How to Work Effectively with the Third Sector. A discussion paper for public sector organisations

Abstract

This ESRC funded impact case study explores from a public sector perspective, viz local government and health, how to work most effectively with third sector organisations (voluntary, community, social enterprise, charities, etc.). It in particular explores differences in assumptive worlds, culture, values, institutional and management differences which need to be addressed in the successful delivery of local public services. The research involved a co-production approach to the design and execution of the research involving seven local authorities and six health institutions - Hospital Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups across the North East of England. This work was undertaken over a period of three years from 2015 - 2018 and in additional to an extensive programme of semi structured interviews also drew on the findings of an extensive longitudinal survey of the voluntary and community sectors involving over 3,000 participants across the North East of England, Cumbria and West Yorkshire over the past decade. It also drew on a number of studies undertaken for local authorities on this issue commissioned by the Institute for Local Governance hosted at Durham University.