How is the forum run?
Scotland’s Third Sector Research Forum is a community of practice for people who do, commission or have an interest in third sector research. Third sector research refers to a wide range of practices across the entire sector – it is broader than academic research. The forum is facilitated by Evaluation Support Scotland (ESS) with funding from the Scottish Government Third Sector Unit. ESS provides the secretariat, communications, coordination and facilitates functions for the forum.
What is the purpose?
The forum’s purposes are to:
- Provide support for people and organisations in the third sector that undertake or commission research
- Promote third sector research
- Strengthen third sector research practice
What are the topics of discussion?
The forum’s discussions and resources are organised around some overarching themes and more specific topics related to third sector research. The themes and topics develop over time. Some examples are below:
Overarching Themes:
- Research Collaboration (i.e. across organisations and sectors)
- Research Methods (i.e. ways of doing research)
- Research Ethics (e.g. researching sensitive issues)
- Research Participants (e.g. recruiting and working with research participants)
- Disseminating Findings (e.g. presenting findings, sharing with media)
- Research Influence (e.g. third sector research influencing policy, practice or social change)
Specific Topics:
- Research Funding (e.g. where to look for it, how to apply)
- Knowledge Exchange with academic partners
- Inclusive Research Methods
- Researching the Cost of Living Crisis
- Public Involvement in Research
- Researching the Impact of the Third Sector
Information and resources about each of these areas are provided within the Forum Topics.
What are the activities?
The forum’s activities include peer learning events, informal members chats, sharing of resources and other communications related to third sector research. This includes the use of a dedicated Slack workspace for discussion and sharing.
Members chats
TSRF Members chats are designed to enable members to connect and share practice related to third sector research. All TSRF members are welcome, whether you are a third sector researcher yourself, or you have a more general interest in third sector research.
(Not already a TSRF member? Join while signing-up for Members Chats)
TSRF Sub-groups
The Scottish Network for Volunteering Research
The Scottish Network for Volunteering Research (SNVR) was launched in September 2024 as a sub-group of the Third Sector Research Forum.
The mission of SNVR is to enhance the volunteering evidence base in Scotland to inform policy and practice priorities relevant to the implementation of Scotland’s Volunteering Action Plan. Find out more here.
Forum members can get involved with the SNVR, by joining the SNVR slack channel within the TSRF slack workspace, and by signing up for the SNVR focused Members Chats!