voluntary sector

The Panel on the Independence of the Voluntary Sector was established by the Baring Foundation in June 2011 to ensure that independence is seen as a top priority by the voluntary sector and those with whom it works and to make recommendations to ensure that it is not lost.

This report is the first of five annual assessments.

After 25 years of systematic data-collection and publication, the UK Government is currently no longer producing information on its spending in the voluntary sector across the UK: its last publication of these figures was for the years 2005-06.

It is now only possible to analyse current government spending in the voluntary sector in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where data-gathering continues. This article analyses their data for the years 2004-05 to 2008-09.

Research commissioned by the Voluntary Sector Support programme (VSS) and carried out by the Research Centre at the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), which provides an extensive and in-depth exploration of the nature of the children and young people’s voluntary sector and its involvement in shaping and delivering local statutory services and support.

Developed by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and funded by the Scottish Government, this evidence library is an online information resource whereby research into Third Sector issues in Scotland can be easily browsed, accessed at speed and stored, if required, in a personalised document briefcase for future reference.

Certain types of charity are set up to assist or care for those who are particularly vulnerable, perhaps because of their age, physical or mental ability or ill health.

Charity trustees are responsible for ensuring that those benefiting from, or working with, their charity are not harmed in any way through contact with it. They have a legal duty to act prudently and this means that they must take all reasonable steps within their power to ensure that this does not happen.

Report laying out the findings of a consultation exercise in which over one hundred stakeholders put forward their views on a more coherent infrastructure for the third sector and how the interface between Community Planning Partnerships and the third sector could be improved.

Briefing paper discussing the implications of the personalisation agenda for voluntary service providers, for example how they ensure the individual is the primary focus.

Code of practice agreed between the UK Government and the community sector in England to promote good relations between the two and a better understanding of the community sector.