Voluntary Sector Report
'Communities and Government - Potential for Partnership', the report of the Community and Voluntary Sector Working Party was released recently. The report says that more than a decade of economic and state sector reform has left many in iwi and community organisations mistrustful of government, and feeling undervalued and disempowered. Finding a way to overcome this lingering negativity and proposing a way forward to a relationship based on mutual respect is the focus of this report.
Key points are that:
- government is perceived to be aloof, formulating policy in Wellington with few genuine attempts to involve those affected (many people active in communities, for example, feel that their expertise and knowledge have been ignored by government agencies);
- unresolved Treaty of Waitangi issues are seen by iwi as a barrier to a good relationship, coupled with a belief that the partnership nature of the Treaty is not being recognised;
- compliance costs for contracts come under particular scrutiny. Lengthy application forms, meaningless accountability measures, short-term contracts and lack of funding for administration and other overheads came in for intense criticism;
- many smaller organisations are in a 'fragile state', tired of trailing from one funding body to another trying to make ends meet; and
- community organisations, with only a few exceptions, are seen as being the most badly hit by the introduction in the mid-1980s of the 'market' economic model.
The Way Forward
The recommendations in 'Potential for Partnership' set out a programme of actions over the next year to be monitored by a small Steering Group. The underlying premise for the recommendations is the belief that strong healthy communities are the cornerstone of this country.
Some are actions that could be done very soon, such as a move to longer term funding and grants for amounts of money under $30,000. Some require further collaborative work on how to involve communities more effectively in policy and government decision making; strengthening the ability of community and voluntary organisations to advocate, network and communicate; and developing better funding and accountability methods.
Running at the same time as these actions, the Working Party suggests a high level body which would discuss the outstanding Treaty issues and work out an agreed path for resolution of the issues.
The Working Party does not think it is the right time for a formal agreement or compact between the Government and community voluntary organisations. As a start, however, it suggests that the Government could indicate its commitment by issuing "a statement of intent" setting out the principles and values on which it would base its own actions. The usefulness of a more formal agreement could then be reviewed at a later date.
| Limited numbers of hard copies of the full report, and a summary of the report, are available from the Ministry of Social Policy (MOSP), Private Bag 39 993, Wellington, tel (04) 916 3860, fax (04) 916 3918, email information@mosp.govt.nz , or down-loaded (as a .pdf file) from the MOSP website |
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