Independence Research Study Findings

24 Sep 2008

The Commission for the Compact has published the findings of a recent research study (The State of Independence), which looks into the undersdtanding and commitment to the Compact and safeguarding the independence of the third sector.

The Compact has been successful in creating an environment which encourages and supports central government departments in their efforts to observe the independence of third sector organisations and their right to campaign, but there are still challenges ahead, according to the findings of a recent research study published by the Commission for the Compact.

The research, entitled The State of Independence, was undertaken by Rocket Science UK Ltd this summer and involved eight central government departments including the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Communities and Local Government (CLG), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The information and findings presented in the report were drawn from a number of complementary pieces of research. Data was gathered from one-to-one interviews with a sample of civil servants working in the eight departments, in order to assess their understanding and commitment to the Compact, particularly on the issue of the sector’s independence and its right to campaign. This analysis was also informed by an e-survey carried out with the eight departments.

The report findings are also based on a Literature Review by Rocket Science UK Ltd, which looked historically at the importance of independence to the third sector and, since 1998, the role of the Compact in safeguarding that independence. This review is available as a separate document.

A brief summary of the findings:

• The third sector and its advocates see independence from government as one of its key values and fear that this will be put at risk if the sector becomes over-dependent on government funding. Receiving government money should not reduce an organisation’s ability to campaign on behalf of the communities it serves.
• 84 per cent of survey respondents said that their government department either ‘mostly’ or ‘fully’ recognised and supported the sector’s right to campaign and to challenge government policy, irrespective of any funding relationship that might exist.
• A high level of awareness of the Compact was reported in government third sector teams and divisions of officers that regularly deal with the third sector; however, awareness has not been developed consistently or reliably across all departments.
• There is no uniform approach to respecting the independence of the third sector in government but there are lots of examples of different good practice approaches.
• Within government departments, understanding of the importance and value of the third sector’s independence is patchy beyond those whose job requires involvement with the sector.
• The report argues that in reality no organisation, whatever the sector, is entirely independent in the strictest sense of the word. There is a discussion in the report and the associated literature review about the concept of interdependence between government and the sector rather than independence.

Sir Bert Massie CBE, Commissioner for the Compact, said:

“I’m delighted to launch this important piece of research into safeguarding the independence of third sector organisations, one of the cornerstones of the Compact. I’d like to thank all the government departments who took part in this research, which will help us work with government and the sector to execute the principle of independence more consistently in future.”

This research forms part of a wider programme of work to strength the independence, voice and campaigning work of the third sector, and forms part of the Joint Compact Action Plan for 2008-09. Later this autumn, Compact Voice will be publishing a research report looking at independence issues from a third sector perspective. Both Compact Voice and the Commission for the Compact will develop a guidance pack for government and the third sector to help them implement the Compact principles around independence more effectively.

Recommendations from the report include:

• Sharing departmental best practice across the government’s third sector networks. For instance, one of the examples cited in the report is the Department of Health’s funding guidance that “Strategic Partners must retain their independence and role as a critical friend, not a ‘cosy partner’ who fears losing their funding if critical of [the Department]”.
• Referring to the Compact in relevant job descriptions and appraisals in order that civil servants are actively encouraged and incentivised to adhere to and promote the agreement and its Codes.
• Spreading knowledge of the Compact and independence across departments and their delivery bodies by holding workshops such as those recently organised by Defra for staff from the core department and its executive agencies, NDPBs and delivery partners.
• Involving the sector at an earlier stage of policy formulation (i.e. pre-consultation), such as along similar lines to Communities and Local Government’s involvement of the third sector in developing statutory guidance relating to the Local Government White Paper, for which it won a Compact Commendation Award.
• Developing and disseminating a set of case studies in order to illustrate and measure the value of an independent third sector in terms of its effect on the drafting of better legislation and designing of government programmes.
• Recognising that the behaviour of third sector organisations represents just as big a threat to the values and independence of the sector as government agencies may do, and that there are limits to what departments can do to safeguard the independence of the sector when there is an important role to be played by third sector organisations themselves.

Notes for editors

• Established in April 2007, the Commission for the Compact is an independent body responsible for overseeing the Compact - an agreement between the Government and the voluntary and community sector in England to improve their relationship for mutual advantage and community gain. The Commission works with key partners to take the Compact forward including Compact Voice, who represent the views of the Third Sector on the Compact, the Office of the Third Sector and the Local Government Association (LGA).
• The Compact contains clear undertakings relating to the independence of voluntary and community organisations, for example government undertakes to:Recognise and support the independence of the sector, including its right within the law, to campaign, to comment on Government policy, and to challenge that policy, irrespective of any funding relationship that might exist, and to determine and manage its own affairs. (The Compact, 9.1)
• The Commission for the Compact commissioned Rocket Science UK Ltd to undertake this research on its behalf. Founded in 2001, Rocket Science UK Ltd comprises a team of 25 consultants and a network of associates. The company has offices in London, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

www.rocketsciencelab.co.uk

Ends

Downloads

Research Study on the Compact and Independence
Literature Review on the Compact and Independence
Press Release: Independence Research Findings

 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Catherine Byerley, Communications Officer
Commission for the Compact
Tel: 0121 237 5905
Email: catherine.byerley@thecompact.org.uk 

Katie Boswell, Consultant
Rocket Science UK Ltd
Tel: 020 7253 6289
Email: katie.boswell@rocketsciencelab.co.uk