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What contributions can the community sector make to advancing social outcomes? How does the role of community organisations compare and contrast to organisations in the public sector and private sector? What are the potential challenges that organisations in the community sector face in achieving their social purpose?

Group-based problems within a community have been more effectively tackled with the help of community organizations. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) serve as a distinct sector of society that operates independently of the state. Community organisations, also referred to as the "third sector," are non-governmental organizations that serve their local communities without seeking financial benefit (Lyons 2003). A community group's primary goal is to identify and address problems that affect its members. Fundraising, contributions, and volunteers are crucial to the success of these organizations since their primary motivation is to aid the public rather than make a profit. To effect change and galvanise a local movement, this bottom-up strategy emphasizes member input and consensus-based decision-making. Society as a whole, marginalised populations, and future generations all stand to gain from these organisations (White 2018).

Positive social change is more likely to occur when community members are given opportunities to participate in shaping their own society. Each group creates a vision statement outlining its hopes, beliefs, and values for the future of their organisation, as well as a mission statement outlining the specific contributions that group plans to make to the world via its actions. These nonprofits serve as the public's bedrock by uniting its constituents behind a common cause and fostering strong unions (Hudson 2009). This industry may need more of this ambitious and motivational kind of strategic planning to help it manage and succeed. The non-profit sector has made substantial contributions to society and the economy (Lyons 2003). The community will benefit greatly from these organisations' contributions of time, people, and expertise.

According to a study compiled by the Victorian Council of Social Service in 2014, the non-profit community sector in Australia has a considerable influence on both the country's society and its economy (VCOSS) (Warburton et al., 2018). To assist charity organisations in accomplishing their missions, this industry provided paid employment to more than one million individuals and raised more than 103 billion dollars for charitable causes. In addition to giving a great number of people a forum in which to make their voices heard and effect social change, the activities of these organisations result in the creation of employment and the donation of funds to worthy causes in the local community. The challenges that are now being addressed inside the organisation are what will drive the industry ahead and assist it in achieving its objectives. As a consequence of this, these organisations have the potential to make a difference by broadening the scope of the assistance programmes they provide (Bouzguenda et al., 2019).

The public and commercial sectors cannot replace the distinctive function of community organisations. The non-governmental sector (or "third sector") illustrates and defends societal demands, influences political processes, and improves society as a whole. Community organisations serve a social rather than a commercial objective, yet all three sectors have a fundamental factor: the desire catalysed by their cause (Hudson 2009). The government runs the public sector and offers public services and products in exchange for citizens' votes and the government's own political advantage. When a company operates in this industry, it provides products and services to customers in return for money. Supplier-customer relationships are maintained in the private sector. The third sector, on the other hand, relies solely on external funding from donors and sponsors to accomplish its social mission.

Amnesty International Australia, for instance, uses recurring and one-time contributions to help its intended audience of victims of injustice (Shadbolt et al., 2019). In other words, the only thing these groups and their members care about is succeeding. All of the earnings made by community organisations are reinvested into the community and services to help make up for any shortfalls in funding that may otherwise prevent them from meeting their social service missions. When there are gaps in the delivery of social services, the non-profit sector is well positioned to fill them. Because of this leeway, organisations may constantly evolve in response to input from their clients and patrons, resulting in greater happiness all around (Hudson 2009). Since the government fills in the gaps for the public sector and the market backs up the private sector, the third sector is free to choose its own resources, method of inventory management, and outcomes for the community.

This degree of autonomy for management comes with a number of risks. With fewer donors and fewer people willing to provide a hand, these groups will have less of an influence than they had before. As our world evolves, the third sector's profile will inevitably decline (Lyons 2003). The responsibility of these organisations to fulfil their social purpose for the community is impacted by the rapid social and economic change of the modern day, which in turn affects their financing. Due to the limited funding and resources available, it is incumbent upon the management of these organisations to secure sustainable long-term funding strategies. Given that these initiatives are the result of partnership between enterprises, their social mission will likely have to be compromised in order to satisfy the expectations of their financial backers. Community organisations are very reliant on the time and energy donated by volunteers in order for them to be successful.

The community sector is finding it increasingly difficult to rely on and recruit volunteers as a result of the surge in the number of individuals who have full-time work. Due to the gravity of the issue, the organization may be certain that it will continue to get money on a regular basis; as a consequence, the organization's efforts will have the largest potential effect. It may be challenging for community organisations to continue to maintain their political and social relevance in the face of increasing societal influences and demands. If the third sector is going to be successful in countering these dangers, it must first establish its credibility in the eyes of both the general public and the government. If an organisation does not appropriately manage these issues, then it runs the danger of having its social purpose compromised. You will have a better chance of succeeding in today's economy if you engage in proactive campaigning for significant causes and develop fruitful financial alliances.

References

Bouzguenda, I., Alalouch, C., & Fava, N. (2019). Towards smart sustainable cities: A review of the role digital citizen participation could play in advancing social sustainability.  Sustainable Cities and Society,  50 , 101627.

Hudson. (2009). Managing without profit leadership, management and governance of third sector organisations in Australia (3rd ed). UNSW Press.

Lyons. (2003). Third sector: the contribution of non-profit and cooperative enterprises in Australia. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest.

Shadbolt, N., O'Hara, K., De Roure, D., & Hall, W. (2019).  The theory and practice of social machines . New York: Springer International Publishing.

Warburton, J., Moore, M., & Oppenheimer, M. (2018). Challenges to the recruitment and retention of volunteers in traditional nonprofit organizations: A case study of Australian Meals on Wheels.  International Journal of Public Administration ,  41 (16), 1361-1373.

White, L. (2018). A Cook's tour: Towards a framework for measuring the social impact of social purpose organizations.  European Journal of Operational Research,  268 (3), 784-797.

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