You are here

  1. Home
  2. Blogs
  3. James Rees's blog
  4. Austerity and public sector cuts undermines trust in the voluntary sector

Austerity and public sector cuts undermines trust in the voluntary sector

This blog is written by Dr James Rees, the former Director of the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership.

The voluntary sector is increasingly required to "do more with less", to collaborate to make limited resources stretch further and to find innovative solution to challenging societal issues at no extra cost. At the same time, the sector is lacking the public’s trust. Clearly, these are tough challenges for the sector and its leaders.

Research conducted by The Open University Business School’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), shows that the public trust in smaller charities far exceeds that of their larger counterparts. Over four-in-ten (43%) of the public trust local community charities compared to just under three-in-ten (29%) who trust national charities.

Notwithstanding the considerable challenges inherent in collaborative working, could it be possible that greater collaboration between larger charities and their smaller counterparts could also help regain the public’s trust? 

Trust is hailed as a must have ingredient of any collaborative relationship and a fundamental requirement for success. Interestingly therefore, collaborative partners not only have to build greater trust with the public but also in each other.

Smaller organisations have a history of collaborating with their competitors. Their leaders are adept at managing the fragility of trust in this context. Yet the current environment of austerity and public sector cuts has created a tougher environment and a harder playing field.

Smaller voluntary organisations find themselves commissioned alongside each other to deliver services. While they are fully geared up to collaborate they are also competitors, not knowing who the “preferred partners” will be the next time around. CVSL’s research suggests that smaller charities are positioned like “shops in a row in a street” where they all have the same client base yet “selling slightly different things”. Being collaborators one day and potential competitors the next puts an obvious strain on their relationships.

CVSL’s research suggests that trust is especially easily undermined in situations where smaller organisations are commissioned by larger charities. Typically, the larger charity has won a contract with the local authority, based perhaps on their influence and track record of achievements elsewhere. This can be seen by smaller organisations as allowing larger charities to “muscle in on their patch”. Hostility builds up and trust in needed where apparently there is none.

Paradoxically however, larger charities may have been trusted by a local authority to deliver a contract. Yet they are often dependant on the cooperation of the smaller charities who have the trust of their local communities, where services are to be delivered. CVSL’s research suggests that smaller organisations continue to have the relationships that underpins trust in their communities. Perceptions of trust may be at odds with practice, yet trust building is likely to be a key aspect of working collaboratively in the sector.

Experienced collaborators know that working collaboratively is not easy. And they also know that it is not an exact science. Any practice tips must be used with care:

Collaborate more – entering into new relationships when trust is weak requires a leap of faith. The process of collaboration, with other organisations, members of the public and other stakeholders can reinforce trusting attitudes. If possible, potential partners can start working jointly on modest projects, allowing trust to develop over time. The very process provides the basis for more ambitious collaboration. However, if stakes are high, a more comprehensive trust-building approach is required.

Allocate enough time – working collaboratively across organisational, professional and sector boundaries is not efficient. Organisations simply do not do things in the same way and what is easy to achieve in one organizational setting is not necessarily so in another. For that reason, individual leaders need to budget a great deal more time for inter-organisational collaborative activities than they would normally expect to need.

Manage relationships – collaboration is about relationships with individuals and organisations, in and across different context. It involves being open and honest, challenging different approaches and assumptions, and figuring out each partner’s strength and how to best leverage those. Yet fundamentally it is also about being prepared to let go of relationships that are not yielding the intended outputs.

Acknowledge power differences – it is necessary to recognise that power plays are often part of the negotiation process. Partners need to understand their own power bases and that of others. Smaller organisations may feel particularly exposed. Ensuring that partners do not feel vulnerable can be a valuable part of building trust.

Communicate inwards and outwards  – partners need to pay attention to communication between themselves and outwards to the communities that they serve. Individual leaders need to be aware of professional jargon and find ways to express themselves clearly to others who do not share their daily world. And perhaps it is about communicating challenges outwards to the public, showing what the collaboration is trying to do to address those in an open and transparent manner.

14th November 2016

Contact us

Follow us on Twitter