Difficulties of researching the voluntary sector

Earlier chapters considered difficulties in defining the voluntary sector (VS) and examined historical and contemporary changes within a discussion of social policy and social and organisational theory. This chapter sets the scene for subsequent chapters by outlining the different empirical studies that they draw on. Much research involves a complex interweaving of theoretical reflection, practical decisions and ethical considerations; and the work described here is no different. Without rehearsing epistemological and methodological debates at length, this chapter offers a background for the empirical studies, explaining how they have been designed and framed, assumptions underlying the approach to research and some dilemmas encountered.

From Chapter One, it is already evident that researching the VS is not simple for three fairly concrete reasons. First, it is a relatively young field of research located variously with several academic disciplines, each drawing on different traditions of research and related methods. Second, despite growing VS research, the sector's scope and definitions are contested (Alcock, 2010a), and an estimated 75% or more of small or micro organisations potentially exist ‘below the radar’ of good research information (McCabe and Phillimore, 2009). This highlights, third, the diversity of organisations and purposes potentially encompassed in the VS and extending into civil society; and whereas, for example, social policy research will tend to focus on one welfare field, be it health, housing, education or social care, the VS not only operates across many service fields, but also combines other roles, such as community advice, mutual aid groups, membership associations and campaigning.

The studies discussed in this book largely focus on VS providers of children and young people's services but also draw on some wider examples. While most voluntary sector organisations (VSOs) included provide services, some are also membership organisations, encouraging self-help activities and fulfil broader community resource functions, including advocacy. A rapidly changing environment both from a policy and an organisational perspective adds to difficulties in undertaking research in this sector. This is common to much research in social policy, and it is to address this challenge that earlier chapters have adopted a historical perspective, so that where empirical data have been gathered over a shorter period, overall continuities and disparities are more visible.