SCOTTISH THIRD SECTOR RESEARCH FORUM
The Scottish Third Sector Research Forum has reconvened to collaborate and share ideas on the research and evidence needs for the third sector in 2009-10. Members include representatives of a range of third sector intermediaries bodies, in particular the strategic partners of the Third Sector Division. The remit and recent minutes of Forum meetings are available here and provide more detailed information on the activities of the Forum.
Scottish Third Sector Research Forum - meeting 1 2008-9
Scottish Third Sector Research Forum - meeting 2 2008-9
Scottish Third Sector Research Forum - meeting 3 2008-9
Scottish Third Sector Research Forum - meeting 1 2009-10
Scottish Third Sector Research Forum - meeting 2 2009-10
The remit of the Scottish Third Sector research Forum 2009-10
THE THIRD SECTOR INTERACTIVE EVIDENCE LIBRARY
The Interactive Evidence Library is a new and free-to-use information resource for the Third Sector in Scotland. It contains around 700 links to published research about the Third Sector and is being regularly updated. Each piece of published research has its own searchable page, with a short summary, information on the authors, and a clickable link to the publication itself. Users can easily search by subject and store reports they find useful in their own 'document briefcase' for future reference. They can also make comments about individual research publications, exchange ideas with other users, and put forward research they've found useful for inclusion in the Library. This resource has been developed by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and is funded by the Scottish Government.
Local Authority Service Commissioning & Procurement Staff Survey - April 2009
The survey was designed to find out more about the views, attitudes and experiences of commissioning and procurement staff (in Scotland's local authorities) in relation to Scotland's enterprising third sector.
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
CURRENT PROGRAMME FOR THIRD SECTOR RESEARCH
The programme covers three themes that will support the Scottish Government's five Strategic Objectives, as follows:
1. Alignment of research evidence to government strategy
2. The localism agenda
3. Sustainable growth of the third sector
Note: The programme outlined may be subject to change, depending on Ministerial priorities.
1. The Alignment of the Evidence in Relation to Scottish Government Strategy
The main priority for Scottish Government analysts is to establish a thorough understanding of the evidence base and understand what the third sector can currently contribute to the government's purpose (especially cohesion and solidarity) and five strategic objectives.
Project A. Commissioned.
The contribution of the third sector to the Government's purpose and five strategic objectives
This work will review the current evidence on the third sector in Scotland to evaluate its contribution to the Government's purpose and five strategic objectives (wealthier and fairer; smarter; greener; healthier and safer). It will identify what evidence we have on the Scottish third sector, and highlight the areas where the sector makes the largest contribution to the Government's objectives. It will also draw on international evidence to highlight potential areas for the third sector to make an impact, thereby providing an indication of the gaps in evidence and the gaps in the sector for understanding how the strategic objectives can best be met with support from the third sector.
2. Localism
A key theme of the Government's purpose is localism, in particular empowering communities and citizens to work together towards building sustainable economic growth with opportunities for all to flourish. The two projects here are specifically related to the new local landscape in which Third Sector organisations are operating.
Project B. Currently being commissioned.
The opportunities and challenges of the changing public services landscape for the third sector in Scotland: a longitudinal study
The purpose of this work is to assess and track over the next six years the opportunities and challenges that Third Sector organisations are facing with a changing public services landscape in Scotland between 2009 and 2014. The Concordat was signed in November 2007 and has begun an ongoing process of change that aims to deliver public services more effectively and efficiently by taking decisions closer to the public for whom they are designed. Other policies, such as the Crerar Review and Best Value 2 are likely to contribute to changes in the public sector landscape. This work will investigate how these and other local issues impact upon third sector organisations and the work they do, assessing the perceived as well as actual impacts. The outcomes will provide evidence on the impact of the changing local landscape in relation to the third sector, identifying areas of good practice that can be shared with other third sector organisations, and also areas where greater support needs to be directed. Longer term, this work will also be an additional means for identifying the success level of recommendations resulting from Project C, below, on the role of the third sector within community planning partnerships. The intention is for this to be a longitudinal study with a group of organisations over a period of time.
Project C. To be commissioned.
The role of third sector organisations in Community Planning Partnerships
The Concordat has devolved greater responsibilities to local level and Community Planning Partnerships will play a greater role than in the past in the design and delivery of public services. Comment from third sector stakeholders has suggested that third sector organisations do not always have sufficient involvement in CPPs, particularly in this context. This research is intended to establish the current and recommended level and type of third sector involvement in CPPs and make recommendations about effective models for engagement, based on established practice. On the basis of an initial mapping exercise of current processes and involvement, it will provide an analysis of the effectiveness of a range of involvement models, highlighting areas of good practice. It will also identify any barriers (perceived or real) to involvement of third sector organisations in CPPs, on a local and national basis. One of the primary measures of third sector involvement in CPPs will be their influence on single outcome agreements, as CPPs will now be the principle means for bringing this influence to bear. In this context, this work is directly linked with Project B, and ongoing outputs from the two projects are expected to complement each other.
3. Sustainable and Strategic Growth of the Third Sector
A key role has been identified for the third sector in achieving the Scottish Government's purpose of creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through sustainable economic growth. In order to realise that potential, the Scottish Government is seeking evidence on which to base strategic decisions about the best places to invest and about how to support most effectively the third sector in developing their businesses.
Project D. Currently being commissioned.
Evaluating the success factors for establishing a thriving social enterprise
The Scottish Government is committed to developing the number and quality of social enterprises in Scotland, and particularly those that provide servcies to the BME community. This research will help us to understand the factors that contribute to a successful social enterprise and how these can influence investment decisions, and any specific qualities and characteristics of Social enterprises run for and by the BME community. It will first draw on evidence from SMEs to understand the success factors of standard enterprises. It will go on to classify what constitutes a successful social enterprise by focussing in-depth on a number of organisations from different sectors of both successful and less successful social enterprises, including those providing services ot the BME community. The study will also explore the extent to which access to support is a success factor and highlight any shortcomings in the current provision. The case studies will establish whether it is feasible to draw up any success factors and, if so, compare these with the documented success factors of SMEs to identify distinctive aspects of social enterprise success. The research will then be used to establish the viability of undertaking a follow up study to test the success factors at a larger scale.