Involve appointed to undertake research into effective and innovative consultation with the third sector
The Office of the Third Sector has appointed a consortium led by Involve and comprising GuideStar and Headshift to undertake a research project looking at effective and innovative consultation with the third sector. The research, jointly funded with NCVCCO, will fulfil a commitment from the Third Sector Review and will build on the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform’s (BERR) work on Government consultation. It will report in the autumn.
The Third Sector Review published in July 2007 highlighted that listening and responding to the views of citizens and communities is a vital part of the policy making process and a thriving democracy. The Office of the Third Sector is therefore investing in research to promote better understanding of effective and innovative methods of consultation with the third sector and a diverse range of third sector organisations.
The key questions the project will address are:
- How can government most effectively consult with third sector organisations?
- How can it reach organisations normally under-represented in government consultations?
- Are there specific ways in which consultation with the third sector differs from other government consultation?
The research will be England-wide and will cover the whole of the third sector, including voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, charities, co-operatives and mutuals. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies will be employed in the project.
It will provide a useful resource to wider government as they seek to consult with third sector organisations, and inform future OTS consultation exercises as it seeks to act as an exemplar of best practice. The research will also generate useful supplementary information as the new Code of Practice on Consultation is implemented across Government, and will input into work the Commission for the Compact is undertaking to review and revise the Compact and its Codes.
The final report, interactive on-line toolkit and a dissemination seminar will be delivered by the end of October 2008.
