Research

Our aim and strategy is to contribute to and develop knowledge about the voluntary and community sector for the benefit of researchers, policy makers and organisations interested in the sector.

Research Services

Consultancy

We welcome external research contracts. Our clients include Supporting People (NIHE), Northern Ireland Audit Office, Department for Regional Development, Copius Consulting , CIVICUS, The Wheel, SEUPB, Voluntary and Community Unit at DSD, and Volunteer Development Agency now known as Volunteer Now.

Databases of the Sector

If you would like to know more about the voluntary and community sector, NICVA holds a vast amount of information.  For further details, contact the research team on 028 9087 7777.

Research Themes

The work of the research team can be broken down into 4 main themes, resources, people, performance and influence.

Research Resources

What are the trends in how the sector is being resourced and how are the wider socio-economic and political factors driving this change?

• Charitable Giving Survey 2008
• Charitable Giving Survey 2005
• State of the Sector V
• State of the Sector IV
• State of the Sector III
• Drifting off course?
• Impact of gap Funding
• Telling the story of Peace II
• Insuring the future of the sector
• Managing to deliver

People

is the workforce and volunteer base of the voluntary and community sector changing and what is the potential impact of these changing on the sector?

• The Hidden Workforce 2009
• Sector Skills Report 2008
• Volunteering in NI 2007 'It's all about Time'
• Salary Survey 2006
• Sector Skills Report 2004
• Committee Matters 2003
• Recruitment costs 2003
• Salary Survey 2001

Performance

Strategic planning, quality assurance systems, mergers and alliances, partnerships, monitoring and evaluation.

• Monitoring positive steps
• Positive steps report 2007
• Monitoring Report 2006
• Supporting People overview report
• Measuring impact report (NCVO)
  

Influence

How is the sector's role of campaigning and advocacy changing with the advancement of public service reform and the new administrative arrangements?

• ESRC public participation report
• Squaring the Circle
• Getting the message across - Reporting on Civil Society
• CIVICUS: Civil society in Northern Ireland
• RPA - Tide of Change report
• Support Services report 2007

 Other resources

• Third Sector Research Centre - The third sector research centre (TSRC) exists to develop the evidence base on, for and with the third sector in the UK. Working closely with practitioners, policy-makers and other academics, TSRC is undertaking and reviewing research, and making this research widely available. Find out more: www.tsrc.ac.uk

• The Queens University Science Shop - You Tube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/qubsshop

• For related research news, events and publications, see the side bar menu on right.