commissioning does. NCIA caught up with her to find out how things have been going over the last 18 … Continue reading

Funeral procession for the death of our public services

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Manchester group The Art Corner are organising a funeral procession for the loss of our public services, to take place on the day of the royal wedding (29th April). They will have five coffins decorated with wreaths spelling out NHS, Education, Immigration, The Arts and Welfare. Participants will dress in black and march solemnly down … Continue reading

Community revolution entrusted to Locality

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Digestive biscuitsThe issue that has, by far and away, put the national gossips in a tizzy has been the award of the £15M community organisers contract to Locality, the pseudo-business quango formed by the merger of Bassac and the Development Trust Association. Expected by all (including Locality) to go to the Citizens Organising Foundation (which at … Continue reading

Cake or death? A comment on the cuts, ‘big society’ and community sector ‘cognitive dissonance’

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Cake or death image‘Big society’ is a bust, local authorities have problems of their own and economic recovery is unlikely any time soon, writes Andrew Climo, CEO of Community Leaders. His advice for people who work in the community sector? Question partnerships with the statutory sector, only do projects with profound community benefits, lobby for what your community … Continue reading

Cats among pigeons at CSC

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A few hackles seem to have been raised following an open meeting on 7 December 2010 to discuss the Big Society Show, convened by the Community Sector Coalition (CSC).

People at the meeting had the temerity to be openly critical of the government’s motives and intentions, and even discussed the need to resist them! About … Continue reading

Delayed compact is definitely useless

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The latest version of the compact – the bit of paper that reckons to set out a more equal relationship between voluntary organisations and the government – has now been put off indefinitely.

We’re not too worried as the compact continues to ignore the bulk of small scale voluntary action. Meanwhile the compact industry sucks … Continue reading

Democracy at Work – A True Story

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Little Fish is a social justice organisation that supports vulnerable clients with acute needs while also campaigning on equality issues nationally. Earlier this year, Little Fish made a charity of the year-type arrangement with a commercial organisation, let’s call them Loan Sharks Ltd. Little Fish’s management were pleased to announce the sponsorship of Loan Sharks … Continue reading