ABSTRACT
The ‘default’ definition of the voluntary sector used in this book is in keeping with the aforementioned study of Britain in international context (Kendall and Knapp, 1996). Included are organizations which are formal, nonprofit distributing, constitutionally independent of the state, self-governing and benefiting from voluntarism. These groups can be seen as comprising a ‘broad voluntary sector’ (BVS). At the same time, we also offer a ‘narrow voluntary sector’ (NVS) definition which is closer to what seems to be the typical, de facto understanding of what is, or should be, in scope in this country. Further details are provided in the next chapter. But for now the reader may be wondering why we have continued to adopt this unfashionable usage when other language – viz., voluntary and community sector, organized civil society, social economy, third sector or system, and so on – has apparently gained currency in recent years.2
