ALISS Conference3rd August 2010

Research into Reality:Knowledge Exchange with the third sector

Razia Shariff, Head, Knowledge Exchange TeamTHIRD SECTOR RESEARCH CENTRE

Outline

Overview of TSRC

Knowledge Exchange model at TSRC

KET role

Knowledge Exchange Impact Matrix

Virtual World

Collaboration with British Library on new data source

Third Sector Research Centre

University of Birmingham Centre, Pete Alcock, Director

University of Southampton John Mohan, Deputy Director

Funded for 5 years from 2008 by the Office of Civil Society, ESRC and Barrow Cadbury Trust

Research Programmes

Evidence base

Theoretical and policy context

Mapping and measuring

Impact

Evidence Base

Early priority

Existing research

Databases

International and comparative sources

Social enterprise cross cutting stream

Theory and Policy

Theoretical and conceptual analysis

Third Sector? Civil Society Social enterprise?

Policy context

Policy agenda Practice impact

Mapping and Measuring

Quantitative database (Southampton)

Guidestar ONS

Qualitative database (Birmingham)

In depth sample (Real Times)

Longitudinal analysis

Impact

Service delivery

Economic and social ‘value’ Procurement and commissioning Organisational experience

Engagement

‘Below the radar’ Community empowerment

Social Enterprise Stream

Definition and delineation

Measuring social enterprises

Social enterprise and service delivery

Social enterprise and community cohesion

Long Term Goals

Robust databases for the sector

Longitudinal analysis of trends

Analysis of impact and engagement

Enhanced capacity for research

Sustainability – A permanent UK research centre

Aim: to make a difference in policy, practice & academia

• Academic Knowledge developed• Practitioner Community able to access & use research

knowledge to enhance their work • Economic and social impact of sector evidenced and

strengthened• Policy, funding and decision making informed through an

accessible evidence base

Creating Impact

1. Review of Literature

2. Identify Research Streams

3. Establish engagement mechanisms

4. Ensure ongoing

participation

5. Knowledge exchange &

feedback

6. Promote and publicise

7. Identify new areas of

research

Third Sector Stakeholders

Decision makers and policy implementers

Funders & Commissioners

Non academic

researchers

Academic Researchers

Practitioners

Media and Publicists

Local and national policy makers

Advisory Board

Reference Groups

TSRC

• Two member team started in May 2009 based in London and linked to NCVO Research Team

• Developing Knowledge Exchange Communications and Impact Strategy and implement

• Creating publications and website• Attending Conferences and events• Exploring joint stakeholder seminars and workshops

with other key partners and ESRC Research Centres

KET Role

THE ROLE OF THE KNOWLEDGE BROKER

“Move knowledge and ideas from a knowledge source to potential users” UK Research Council

“ Exchange, synthesis and ethically sound application of knowledge, within a complex system of interactions among researchers and users” Canadian Institute of Health Research 2000

Producer push, User pull or exchange

Facilitating information management, linkage and exchange agent or capacity building

To bridge gaps and build understanding between research,decision making, policy making and practice

To ensure that the experience and knowledge of policy anddecision makers, practitioners and funders informs our

research

To make knowledge available in meaningful and accessible ways

so that it can be used by policy and decision makers,practitioners and funders

To ensure we reach those isolated from existing researchknowledge flows

Communication Strategy

• Website and links to other websites• Publicity Materials and ebullitions• Published materials• Building contacts and expanding reach• Media and press work• Events and workshops• Monitoring, evaluation and refine approach to ensure cover

the diversity and depth of the sector

Tools & Methods

34 Working Papers and Briefing Papers

500 copies of each of the first 15 papers disseminated

75 Research presentations to nearly 5000 stakeholders

13 stands at national events with 300 – 600 delegates

35 targeted events attended as participants

8 targeted meeting and seminar stands

Publications and presentations

More stakeholders

impacted Fewer

stakeholders impacted

Media advertising

Stands at VCS Conferences

Inserts/publicity in

delegate packs

Website, discussion

board, blogs etcResearch

presentations at events

Sharing information on sector debates and

reports

News articles in specialist and general media

Advisory Board and Reference Groups

Co-hosting events based on research streams in

partnership with partner organisations

Articles in Academic Journals

Dissemination of research knowledge

Impact events on research papers

Policy symposium with media, policy and

practice

Stands at meetings and seminars

Facilitating workshops on research areas

Capacity Building Clusters (CBC)

Attending targeted events

TV/Radio interview

Virtual World

Website hits within 6 months – 1000 a month, 9 months, now upto 2666 a month

Bi monthly e-newsletter to 900 recipients led to 235 visits in one day compared to 80 a day on average

Examples of impact: Tescoisation press releasePress Release articles – 9 online media articlesHits on website increased in relevant page from 10 to 50 a dayOnline article in Third Sector magazine – 115,000 subscribersMention in popular sector Blog approximately 500 followersTweets by 8 people reaching 4,182 followers(Note follows subscribe to blogs and tweets)

British Library new data source proposalTSRC unique opportunity to collate as part of evidence reviews and research process a large volume of published materials on the third sector

There is a mass of material, published and unpublished, on the third sector which is not known about, easily obtained, or listed separately in one place, and part of TSRC’s project is to compile an on-line catalogue of such resources.

In the first year have 1,200 references on our database, but don’t have the resources or expertise to catalogue and offer them as a searchable data source portal on the web

British Library has the expertise and is interested in developing its online resources for the social science community and third sector

Aim to have a single search interface for research on the third sector, where research can be added and reviewed for inclusion

In discussions with the Big Lottery to support the start up costs of a Librarian and Project Manager

This catalogue will be freely available to all those interested, or working in the sector and will include items freely accessible via TSRC’s own database of publications, the Internet, or obtainable by making a payment.

The catalogue will be maintained and updated by TSRC until the project comes to an end in 2013, or later if further funding is forthcoming, at which point British Library will take on the responsibility.

The online resource may be expanded in partnership with NCVO to offer a platform for statistical data on the sector to be analysed

Contact Details

Razia ShariffHead, Knowledge Exchange TeamTHIRD SECTOR RESEARCH CENTRE

Tel: 0207520 2459E-mail: knowledge@tsrc.ac.uk

Web: www.tsrc.ac.uk