Too valuable to lose: assessing the value of small community service organisations

How valuable are small community service organisations to those who use them and those who work within them?

At a glance

Community service organisations are important to Australian communities. They understand the people they serve and can respond quickly to those who need help. But they need funding to be able to keep going and many of them are being asked to show their ‘value for money’.

This research involved visits to four non-profit providers of support to young people in their transition to work. After interviews with young people using the service and staff from the organisations the authors explored whether both sides agreed on the ‘value’ of the service.

Dive deeper

Case studies were conducted in four states, with four non-profit providers of support to young people in their transition to work.

The authors drew on interviews with young people using the services, and with staff, and investigated whether there was convergence between these two groups in what they perceived to be the value of the services.

While the value in government-funded services has been predominantly measured in economic terms, this research aimed to capture less tangible variables in the domains of individual, social and public value.

This study is part of a Capacity Building research project funded by John T Reid Charitable Trusts.