Civil Society, the Welfare Mix and Southern European Welfare States: what has been happening in the last decade?

The last 30 years have witnessed a significant growth of Third Sector Organizations in Southern Europe, helping to narrow the gap with Central and Northern European countries. The role of the State and of social policy was relevant in promoting this growth of civil society organizations, in an historical phase (starting from the 70s and 80s) of flourishing of voluntary action and civic engagement. As a matter of fact the State has been a major source of funding and Third Sector organizations have played an increasingly important role in the provision of services in various welfare state sectors (from health care to education and to personal social services). These organizations have been able to press for new programs, shape existing ones, monitor progress and articulate new needs. Different forms of “welfare mix” have, therefore, developed, with different effects on needs’ coverage and social inequalities.

Budgetary cuts stemming from the Euro crisis have placed considerable stress on this established Welfare Mix, as nonprofit organizations have come under increasing pressure from cost containment issues, with negative impacts on the quality of provision and of labour conditions in these organizations.  

This paper will chart the changing landscape of these relations across the four countries of Southern Europe.  Among the questions addressed are: how are stricter budget constraints due to austerity changing the Welfare Mix? To what extent have these organizations been able to reduce their dependence on the state and to seek alternative sources of funding? How strong is the pressure to give these organizations a substitution role to Welfare State action? Is there evidence of greater or smaller diffusion of social solidarity activities in recent years (e.g. in terms of volunteer hours)?