Please tell me about this "Big Society" thing

Its all about cuts, and the 'big society' is dave's response to anyone who complains about the loss of essential and much valued services. In effect, it means "stop complaining and do it yourself".

He is using it to pass off responsibility from the government (where it belongs) to a vague, unaccountable group of anonymous, unsalaried volunteers.

I think we need to wait and see how this idea is implemented in practice. I admit I'm sceptical about it but we need to change the way that are public services are facilitated as the current ways of doing things are unsustainable.

No-one is ridiculing it. People are saying that having thought about the practicalities, they son't see how it can possibly work.

I don't think people should ridicule this idea. I think there is some potential in it, the Labour Party threw a lot of money at the public services and to be honest the results have been pretty poor considering how much money has been spent.

Not talking about TAs, talking about LSAs for children who need additional support. Also, you may have been brilliant in the classroom, Huddspur. Other voluntary helpers can be a mixed bag.

In either case, I think people popping in and out of the classroom can be an absolutely awful idea. I'm not criticising parents who provide sustained support. I am saying that I don't think there is an untapped resource of additional volunteers who will make up for funding cuts.

I worked as a voluntary teaching assistant at a school whilst at university. I was in the 3rd year of my degree and frankly knew a lot more about maths than the paid TAs.

I am willing to accept that in your situation this worked out well, but I strongly believe that the kind of volunteer work you are describing cannot replace consistent, qualified staff.

Local councils are cutting back on funding for Learning Support Assistants in school. This kind of job cannot be replaced by untrained volunteers.

I don't agree I'm afraid I was recently unemployed and on JSA but I volunteered for a local charity for people with learning disabilities and the CAB, I have since found employment but I have carried on working for the charitys. I've had to adjust my hours but the majority of charitys are flexible in this regard

However, it's not easy to do a job well if you are popping in and out, and maybe not around next week. Fine if you are popping in to change the church flowers, not so great if you are providing a service to vulnerable people.

You can volunteer whilst your on JSA, it is even encouraged as it means there is no gap on your CV.

"If they're not working they'd probably have more time than those working."

The problem is that to get benefits, you have to make yourself available for work, not be off volunteering.

My local park has a very active friends organisation. They organise great walks and have a news letter and do some campaigning.

However, I don't think they would be up to the task of running the park. I think they need paid experts to do that, and beyond salaries, the work that the experts do costs money.

Don't know much about the mountain people but the RNLI is one of the best funded charities in the UK.

Although some people are giving their time for free, the entire organisation isn't made up of volunteers and they are very well funded.

Where are all the additional donations going to come from to support all of these extra charities? As with volunteering (something the vast majority of the adult population already do), charitable giving is something that most people already do, if they want to. And most people do give.

Where is all the additional funding going to come from?

This idea has so many massive holes in it.

They say they want social enterprises to pick up some of this work - OK - but who funds social enterprises at the moment? It's all public money, which is going..... Um right then.

You can volunteer whilst on JSA provided you are not paid and are still actively seeking work.

You can't do voluntary work on JSA, as you have to be available for, and actively seeking work.

You can do voluntary work whilst on JSA. I think you're allowed to do 16 hours a week

So let me get this straight.

• If you are on JSA you can't do voluntary work anyway.
• They want volunteers to do the work of those being made redundant.
• Those being made redundant will have to go on JSA

..right..

Do we not already use volunteers for vital services though. Mountain rescue and the Lifeboat are 2 voluntary organisations that are part of the emergency services. Other things such as the CAB also provide services to people who are often in very desperate situations.

Personally think DC was attempting to distance himself from the Thatcher statement of there being no such thing as society and aligning it to 'caring conservatism'

There's nothing wrong with volunteering. I do it. But it shouldn't be instead of properly funded vital services.

I don't think volunteers in A&E is what the Government is proposing, its just everyone doing a little thing to improve the community in which they live. We can't expect the Government to do everything for us particulary considering the fiscal crisis that we currently have.

I'm not a tory voter but the idea of the big society and re-establishing a sense of community does appeal to me. Whats wrong with giving up a few hours a week to help other people in the community or encouraging charitys to help people. Labour threw a lot of money at public services and we saw very little improvement so maybe a fresh approach is needed.