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VODG's blog post on "Gain Without Pain" ...
People who use services want, so far as possible, to take charge of their own lives. The voluntary sector knows this because we work with them all the time. Nothing less than a completely new approach to services will give people the support they need to live independent lives.
In his July speech on the Big Society programme, David Cameron put the role of the voluntary sector at the centre of his policy “so we get more innovation, diversity and responsiveness to public need.” These qualities are much in evidence in our report Gain without Pain, which clearly shows how the voluntary sector can respond creatively to people’s needs and do what it takes to help, cut away bureaucracy and reduce costs, and provide long-term investment in services.
But Gain Without Pain argues that the full potential of the voluntary sector will only be realised if:
- Public service commissioners and charities work together to transform services and achieve savings. Evidence shows that the best outcomes for service users will be achieved by collaboration rather than the antagonisms of the past
- The culture of local authority social services changes so that they are more often capable of offering support and security to innovative providers and disabled people, particularly where personalised services are concerned. Without greater business certainty, markets will shrink and user choice will suffer
- Value for money is achieved through a spirit of trust and openness on all sides. The local authority tendency to squeeze price or impose sudden cuts on voluntary sector providers is seldom compatible with quality and choice.
Somehow we’ve got to “get more for less” from public services. It sounds difficult, but it can be done without leaving the people who use our services in the lurch. By working with the voluntary sector, local councils can save money and give more satisfaction to the people who use services. The VODG invites a dialogue with local authority chiefs and commissioners to find ways to respond creatively to the fiscal and demographic challenges that lie ahead.
Download the full 40 page "Gain Without Pain" report (PDF 2.5Mb)
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