| Abstract: | This article examines the role of local development agencies (such as Rural Community Councils and Volunteer Bureaux) in developing and supporting local voluntary action. It finds these agencies equipped with the potential to make a significant contribution to their communities, in particular by taking on a strategic role as catalysts for service development. The article ends with a series of recommendations both for the management of these agencies and for the roles of central and local government in supporting them. Taken together, these recommendations specify the preconditions for the successful realization of this potential of local development agencies. |
