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

A two year ESRC-funded seminar series co-ordinated by Sue Baines (Manchester Metropolitan University) with Irene Hardill (Northumbria University) and Rob Wilson (Newcastle University) 

Social and caring services in welfare states depend upon the public sector, the market, the household, and the ‘voluntary and community sector’ (VCS). This seminar series was concerned with the expanding responsibilities of VCS organisations (charities, community groups, faith based organisations and social enterprises). Six linked seminars provided a forum to explore rationales for this change, to assess its implications, and to think about visions for the future. 

The focus was mainly but not exclusively on England and the devolved administrations of the UK, where recent ‘mainstreaming’ of the VCS has had profound implications for individuals, organisations and communities. When the series drew to a close in autumn 2010 the expansion of the sector’s role looked set to continue and intensify with localism, NHS reform and the Big Society agenda. 

See the End of Award Report

The six seminars

1. National and regional variations within the UK
   February 2009, University of the West of Scotland
2. Communities of ‘difference’ and effects on organisations supporting BME communities 
   May 2009, University of Bristol
3. Roles and relationships between the VCS, communities and the local state
   June 2009, Newcastle University
4. Implications for the VCS workforce (paid and unpaid)
   11th November 2009, Nottingham Trent University
5. Managing trust and information sharing
   29th March 2010, University of Birmingham
6. Articulating Value in a remixed economy of welfare
   30th September 2010, Newcastle University

Outputs 

Rob Wilson, James Cornford, Susan Baines and John Mawson: Information for localism? Policy sense-making for local governance, Public Money & Management, Volume 31, Issue 4: 295 - 300 

Susan Baines, Irene Hardill and Rob Wilson guest edited a themed section of Social Policy and Society (Volume 10, Issue 3) published 1st June 2011. 

The contents of the themed section are based on contributions to the series
Introduction: Remixing the Economy of Welfare? Changing Roles and Relationships between the State and the Voluntary and Community Sector
Susan Baines, Irene Hardill and Rob Wilson, pp 337-339

Changing Responsibilities and Roles of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the Welfare Mix: A Review
Eddy Hogg and Susan Baines, pp 341-352

Scotland's Civic Society v. England's Big Society? Diverging Roles of the VCS in Public Service Delivery
Mike Danson and Geoffrey Whittam, pp 353-363

Socio-Spatial Variations in Community Self-Help: A Total Social Organisation of Labour Perspective
Colin C. Williams, pp 365-378

Re-Mixing Digital Economies in the Voluntary Community Sector? Governing Identity Information and Information Sharing in the Mixed Economy of Care for Children and Young People
Rob Wilson, Mike Martin, Sarah Walsh and Paul Richter, pp 379-391

Creating Community Cohesion: The Power of Using Innovative Methods to Facilitate Engagement and Genuine Partnership
Carolyn Kagan and Karen Duggan, pp 393-404

Faith-Based Voluntary Action: A Case Study of a French Charity
Solange Montagné-Villette, Irene Hardill and Boris Lebeau, pp 405-415

Between State and Market: The Non-Profit Workforce in a Changing Local Environment
Sophie Bowlby and Sally Lloyd Evans, pp 417-427

Some Useful Sources
Eddy Hogg, pp 429-432

If you would like to more information please contact Sue Baines or Eddy Hogg