From passive welfare to community governance: Youth NGOs in Australia and Scotland

Abstract

This study examines two regional youth welfare agencies in different parts of the world that have independently from each other begun to redevelop their organisations within a community governance framework. This means that they are involved in an arena of public decision making about local resources that extends beyond local state services to embrace those activities that involve either the provision of public services as part of the community, or the representation of community interests to the broader policy community. The two agencies used in this study are Brophy Family and Youth Services in Warrnambool, Australia, that services southwest Victoria and Aberdeen Foyer in the regional city of Aberdeen, Scotland that services the rural hinterland. While these agencies are pursuing the same path towards a community governance approach they have adopted different strategies to achieve their aims. Using these two agencies as exemplars this paper outlines a conceptual model that helps to provide an understanding of an emerging community governance framework in the welfare sector.