Voluntary Groups

by Patricia Levy

Published 16 May 2002
A simple text, supported by diagrams and colour photographs, explains what voluntary groups are, their responsibilities and role within society. It looks at their historical background as well as their present day structure and means of finance. It explores the relationship between voluntary groups and other institutions of society, e.g. Parliament, central and local government, the media, the EU. It also asks how effective these groups are and if they are ever corrupt or irresponsible.

This title examines the history and modern day role of political parties in the UK political system. It looks at how the two-party system developed, how different political parties have different ideologies and the importance of having different political parties in a modern democracy. An activity at the end aims to encourage the reader to think about what they have read and to critically assess for themselves how effective the party system is. This book should provide a useful resource for the Key Stage 3 Citizenship National Curriculum, where young people should be taught about the key characteristics of parliamentary government.