New Governance and Network Management in the Voluntary Sector: Adjusting the Balance between Authority and Autonomy in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Settlement Program

Abstract

The transition to decentralized service provision has created tension between the authority of public funders and the autonomy of voluntary organizations; public administrators must learn how balance these two aspects of network service provision if they are to overcome the challenges of network management in the voluntary sector. This report examines the balance between authority and autonomy in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's Settlement Program, using the perspectives of key informants to uncover lessons for network management in the voluntary sector. The report finds that key stakeholders from the voluntary sector and from IRCC positively regard the program's adjustments to the balance between authority and autonomy, although further improvements are still possible.