The Big Society - A Big Opportunity?

In 2010, UK Prime Minister David Cameron formally launched the Big Society, aimed at ‘creating a nation of empowered citizens and communities’.

A key part of the idea is encouraging social action by communities and groups, as well as the distribution of power from central government to ‘communities, neighbourhoods and groups.’ Christian organisations such as the UK Evangelical Alliance and Faithworks have been ‘largely supportive’, seeing opportunities for faith groups to make a difference in their local communities.

Others however are less positive and question the ideology behind the Big Society. For example, Simon Barrow of the think tank Ekklesia comments that, "it is … important that churches and church-related agencies do not find themselves sucked into plugging unsustainable welfare gaps without asking tougher questions about the ideology and priorities shaping the government's agenda,” alluding to the cuts to the budgets of many government welfare services.

Volunteerism is already part of UK society, with a 2007 government survey finding that nearly three-quarters of adults (73%) had spent some time volunteering in the previous year, with just under half (48%) doing so at least once a month. The actual amount of time spent was not calculated, and it included informal opportunities such as ‘giving advice or looking after a property or pet’. 44% of adults took part in more formal volunteering such as helping in groups, clubs or organisations that ‘benefit other people or the environment.

“85% of evangelical Christians say that their church is engaged with the local community (Source: EA UK)”

Three recent surveys by Christian organisations show the potential impact of churches in the community. Research carried out by Christian Research among 284 churches found that they had delivered on average 1,925 hours of voluntary service per year, per church, or 37 hours per week. Ministries listed included youth work, mothers and toddlers, caring for the elderly, community improvement, debt counselling, parenting courses, helping homeless or addicts and street patrols.

While this research may be biased towards larger churches, the UK Evangelical Alliance’s 21st Century Evangelical survey of over 17,000 Christians across the UK found that 9 out of 10 respondents believe ‘it is a Christian’s duty to be involved in activities that benefit the local community.’

The initial report states that a staggering 99% do some type of volunteering each year and 85% say their church already engages with the local community. Just under half of those surveyed ‘volunteer for their church in an activity that serves the local community at least once a fortnight’. Interestingly, those who consider faith as ‘the most important thing in their life’ spend more time volunteering than those who do not.

And while the majority believe that evangelism and social action are ‘equally important and compatible’, 35% feel that there may be too much emphasis on social action by many churches and organisations.

These findings are similar to a 2008 survey carried out by Gweini: The Council of the Christian Voluntary Sector in Wales, in partnership with Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA). This survey covered all faith communities in Wales, of which 98% were identified as Christian. Over two thirds of faith communities were involved in serving their local community in some way, and those that did engaged in an average of five different activities, including children’s and youth work, counselling, support for the elderly/single parents, crime prevention and literacy classes.

As the political emphasis, in the UK at least, shifts towards encouraging local people to be involved in providing some of the services which make communities better places to live in, Christians may have the opportunity to highlight what they are already doing and to engage in new and creative ways. The challenge is to live ‘not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…understanding what the Lord’s will is’ (Ephesians 5:15-17).

Over to you:

In what ways are Christians involved in social engagement in your context?
What difference do they make?
Are there opportunities for your church or organisation to be involved in local issues? What are they, and what could your next steps be to make it happen?

Joanne Appleton

Sources and Resources

Christian Today www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.are.already.building.big.society.christians.tell.pm/26594.htm

National Statistics Online (2008) http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget_print.asp?ID=1958

The Big Society http://thebigsociety.co.uk/what-is-big-society/

Evangelical Alliance http://www.eauk.org/snapshot/upload/21st-Century-Evangelicals-PDF.pdf

Christian Research: Big Society – Big Christian Impact, Quadrant, 24 January 2011

Common Wealth Network – http://commonwealthnetwork2010.blogspot.com/2011/03/christians-urged-to-march-against-cuts.html

Faith in Wales Counting for Communities:: http://www.gweini.org.uk/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=65