Charities should deliver public services but should be careful that this forms only a part of their objectives, according to a new report by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

The report, Public Services: the role of the voluntary sector, finds that public service delivery offers charitable and voluntary organisations an excellent opportunity to reach more of the people and communities they are designed to support. However, NCVO believes that this is only one way they can engage with their beneficiaries.

Stuart Etherington, NCVO chief executive, said: “Voluntary and community organisations do play an important role in public service delivery, but it should be viewed as a means to meeting their objectives not as an end in itself. The delivery of public services is only one aspect of the sector’s function in society and should be pursued alongside other activities like advocacy and campaigning.

Public Services: the role of the voluntary sector also found that some voluntary organisations choose to take contracts below cost where the activity fits with their mission and they consider it appropriate to the cost of the service, while others choose to set a price that allows them to make a profit which can be reinvested. The report recommends that when deciding to take on a contract an organisation should determine whether the risks and opportunities are appropriate and that the charity is properly accountable for the use of the resources.

For more information or a pdf of the report, visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk or email publications@ncvo-vol.org.uk