Mayo, Marjorie C.; Koessl, Gerald; Scott, Matthew and Slater, Imogen. 2012. Accessing social justice in disadvantaged communities: dilemmas for Law Centres in the context of public service modernisation. Project Report. [Report]

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Abstract or Description

The research explored the impact of public service modernisation agendas as these were being experienced by public service professionals and volunteers engaged in Law Centres. Law Centres were providing front-line advice to individuals and communities in disadvantaged areas, information and advice services that have been identified as centrally important to public service modernisation agendas, as governments have been aiming to shift the balance of power and accountability away from public service providers towards more active and informed citizens and service users.
Were these policy agendas facilitating the development of more effective, more accountable services? Or conversely were they being experienced as demotivating and demoralising, potentially undermining the occupational values and identities of those involved? More specifically the research also aimed to identify the ways in which these changes were being addressed, what strategies were being adopted to manage competing pressures and demands whilst maintaining professional ethical standards. There are potential implications here for debates on the future of the public service ethos, more
generally.
The first stage of the research consisted of a postal/electronic survey of 107 Law Centre staff, volunteers and management committee members and
trustees. This survey was followed up with two rounds of interviews, 112 interviews in total, the first round being with Law Centre staff and volunteers (including management committee members and trustees) and the second round being with other stakeholders, including local authority officers and councillors and representatives of other advice agencies. Including the views of other stakeholders gives added weight to the research’s conclusions about the value of Law Centres, as well as the values of those who work in them.

Item Type:	Report (Project Report)
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Sociology > Centre for Urban and Community Research (CUCR)
Date:	March 2012
Item ID:	13739
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2015 10:20
Last Modified:	11 Jul 2017 09:30
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/13739

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