| Public service Requirement
| Third sector Strength | Reason
|
|
| The quality of service being provided is difficult to specify, measure and monitor
| User focus | Private providers may have an incentive to reduce quality to increase profit. The third sector has no such incentive.
|
|
| The demands of service users are high differentiated
| Flexibility, innovation and 'joining up' |
Public and private providers are geared to provide services for large numbers of people. The third sector has the flexibility to deal with individual needs.
|
|
| When services have to be directed at localities or sections of the community that have been excluded from traditional service provision
| Knowledge, expertise and experience | Third sector organisations are often established by members of the excluded community in response to a perceived gap or inadequacy in service provision.
|
|
| Labour-intensive services where the flexibility and commitment of volunteers can be an asset
| User focus | Volunteers tend to spend more time providing a higher quality service, especially for disadvantaged people.
|
|
| Services directed at users that do not trust businesses or the government
| Trust and accessibility | Third sector providers have no hidden agendas and higher credibility with disaffected users.
|
|
| Service users are likely to require a co-ordinated portfolio of services
| Flexibility and 'joining up' | Third sector providers spend more time on bringing services together for the user.
|
|
| Users often have difficulty engaging with service providers (multiple disadvantages)
| Flexibility and 'joining up' | Wider stakeholders allow the third sector to focus on overlapping disadvantage.
|
|
Source: HM Treasury, "Exploring the role of the third sector
in public service delivery and reform", a discussion document
accompanying the 2004 Spending Review.
