The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on advocacy work of voluntary sector organisations in Wales

Abstract

Since the founding of the welfare state, there has been considerable debate concerning the balance between advocacy and service delivery functions of voluntary sector organisations (VSOs). The COVID-19 pandemic, once again, raises the question of the relationship between the advocacy and service delivery function of VSOs and the argument that advocacy is being crowded out by service delivery. This is particularly important in small VSOs and community-based organisations reliant on funding from service delivery. This chapter explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the advocacy functions of voluntary sector organisations across England, Scotland and Wales. It draws on two projects: the Institute for Voluntary Action Research on the advocacy work of small charities in England, and the University of South Wales research comparing Scottish and Welsh VSOs’ advocacy work during the pandemic. This chapter will consider how advocacy activities have been defined by the voluntary sector as well as the importance of these activities to marginalised groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.