ESRC Society Today

Re-mixing the economy of welfare: what is emerging beyond the market and the state?

Social and caring services in welfare states depend upon the public sector, the market, the household, and the 'voluntary and community sector' (VCS). The contribution of different sectors of the economy varies across time and place. Within the UK - in England and the devolved administrations - expectations of the VCS have risen. Government driven initiatives are in place to ensure that this sector (broadly defined as formal organizations that are not part of the public or private sectors) increasingly shares responsibility with state agencies for delivering services to those in need. Six linked seminars will provide a forum to explore rationales for this change, to assess its implications, and to think about visions for the future.

The series will bring together academic analysts from across the social science traditions. Contributions will be invited from established experts and new researchers. Doctoral students will be encouraged to participate, and they will be offered space to present posters and receive feedback. Each seminar will include practitioners tasked with implementing change, or directly affected by it. Through their structured interaction within the seminars the series will advance reflection on the interface between research and policy.

Objectives

• Foster the exchange of information and ideas by bringing together academic researchers from different disciplines who have made contributions around the theme of VCS public service delivery;
• Facilitate dialogue between academic researchers, the VCS and the public sector;
• Contribute to capacity building within the research community (both academic and VCS based);
• Advance empirically grounded, theoretically informed ways of articulating and representing 'value' and 'diversity' in the mixed economy of welfare 

Seminar themes and convenors

1. National and regional variations within the UK. (Mike Danson, University of the West of Scotland and Irene Hardill, NTU)
2. Communities of 'difference' and effects on organisations supporting BME communities. (Rebecca Taylor, PSI and Ranji Devadason, University of Bristol)
3. Roles and relationships between the VCS, communities and the local state. (Tony Chapman, Teesside University and Fred Robinson, Durham University)
4. Implications for the VCS workforce (Irene Hardill, NTU and Sue Baines, MMU)
5. Managing trust and information sharing (Christine Bellamy, NTU and Rob Wilson, Newcastle University)
6. Understanding and demonstrating the value(s) of VCS participation (Sue Baines MMU and Rob Wilson, Newcastle University)

To find out more please visit the website: http://www.socialwelfareservicedelivery.org.uk/