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Voluntary Organisations (voluntary + organisation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	66%

Selected Abstracts

ARCHSECRET: a multi-item scale to measure service quality within the voluntary sector

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 2 2001
Liz Vaughan
This paper provides an overview of the application of SERVQUAL reflecting the theoretical criticisms concerning disconfirmation model, process orientation, role of expectations and portability. The original SERVQUAL framework was found to be inappropriate for services that had no close analogue with the private sector. A qualitative research study was undertaken to establish the sector-specific criteria used by customers to evaluate service quality. The study identified 40 potentially unique features of the service as perceived by service recipients. These features were developed into a pilot survey instrument that comprised 40 questions, covering expectations, perceptions and importance. A pilot study was undertaken to test the instrument among disabled customers and their carers across the main centres of a national voluntary organisation. Analyses of the pilot survey data resulted in a set of 27 distinct statements across ten hypothesised service quality dimensions. These are Access, Responsiveness, Communication, Humaneness, Security, Enabling/Empowerment, Competence, Reliability, Equity, and Tangibles, giving rise to the acronym ARCHSECRET. The ARCHSECRET instrument is potentially a powerful diagnostic tool for managers in their pursuit of continuous quality improvement within voluntary sector organisations. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications [source]

Home-start and the delivery of family support

CHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 5 2000
Nick Frost
The publication of Child Protection: Messages from Research (Department of Health, 1995) and of the ,Supporting Families' Green Paper (Home Office, 1998) have both highlighted the importance of developing family support services, in keeping with the word and the spirit of the Children Act, 1989. This article presents some of the findings of a three year study of a voluntary organisation, Home-Start, which offers support to mothers with children under five through volunteer home visiting. The article makes connections between the activities of Home-Start and the wider debate about family support in the United Kingdom. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Exploring the implications for health professionals of men coming out as gay in healthcare settings

HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 1 2006
Bob Cant MA
Abstract Coming out as gay is a social process which redefines the relationship between the persons who have decided to disclose their homosexuality and their listeners. This paper, drawing upon Bakhtin's (1984) theories of dialogue, the coming-out literature of gay men and lesbians and contemporary literature on doctor,patient communication, explores the coming-out experiences of gay men with their general practitioners and sexual health clinic staff. The findings are based upon a study of 38 gay men and 12 health service managers in London. The informants were recruited purposively to reflect some of the diversity of the London setting; recruitment was carried out through the channels of gay voluntary organisations and through snowballing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and a grounded-theory approach was adopted. It was found that coming out in general practice was often/mostly followed by silence/noncommunication on the part of the practitioner; coming out could, however, result in an improvement in communication if the patients were well supported and assertive. If coming out in sexual health clinics did not result in improved communication, the informants in this study were likely to change clinics until they did find improved communication. This paper raises questions about the communication and training needs of general practitioners. It also raises questions about inequalities of access to ,respectful' sexual health clinics; while men who are articulate about the narratives of their lives as gay men are able to exercise informed choices, there were grounds for concern about the choice behaviours of men who are less articulate about their life narratives. [source]

A job to believe in: recruitment in the Scottish voluntary sector

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 1 2008
Dennis Nickson
The voluntary sector is an important source of employment in the UK and is increasingly providing services previously provided by the public sector. However, the ability of the sector to provide such services is dependent on the quantity and quality of suitable labour. This article examines recruitment issues in seven case-study voluntary organisations offering social care in Scotland. Interviews were conducted with 137 managers and employees in these organisations. In addition, to assess potential labour supply, interviews and focus groups were conducted with careers advisers and potential employees. The findings suggest that, with a tightening labour market, uncompetitive pay and misconceptions about the sector, recruitment is a problem. However, job satisfaction is high for current employees, and potential employees whose values are commensurate with the sector might be attracted. The findings thus have relevance not just for the case-study organisations, but for HRM in the voluntary sector generally. [source]

Charity law reform: implementing the Strategy Unit proposals

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 3 2004
Belinda Pratten
This paper discusses the recommendations arising from the Strategy Unit review of charities and the wider voluntary sector in England and Wales and the government's response to these. The proposed reforms will involve an updating of charity law; changes to the regulatory framework governing the sector; and a greater emphasis on improving the accountability, transparency and performance of charities and voluntary organisations. In the main these proposals have been welcomed by the sector. In particular there is a clear recognition of the need to modernise the legal position of charities to reflect changes in society and changing public perceptions of what is, or should be, charitable. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications [source]

Philanthropy, social capital or strategic alliance?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 3 2002
The involvement of senior UK business executives with the voluntary sector, implications for corporate fundraising
Although corporate fundraising is popular there has been very little discussion in the voluntary sector literature of its context. Using questionnaire data from senior executives representing one-third of the FTSE350 companies, and in-depth interviews with a number of top level business men, this paper reports the first UK survey of the personal involvement of senior executives with charities, voluntary and community organisations,[Walker, C. and Pharoah, C. (2000) ,Making time for charity: A survey of top business leaders' involvement with voluntary organisations', Charities Aid Foundation, Kent.] and pinpoints messages about corporate involvement which may help fundraisers develop corporate fundraising strategies. The data give the first indications of how many of the UK's top business executives give time to charity, how much time they give and what they do. It also addresses what there is to gain for and from the charity, the senior executive and their company. The results present a picture of widespread and enthusiastic involvement of senior executives with the voluntary sector; a picture of both a deep personal commitment and of a strong sense of corporate benefit. The survey also raises several important issues and implications for corporate fundraising: should charities be doing more to attract top executives into an active relationship with them? How can they do this? What are the pros and cons of an alliance between corporate figureheads and charitable organisations; how might this relationship be viewed by the public; and how might it best be managed? This paper draws on the results of the survey to illustrate and discuss these issues. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications [source]