The Big Society briefing paper

The Big Society An Overview of Key Issues for the Third Sector

Saskia Ritchie Micro Brief Paper for LSE Consultancy Clients

What is Big Society?

Big Society is the vision of David Cameron’s new coalition government. It is a vision of a new UK where communities take more responsibility for the problems they experience and where third sector organisations deliver many of the services that will make a difference in people’s lives.

You may think this is what third sector organisations are already doing, and you would be right, but there are a number of key differences the government plan to implement that are worth being aware of. To stay healthy and functioning, your organisations need to be aware that Big Society plans include:  Plans for 5,000 community organisers to be trained to help people to establish and run neighbourhood groups  We ask: Where do existing local support agencies fit in with this vision?  Will the trained organisers be self-funding or supported financial as an initial capital investment in Big Society?  Plans to fundamentally change the way third sector organisations are funded; at its simplest: less grants more ‘investment’ in the form of loans and finance.  We ask: Will third sector organisations be offered meaningful and effective support to understand the cultural shift required by these changes as well as the practical issues?  A big move to results driven funding e.g. if your organisation supports a disabled person into employment you could potentially be funded retrospectively out of saved benefits revenue  We ask: Where will the underwriting of speculative services come from?  Who will ‘invest’ services to the most vulnerable members of society for whom quality of life is the desired outcome and the return is social and not fiscal?

Mr Cameron’s vision for the future offers some exciting possibilities for third sector service providers but it is sketchy on details and we have found no clear role for local infrastructure support even though this will be fundamental to realising the vision.

There can be no doubt that we are facing a challenging time.

Public sector funding is seeing the largest cuts in history. The impact of the comprehensive spending review is yet to be felt and the very organisations that are well placed to make Big Society a reality are being hit the hardest.

On the other hand, the sector is unsustainable as it stands at the moment. Too few third sector organisations can identify their social impact effectively and we have been drip fed grants for project funding where service delivery would be more appropriate. Social enterprise appears to be the favoured structure for the future. How can you turn this fact into an opportunity?

So what can we do? Big Society is happening and as long as the coalition flourishes, Big Society will be the main agenda. See this as an opportunity to review your own vision and clearly identify how you can be part of it. You could also:

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Write to your MP and ask for specifics, ask how will Big Society affect your organisation?

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Join the debate at www.bigsociety.org

The future is here and we cannot avoid it with ostrich syndrome.

Shake out your ideas, plans and priorities; identify those that align with government priority and those that don’t. Retain your independence and uniqueness and make the most of the opportunities coming your way.

Source Material A Coote and J Franklin (2010) ‘Transforming Welfare’ Soundings 44

Mark Parker (2010) ‘Building the Big Society: Opportunity or Threat?’ Briefing Paper for Members

Gabriel Chanan and Colin Miller (2010) ‘The Big Society: How it Could Work’ Paces Empowerment

Lucy Marples et al (2010) ‘Understanding Social Investment’ ACEVO

A Coote (2010) ‘Ten Big Questions about the Big Society’ New Economics Foundation

J Nicholls (2007) ‘Why Measuring and Communicating Social Value can Help Social Enterprise Become More Competitive’ Cabinet Office of the Third Sector