Frequently asked questions about the survey
1. What is the purpose of this survey?
The National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises is the largest survey of its kind, and designed to gather the views of the sector on a range of factors important to its success. The purpose is to provide information to all levels of government and to the sector itself on the current operating environment within the sector, and to provide a tool to identify and drive areas for improvement. The results of the survey will be used to inform national and local policy, to improve working relationships at a local level, and effectively support the sector in its role to build a stronger civil society.
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2. How does it differ to the previous National Survey of Third Sector Organisations?
This is a follow-up of the same survey. It has been commissioned to explore how things have changed in the past two years and to help all audiences assess progress made since 2008. For the purposes of the survey, we are using the clearer description, ‘charities and social enterprises’. The survey and the sample frame have been developed in the same way as for wave one.
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3. Who was asked to take part?
The survey was sent to the leaders of a wide range of charities, social enterprises and voluntary and community groups. These organisations may also consider themselves to be co-operatives or mutuals, a club or society, or a non-profit organisation, housing association, faith group or trust.
In each case, we asked that the questionnaire be completed by the leader of the organisation, a member of its senior management, or a member of the trustee board or management committee.
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4. Who commissioned the survey?
The survey has been commissioned by the Office for Civil Society, which sits in the centre of government in the Cabinet Office in recognition of the increasingly important role charities, social enterprises and voluntary and community groups play in both our society and economy.
For further information about them please visit the Cabinet Office website.
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5. Who is running the survey?
The Office for Civil Society commissioned Ipsos MORI to independently conduct the survey.
Ipsos MORI is one of the largest research companies in the UK. All work undertaken by Ipsos MORI is carried out in accordance with the Data Protection Act and guidelines agreed by the Market Research Society. To find out more about Ipsos MORI please visit the Ipsos MORI website.
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6. Who has been involved in designing the survey and the questionnaire?
We have involved stakeholders from the sector and from government throughout the development of the survey. Initial design and development work for wave one was carried out by a consortium of BMG Research, GuideStar, Inlogov and NCVO, who were commissioned by the Office for Civil Society. Ipsos MORI tested the questionnaire with a mix of 35 different voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.
By and large the same questionnaire is being used for wave two, so that results can be compared and to track changes over time. However, we have learned from the first wave and minor changes have been made to certain questions in order to refine and clarity the information gained.
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7. When and how did the survey take place?
Organisations selected to complete the survey were invited to take part in September 2010. The Survey closed to responses in early January 2011.
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8. What is being asked?
The survey asks charities, social enterprises and voluntary and community groups a range of questions relevant to their needs, and regarding factors important to their success. This includes questions about locally available resources, satisfaction with support available to their organisation, relationships with funders and commissioners, and other aspects of the working environment which affect organisations’ success.
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9. Where can I access the results of the survey?
All results at the national and local authority level are fully published at www.nscsesurvey.com/results2010/download/. These results pages also include links to an online tool, further analysis and reports to enable you to explore and understand the range of findings from both the 2008 and 2010 surveys.
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10. How are the results used?
Information from the 2008 survey has been invaluable for driving change in the sector - bolstering the evidence base, improving working relationships between the sector and local statutory bodies, and informing national and local policy and practice.
The 2010 results provide the tools to build on this action, enabling a range of audiences to assess progress made since 2008, review what is working well and what is not, and use this to effectively support the sector in its role to build a stronger civil society. This includes within:
- Central government – to inform national policy and respond to findings within its responsibility
- Local government – to build local knowledge of the sector, and use this to shape working and improve relationships with the sector.
- The sector itself (particularly infrastructure bodies) – to identify areas of need in the sector and improve support, and to lobby all levels of government on its support for the sector.
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