The Big Society Project: Success or Failure?
The ‘Big Society’ project has been a failure to date, discuss.
The aim of the ‘Big Society’ project is to empower volunteers, charities and communities to provide services traditionally provided by the state (Sanghera 2011). The reason that the ‘Big Society’ is of academic interest is because this project could help to retain services which may otherwise be lost in this economic climate, also it is of interest because this project would change the public sector as the government are empowering local communities to gain more control over public services meaning control is given to these volunteers. The way this essay will be structured is firstly it will explain in a few sentences what the big society project is all about. It will then go on to explaining why the project has been a failure to date, then it will go on to some of the good things that have come out of the ‘Big Society’ project, then finally coming to a conclusion that the Big Society project has been a failure and the reasons for this which are lack of understanding by local communities, people not wanting to give up their free time, and the funding cuts made from other voluntary organisations.
The Big Society projects aim is to take power, responsibility and decision making from the state and giving it to individuals, neighbourhoods or the lowest possible tier of government (Evans 2011). Also (Evans 2011) states that the ‘Big Society’ is a response to the claim that we are living in ‘Broken Britain’ and that this project aims to mend this by reducing the costs of the overspending public sector.
There are many things which can account to the ‘Big Society’ being a failure. (Syal R 2011) states the ‘Big Society project lacks clarity and leadership’ which is causing confusion meaning that people are not interested in taking part as they do not understand what the ‘Big Society’ actually is causing the project to fail. This is a factor contributing to its failure because there is no understanding
The aim of the ‘Big Society’ project is to empower volunteers, charities and communities to provide services traditionally provided by the state (Sanghera 2011). The reason that the ‘Big Society’ is of academic interest is because this project could help to retain services which may otherwise be lost in this economic climate, also it is of interest because this project would change the public sector as the government are empowering local communities to gain more control over public services meaning control is given to these volunteers. The way this essay will be structured is firstly it will explain in a few sentences what the big society project is all about. It will then go on to explaining why the project has been a failure to date, then it will go on to some of the good things that have come out of the ‘Big Society’ project, then finally coming to a conclusion that the Big Society project has been a failure and the reasons for this which are lack of understanding by local communities, people not wanting to give up their free time, and the funding cuts made from other voluntary organisations.
The Big Society projects aim is to take power, responsibility and decision making from the state and giving it to individuals, neighbourhoods or the lowest possible tier of government (Evans 2011). Also (Evans 2011) states that the ‘Big Society’ is a response to the claim that we are living in ‘Broken Britain’ and that this project aims to mend this by reducing the costs of the overspending public sector.
There are many things which can account to the ‘Big Society’ being a failure. (Syal R 2011) states the ‘Big Society project lacks clarity and leadership’ which is causing confusion meaning that people are not interested in taking part as they do not understand what the ‘Big Society’ actually is causing the project to fail. This is a factor contributing to its failure because there is no understanding
References: Dunning, J. Pritchard, J (2010) Big Society’s Eap of Faith, Community Care Issue 1835. p. 1-19 Evans, K (2011) ‘Big Society’ in the UK, a policy review Golding, N (2011) Big Society and Woolly Aspiration, Community Care Issue 1848 Hudson, B (2011) Big society: a concept in pursuit of a definition Sloamn J. (2011) Rebooting Democracy: Youth Participation in Politics in the UK. Parliamentary Affairs 2007; 60:548-67. Syal R (2011) No one knows what the ‘Big Society’ is says MPs Vakos, N (2011) Big Society- but no big strategy? Community Care Issue 1