Please tell me about this "Big Society" thing

[ForMashGetSmash]

I know very little about politics...I recently learned about The Big Society...and feel a bit about it all.

As far as I can see, it's about communities being asked to take more responsibilty for some public services and for people who have "vision" to stand up and organise improvements to their community.

What worries me is that in some areas...those with big problems such as high unemployment and crime, there may be a lack of people who have the time or energy to contibute...and certain things may be allowed to dissapear. I see that it has been suggested that Library's have volunteers instead of staff....that worries me also.

Could this scheme be allowed to go too far? Could certain things which society really relies on... completely dissapear?

When you say "encouraged back into paid employment" you mean "will have their benefit cut" I think?

There aren't going to be any jobs to go to.

The majority of people losing their jobs because of the cuts are women. People who are working part-time or other flexible hours due to childcare commitments will find it hard to find replacement jobs as the hours will not be available / and childcare for different hours will not be affordable.

Result = women with children to stay at home, in line with what the woman from the conservative think tank confirmed was the preferred situation last week.

Get involved in your local community preschool committee if you want a taste of what The Big Society actually means. An arguably essential public service which 50% of the time in England is run by unqualified untrained inexperienced time-strapped amateurs. With hugely mixed results.

"this is not telling people how to behave"

Erm, well it is telling people what they should be doing with their free time, and also how they should behave in their communities - i.e. helping out, for free.

David Cameron could make a speech urging us to be kind to animals and small children and some would see it as a coded message that he was disbanding the NSPCC and RSPCA....

That is because David Cameron deserves and demands no respect because he is shallow, ruthless and without empathy.

QED...

I don't see why people are so negative about this, I do voluntary work with the homeless and the elderly I think its a valuable contribution. I think people expect the state to do too much and there are often things that charitys can do better and cheaper than the state

Its just a way of cutting back on the things tax currently covers. Tis crap.

I don't see what is wrong with seeking to use the voluntary sector to deliver services. The Citizens Advice Bureau is brilliant in helping people often in terrible situations so it can work.

"Its just a way of cutting back on the things tax currently covers."

I think you mean it's a way of cutting back on the things tax doesn't cover.

That is why we have a deficit. Our tax income doesn't pay for our public services (and hasn't for a while).

perhaps but it should cover education, shouldn't it ? However, we have been told if schools are not good enough to go in and sort it out ourselves.

Riven why shouldn't volunteers do it if they can do it to the same level.

Skippy - it's implicit within our state education system that parents get involved to improve the school - always has been.

But if your talking about Free Schools. Then they are not really about cost saving - more about introducing innovation and diversity into the education system.

"it's implicit within our state education system that parents get involved to improve the school - always has been." If that is the case why are they harping on about it as if they have invented the idea. In fact most parents do not have the time to be in school sorting out educating their own child. If they did they might as well home educate.

the irony of the Big Society bollocks is that the government is cutting funding to many voluntary organisations

clever

What things could charities do cheaper and better than the state at a professional standard? That's the problem, I can dredge a wildlife pond or chat with old folk in hospital to keep their morale up as well as a professional would, but I don't think the govt. is paying for that sort of thing anyway. When govts. already pay for something, it's because you need qualified people who deserve remuneration for their educational investment.

I think there are examples of where charitys and voluntary agencys can provide services that are beeter and cheaper than the state. The citizens advice bureau is far better than the DWP helplines for example. This isn't knew either organisations like the Lifeboat and Mountain Rescue are voluntary organisations that certainly provide vital services to those in distress so I think there is some potential in this idea.

Big Society is DC getting people to do things that our taxes should be paying for for nothing. Riven is quite right, you can't send in untrained staff to the vulnerable and elderly.

And such services should NOT depend on charity or volunteers - who can just give up at will. They need to be guaranteed and funded from taxation. Only fair way.