11th Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference

11th Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference
NCVO and VSSN
University of Warwick
31st August and 1st September 2005

Last chance to submit your proposals: Friday 4th March.
The NCVO/VSSN Researching the Voluntary Sector Conference is a unique meeting place for both researchers and users of research to discuss current research, its implications and the need for further research in the voluntary and community sector.

Call for papers
The 11th conference will be held at the University of Warwick on 31st August and 1st September 2005 and we are now inviting paper and session proposals. We invite proposals on all areas of relevance to the voluntary sector, but would particularly welcome proposals on topics of current policy interest.

Topics might include:

• Philanthropy & Giving, including: donor motivation; measurement issues; funding issues; international comparison.
• VCS/State Relations, including: independence; the role of the VCS in public service delivery; government funding of the VCS; new localism and its implications; compacts.
• VCS Infrastructure & management, including: contracting and procurement; performance and outcome measurement; workforce and skills; VCOs use of ICT; ChangeUp & capacity building; volunteer management.
• Civil renewal & active citizenship, including: the role of faith and BME groups in building communities; role of VCOs in building participation; non-governmental public action.
• Public Policy, including: accountability and transparency; gender issues; charity law reform

How to submit your proposal
* Abstracts of 400-600 words, for single papers or whole sessions should be sent to us at research@ncvo-vol.org.uk no later than Friday 4th March 2005.
* Authors will be notified of acceptance of their submissions by Friday 8th April 2005.
* Successful authors will need to submit papers of between 2000 and 2500 words (where relevant) by Friday 24th June 2005.

New researchers' session
Like last year, we will be running a special session for "new" researchers in conjunction with our colleagues at the Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR). The session is aimed at those who are relatively new to the field of voluntary sector research and is an opportunity to meet, discuss research and share ideas. If you would like to deliver a short presentation at this session either on a research topic, a methodological approach, or your experiences of carrying out research, please send a 200-400 word abstract to Angela Ellis at IVR (angela.ellis@volunteeringengland.org) by Friday 27th May 2005. You can attend the session either as part of the main conference, or you can come along to just this session free of charge.

Further information
If you have any questions, or would like to know more about the conference, please email us at research@ncvo-vol.org.uk.