Women and children to be affected by ‘The Big Society’

The Big society project was one of Prime Minister David Cameron’s personal goals and had been outlined in the manifesto prior to the General Election.  The Big Society was introduced as a way of empowering communities by nurturing a ‘’volunteerism’’ approach to drive forward ‘’people power’’.  The Government had pridicted the scheme would invigorate the running of post offices, libraries, transport systems and housing projects.  Four areas were chosen to be pilots, but Liverpool city council has already withdrawn, classifying the proposal ‘’a big con’’.

Sarah Veale, head of the TUC’s equality and employment rights department, told a seminar held by the Economic and Social Research Council looking into Fairness during Fiscal Austerity that the general aim of the scheme was a “good idea”, but not throughout the existing economic climate.  She said, “Women will struggle to cope with part-time low paid jobs, doing unpaid work in the home and the community as well”.  She added women would make every effort to assist in certain situations where public financial support had been removed, such as the running of a youth club, because they would be aware it was benefitting their children so they would put in the personal effort to maintain such a venture obtainable.
She notified the strain of cuts on parents will “filter down” to children.
Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, outgoing director of the charity, Community Services Volunteers, argued the cuts have ''destroyed'' the voluntary sector. She said there was no ''strategic plan''.

Many women will suffer because the consequences of the cuts will result in over-qualified people taking on unskilled jobs therefore leaving women with skills and little qualifications with no jobs.

The big society scheme isn’t going in David Cameron’s favor. It seems as though the rich, will just get richer and the poor get poorer!

Could this been seen as a female recession?