I've not added anything to my blog for ages - lots of ideas but no time to write them up properly! Anyway, I'm delighted to be posting this guest blog by Katy Goldstraw, Manchester Met Student. Katy is currently working on a PhD thesis on the impact of austerity on the voluntary sector and is working with Macc to talk to local groups and share her findings. You can access her research here http://bearingwitnessadultsocialcarevcsmanchester.wordpress.com/
Mike
I will be using sustainable Livelihoods Analysis as a means of focussing on Voluntary and Community Sector Assets. Sustainable Livelihoods analysis was originally used in International Development as a response to the traditional research techniques, in order to redress issues of power and powerlessness between researchers based in the Global North and the researched based in the Global South. Sustainable livelihoods are an assets based approach to analysis. Sustainable Livelihoods examines a series of categories that a household or in the case of this paper a VCS organisation, might use to adapt to change or crisis. “A livelihood comprises of the capabilities, assets (stores, resources, claims and access) and activities required for a means of living” (Rennie & Singh 1996:15). For a livelihood to be sustainable, it must be able to generate and maintain a way of living …
“It must be able to cope with and recover from stresses and shocks. Nor should it exploit or prejudice either the environment or other Livelihoods, present or future – indeed it should enhance their well-being and that of future generations”
(Chambers and Conway 1992; Titi and Singh 1994).
Sustainable livelihoods analysis has most usually been focussed at a household level (May et al 2009) however given the small nature of many VCS organisations, the variety of challenges and adaptive responses the VCS has engaged then arguably Livelihoods analysis is an ideal research methodology. Given the precarious nature of many VCS organisations and the variety of challenges that are faced in the current economic climate sustainable livelihoods analysis is an appropriate means of analysis. Sustainable livelihoods analysis in the context of my PhD will be used to analyse the adaptive strategies of VCS organisations in response to the challenge of coalition policies.
The VCS has employed a range of adaptive strategies in the face of the combined challenges of isomorphism and privatisation. Adaptive strategies can be defined as “the mix of traditional livelihood systems, modified by locally or externally induced innovations, and by the incorporation of coping strategies that have become permanent” Livelihood analysis can be used to identify “the ways in which local individuals, households and communities have changed their mix of productive activities and modified their community rules and institutions in response to vulnerabilities, in order to meet their livelihood needs” (Rennie & Singh 1996:18). Livelihood analysis can be used to identify “the ways in which local individuals, households and communities have changed their, mix of productive activities and modified their community rules and institutions in response to vulnerabilities, in order to meet their livelihood needs” (Rennie & Singh 1996:18).
The sustainable livelihoods approach divides assets into five categories; human, social, physical, financial and public. Human assets are the skills, education, knowledge and ability to engage in employment. Social assets are the social contracts that can be drawn on in a crisis, the organisations, partners, informal community groups. Physical assets are the tools and equipment that people need to be productive, alongside the basic infrastructure needed to function for example decent premises, access to the internet. Financial assets are the organisational income, access to credit, grants or savings. Public assets are access to public services, other VCS infrastructure and regeneration groups. A “key principle of the approach is to recognise that these assets are interlinked and need to be considered together, in order to understand … [a] livelihood strategy” (May et al 2009). In parallel with the organisation level research the sustainable livelihoods approach also explores the policy environment, “prevailing trends and decisions taken at national; (and sometimes international) level can have a profound impact on low income households [organisations] in the UK. The approach also seeks to identify the opportunities and barriers that emerge from these interactions” (May et al 2009:11).
Livelihoods Analysis is focused on dissecting the power relationships, analysing assets and vulnerabilities at the same micro-level that these small voluntary organisations are operating. Livelihoods analysis can be applied to small VCS organisations as many are little bigger than the extended household that livelihoods analysis was designed to analyse. Livelihoods links to the assets and vulnerabilities context that reflects the real lived experience of the sector. This paper’s contribution to original knowledge is its link between small voluntary organisations experience of Austerity from a grass roots livelihood analysis perspective. This is a development of much of the research narratives that offer a narrative of deficit in the VCS response to Austerity
This blog will focus on various capitals over the next few months . VCS organisations need to consider their position using livelihoods analysis as a tool. Small and BTR voluntary organisations have a lot in common with the extended household as a unit of analysis. The VCS must consider its assets and vulnerabilities in the context of livelihoods. In doing so it can recognise its opportunities. The Small and BTR VCS has great grass roots community social capital, it has a human capital and community knowledge that is unique to the sector. The small and BTR VCS offers a distinctiveness and holistic approach to poverty reduction and meeting community needs. It is true that the sector is challenged in terms of financial and physical capital yet using livelihoods analysis to focus on strengths the VCS has the potential to overcome austerity.
Katy Goldstraw
Katy Goldstraw BA (Hons) MSc pgchpe
Associate Lecturer - MMU and Edge Hill University
PhD Student - PhD Social Justice MMU
Freelance Trainer and Researcher for The Volunteer Training Company
Association for Research in the Voluntary and Community Sector (ARVAC) Membership Secretary