Details of Programme

David Robinson has managed the IPS Programme on Civil Society since 1993 beginning with a workshop and symposium on the changing nature of the voluntary sector following public sector reform. The symposium proceedings were published in Performance without Profit: the voluntary welfare sector in New Zealand, editors Gary Hawke and David Robinson. In 1996 the Programme co-hosted the Australia, New Zealand Third Sector Research Conference at VUW with Maori Congress, Social Cohesion, Justice and Citizenship - the role of the voluntary sector.
The Programme on Civil Society holds seminars and workshops, hosts visiting speakers and contributes to IPS publications. The focus of this work has been on exploring ways in which a social capital framework could impact on policy and the relationship between social capital, diversity and equality. Tu Williams and David ran two seminars in 2007 on ways in which Maori develop views on new and complex issues. A paper from this project was presented at the 2008 ISTR conference in Barcelona.
The Programme is also exploring the theory and practice of sustained dialogue in collaboration with the New Zealand Social and Civic Policy Institute www.scpi.org.nz. Papers were presented at the International Society for Third Sector Research Conference in Toronto and a workshop at the University of West Virginia in 2004, and at the 2005 Talking Bio-Technology Conference at VUW. In 2006 David ran a workshop on sustained dialogue and social justice at the Fiji Theological College and he facilitated a session at the CIVICUS World Assembly in Glasgow in 2007. SCPI is currently developing community dialogues on “living with diversity” in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington with a focus on relations between refugee groups and host communities. Using deliberative dialogue to research issues of discrimination experienced by families and people living with mental illness and improving services to families with complex needs is also being developed.
A major area of interest is the review and reform of laws and legislation affecting civil society organisations in the Pacific. IPS hosted seminars by Richard Fries, former UK Charity Commissioner in 2001 and 2003. David is Project Manager of the Pacific Civil Society Law Reform Programme, an NZAID funded partnership between the International Centre for Not-for-profit Law and the University of the South Pacific Law School. This project is reviewing legislation affecting civil society in Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. This has included advising the Fiji Law Reform Commission and CSOs on a review of the Fiji Charitable Trust Act and Registration of Religious Bodies Act. A framework has been developed for a new Law on Associations in Vanuatu and a paper in civil society law taught at the USP Law School in December 2007 will be offered again in January 2009. The first Pacific regional conference on civil society legislation was held in Port Vila in September 2007. Outcomes from the conference include an MOU between the Solomon Island Government and civil society with a detailed work plan covering the review of legislation and discussion on the development of a regional law reform network. See www.icnl.org for further information and working papers.

Guest speakers have included:
Australian Industries Commission, members of AIC enquiry into charitable organisations; Bill Scales, Roger Mauldon, Sr. Margaret McGovern, 1994.
Rajesh Tandon, Society for Participatory Research Institute in Asia and Chair of CIVICUS, 1995
Robert Putnam, Harvard University, 1996 and 2003.
Richard Fries, Visiting Fellow LSE Centre for Civil Society, Chair of International Centre for Not-for-profit Law and Former UK Charity Commissioner, 2001 and 2003.
Hal Saunders, Director of International Affairs Kettering Foundation and Director of International Institute for Sustained Dialogue, 2003.
Michael Woolcock, World Bank and Harvard University, 2003.
Tom Healy, Department of Education and Science, Dublin, 2004. Tom was a visiting fellow at IPS for five weeks exploring Policy and Research Implications of Social capital for New Zealand.

IPS publications from the Programme on Civil Society include:
Performance without Profit: the voluntary welfare sector in New Zealand, editors Gary Hawke and David Robinson, 1993.
Social Capital and Policy Development, editor David Robinson, 1997.
Partnership: from Practice to Theory, editor David Robinson, IPS Policy Paper number 2, 1999.
Social Capital in Action, editor David Robinson, 1999.
Charity, Charity Law and Civil Society, Richard Fries, Policy Paper number 10, 2001.
Building Social Capital, editor David Robinson, 2000
Social Capital: Some Policy and Research Implications for New Zealand, Tom Healy, 2004.

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