ABSTRACT
Many third sector organisations are formed by individuals or other organisations that share a common interest or identity. Some of these are formed primarily to advance or protect that interest by representing it to the wider society or government and by providing services to its members. A final set of third sector organisations formed to advance their members’ interests and, they believe, the interests of the whole society, are political parties. Professional associations are formed to set standards and control entry to certain occupations. They require members to maintain and update their skills by taking further courses of study and by reading professional journals. The first organisation to represent the interests of businesses was formed long before the first trade union. Many other third sector organisations are formed to represent the interests, mainly the economic interests, but sometimes the legal rights, of their members. Representing interests is a task that favours the third sector form of organising.
