03 June 2005
Delivering public services is only one aspect of the work performed by charities, and more emphasis needs to be given to the sector's role in campaigning and providing advice and information.
That is the view of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which this week warned that the focus on the public service aspect was beginning to warp understanding of the charity sector.
NCVO chief executive Stuart Hetherington said: 'Voluntary and community organisations do play an important role in public service delivery, but this should be viewed as a means to meeting their objectives, not as an end in itself.'
The NCVO is concerned that issues of leadership and governance are beginning to be discussed mainly in terms of their impact on services.
Its May 31 report, The reform of the public services: the role of the voluntary sector, urges voluntary bodies to consider whether public sector contracts will help them deliver their organisational mission.
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