Cuts will put 'excessive'pressures on volunteers

摘要

Council budget cuts and greater use of civil society groups to deliver public services risk 'excessive work and responsibilities' falling on to volunteers, third sector experts have warned. The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) - led by Birmingham, Southampton and Middlesex universities - last week raised concerns that local government changes could affect social justice and the consistency and equity of service provision. In a recent TRSC discussion paper, the centre questioned me value of the Government's much-maligned Big Society project to encourage volunteering in the wake of government cuts, and warned charities about the limitations of volunteering. The paper's author, TRSC's Heather Buckingham, said: 'Increased reliance on volunteers in areas of public service delivery could have significant implications in terms of social justice, and in terms of the consistency and equity of service provision.