Investigating mission drift in Queensland, Australia: a case study of service delivery models

Investigating mission drift in Queensland, Australia: a case study of service delivery models

This research study focused on mission drift within an Australian context. Mission drift is a phenomenon that occurs when organisations shift and change their operational practices in response to the demands of government funding requirements. Currently many scholars have suggested that mission drift is exacerbated by a paucity of literature on the topic and this study aims at filling the gap. Further identified in the mission drift literature as problematic for NGOs is government funding. The literature review focused on the Australian Government funding of the non-government organisations (NGO) sector. This sector reported a further complexity - NGOs as self-silencing. Applying a qualitative approach, the study utilised case study to explore the phenomenon of mission drift. Importantly, the research used multiple data sources, drawn from two personal experiences as a practitioner working within a large NGO for ten years, as a researcher who experienced the self-silencing of NGOs in the recruitment process, and document analysis. Key findings from the data illuminate how Australian government funding requirements contribute to mission drift in Australian NGOs. Overall, the study has highlighted how State government funders’ changes to Service Delivery Models have a direct impact on the therapeutic work practices of managers and practitioners, where the flow on effect for therapeutic work practices is that of mission drift, in turn effecting vulnerable members of society. Findings contribute further to the literature by providing empirical evidence of some ways self-silencing occurs within Australian NGOs.