Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In the past decade community groups have been portrayed as the solution to many social problems. Yet the role of 'below the regulatory radar' community action has received little research attention and thus is poorly understood in terms of both policy and practice. Focusing on self-organised community activity, this book offers the first collection of papers developing theoretical and empirically grounded knowledge of the informal, unregistered, yet largest, part of the voluntary sector. The collection includes work from leading academics, activists, policy makers and practitioners offering a new and coherent understanding of community action 'below the radar'. The book is part of the Third Sector Research Series which is informed by research undertaken at the Third Sector Research Centre, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and Barrow Cadbury Trust.
Synopsis
Collates knowledge and examines the role and nature of community groups and activities operating outside of the formal voluntary sector in the UK to develop a coherent understanding about these so-called "below the radar" organisations.
Synopsis
As austerity measures continue, accompanied by ongoing cuts in government services, the importance of community groups to social welfare and well-being becomes ever greater. This book offers a wide range of perspectives on the role and nature of those groups, specifically those that are operating outside the formal voluntary sector in the United Kingdom. These groups, which are unregulated, need more rigorous analysis than in the past as their role and scope continue to increase; this book represents a major step towards better understanding of how they work and what they do.