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Devolved Governance, Political Participation and Third Sector Equalities Organisations in Wales Paul Chaney Chaneyp@cardiff.ac.uk. Content. Aims/ methods/ evaluation criteria Context The Third Sector in Wales ‘ Inclusive Governance ’ – structures of engagement (?)

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  1. Devolved Governance, Political Participation and Third Sector Equalities Organisations in Wales Paul Chaney Chaneyp@cardiff.ac.uk

  2. Content • Aims/ methods/ evaluation criteria • Context • The Third Sector in Wales • ‘Inclusive Governance’– structures of engagement (?) • Evidence: the nature and extent of post-devolution engagement in work of govt. • Ministerial meetings with 3rd sector reps • Govt. Funding of third sector policy networks • Assembly cross- party equality committee • The views of members of 3rd sector orgs • Petitions Committee • Electoral Politics • Summary: Critical evaluation of third sector

  3. Methods/ Evaluation Criteria • Methods • Qualitative – semi structured interviews • Purposive sample 3rd sector equalities organisations • Evaluation Criteria • Pro-devolution discourse > ‘a new, more inclusive and participatory democracy’ (Welsh Office,1998:19). • Neo-institutionalist perspective • Mainstreaming

  4. Mainstreaming: • ‘the integration of respect for diversity and equality of opportunity principles, strategies and practices into the every day work of [government …] and other public bodies. It means that equality issues should be included from the outset as an integral part of the policy-making and service delivery process and the achievement of equality should inform all aspects of the work of every individual within an organisation’. (NAfW 2004:6).

  5. Context: Devolution and the Discourse of 3rd Sector engagement • Third Sector offers alternative to centralised state practices (Hain, 1999). • the Assembly will be able to develop … [a] partnership; the Government will encourage it to harness the special contribution which voluntary organizations can make in a wide range of policy areas’ (Welsh Office, 1998:19). • ‘if the Assembly is to fulfil the expectations of operating inclusively and in partnership with others, then it will need to work closely with voluntary and community organizations’ (WCVA, 1999:8).

  6. ‘Inclusive Governance’ – structures of 3rd sector engagement (?) • Statutory Equality Duty (S.77, GOWA) • Cross- Party Equality Committee (Standing Order 17) • WAG Equality and Human Rights Unit • Voluntary Sector Scheme (S.74 GOWA, 2006) • Third Sector Partnership Council • Petitions Committee (post GOWA, 2006) (SO.28)

  7. Voluntary Sector Scheme ‘the goal is the creation of a civil society which: has a duty to promote equality of opportunity to all its members regardless of race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, language preference, religion or family/domestic responsibilities’ (NAfW, 2000).

  8. State Sponsoring of 3rd Sector Equalities Networks • Welsh Assembly Government Funded Equality Policy Networks. All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA); Women’s Voice/ Welsh Women’s National Coalition (WWNC); LGB Forum Cymru/ Stonewall Cymru; Minority Ethnic Women’s Network Cymru (MEWN); Disability Wales; Black Voluntary Sector Network Wales • Policy Networks around Equality and Rights for Children. Accompanied and Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers Network; All Wales Children and Young People’s Advocacy Providers Network; Children’s Rights Practice Exchange Groups; The Disabled Children Policy Group; The Forum on Issues for Disabled Children; The Early Years and Childcare Advisory Group; End Child Poverty Network Cymru; Fatherhood Wales Forum, Fatherhood Wales Policy Group; Fforwm Magu Plant/Parenting Forum; Looking After Health Exchange; The Sure Start Network; The Young Disabled Persons’ Network; Young Carers Workers’ Network; Children and Young People’s Participation in Cymru Network; and, Participation Workers’ Network Wales

  9. The Views of Members of 3rd Sector Equality Organisations • General acknowledgement: positive effect of new structures of engagement/ political recognition • “I’ve been here long enough to remember things before [i.e. during the Welsh Office] – things have changed for the better in my view’. • Small orgs concerns ‘uneven playing field’ > bigger, better funded 3rd sector orgs greatest influence in policy circles (e.g. children’s and youth organisations) • State funding ‘invaluable’– recipient orgs • Steep post-’99 ‘learning curve’ in engaging with devolved policy work • A devolved equalities “Lobby”

  10. Concern over bureaucratisation / drawn into govt agenda • “homogenisation” of equality strand representation • “Steep learning curve” > Policy work • Majority of interviewees positive about electronic means of political engagement • Complexity of Welsh devolution settlement > challenge to 3rd sector orgs • Key issue: State funding of 3rd sector networks/ orgs > interviewees acknowledged potential effect on autonomy • Concerns over “representativeness” of TSPC networks

  11. Views of 3rd Sector Equality Organisations 3. • Interviewees expressed need for govt.to broaden the circles of 3rd sector engagement • mixed views on whether voices heard in policy consultations/ effectiveness of their lobbying • Children, older people, learning disabilities, Muslim women cited good policy influence • In contrast a minority, inc. ‘race’ equality orgs felt they were ignored –“not a partnership of equals” • Increasing competition over access/ “dilution of influence” • increasing role of cross-border 3rd sector equality orgs

  12. Petitions Committee • 10% of admissible petitions put forward / supported by third sector equalities organisations and concerned with equalities issues • Examples: Disability > Extend Provision of Accessible Bus Services (P-03-090); increase the number of people with a learning disability employed by the public sector in Wales (P-03-170) • Interviewees: benefits > accessibility, transparency and cost effective nature • On line tracking of progress/ deliberations. Evidence • Does it work? > Coleg Ffederal

  13. Electoral Politics • 3rd sector equalities orgs. issuing own equalities manifestos > all-Wales elections • Individual orgs issuing own manifestos (e.g. Cerebral palsy org. called on govt. ‘banish disablism’ through public procurement) • Alliances of equalities NGOs issuing manifestos on single policy issues (e.g. free home care for disabled people, child poverty etc) • Alliances of equalities NGOs issuing manifestos on all aspects of equality (e.g. Welsh Equality Reference Group) • Effect? Parties/ candidates signing up to adopt 3rd sector orgs proposals (e.g. Welsh Refugee Council/ ‘One Wales’)

  14. Summary: Critical Evaluation of Equality Organisations’ Political Participation • Devolution > development of a nascent “equalities policy lobby” • New governance structures > increased “system openness”– giving 3rd sector equalities orgs. voice in policymaking • General continuity of govt. ‘policy style’ • Issues of representativeness of TSPC /neo-corporatism • concerns > bureaucratisation and professionalisation of 3rd sector equalities orgs.

  15. Summary: Critical Evaluation of Equality Organisations’ Political Participation • Significant discontinuity with pre. devo era • Rights, recognition, redistribution • Governance structures facilitate engagement • Failure to ‘mainstream’ • Growing capacity of 3rd sector eq. Orgs to engage in policymaking • Danger of co-option into govt. agenda • Need to broaden circles of engagement • Danger of replacing one elite process with another

  16. Summary: Critical Evaluation of Equality Organisations’ Political Participation • Mainstreaming? • “authentic voices” > limited no. of orgs. tended to dominate dealing with the state for each equality strand • much unevenness across govt. depts in addressing equalities issues in policy • Monitoring and evaluation: interviewees concerned> seldom asked for their views on effectiveness of past policies + lessons learned • concerns > govt. devoted much attention to some equality strands (e.g. gender, children, older people)– yet others felt ignored (e.g. race, faith) • Concerns > govt.’s general failure to apply basic mainstreaming tools e.g. equality impact assessments and gender/ equalities budgeting

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