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A major new report into Third Sector skills and training has been published by the PNE Group (formerly Project North East) as part of their voluntaryskills.com project, a website which promotes skills development and career progression in the sector by offering free information on training opportunities in the North East & Cumbria.

The North East Third Sector Skills Survey 2007-2008 was designed to help understand the latest training needs of people in the sector, highlight any gaps in current training provision and identify the barriers to learning across the region.

A total of 282 surveys were completed online between 19th November and 7th December 2007, and the report is an analysis of both these results and the data held on the voluntaryskills.com Training Database over a period of 12 months between January and December 2007.

In particular, some of the key findings that came out of the report include:

• People in the North East Third Sector are well-educated, and appear to be better educated than in other parts of the UK when compared to the national average.
• Current Third Sector training provision in the North East does not match training needs, with a particular shortage of courses in subjects including Management & Supervision, Business Skills, Fundraising & Finance, Leadership & Governance, Coaching & Mentoring, Marketing & Promotion, Training & Assessment, Equality & Diversity and Legal Issues.
• The biggest barriers to training are a lack of funding and time.
• The most important factors influencing choice of training are cost, level of training and the reputation of the training provider respectively.
• Rural areas may be disadvantaged by a lack of training opportunities.
• Third sector training often suffers from poor marketing and promotion.
• There is a lack of forward planning in the sector with regards to training.
• Most Third Sector training is non-accredited and low level.
• Skills and experience are more valued than qualifications (for now), although it is likely that qualifications will become much more important in future.
• Better signposting and information on career progression is needed.
• 1 in 4 people booking onto a training course as a direct result of reading about it on the voluntaryskills.com website or monthly e-bulletins in 2007 (around 15,561 people).

“This report is essential market research for anyone who is interested in designing and delivering training and development programmes that meet the needs of people working in the Third Sector” said Paul Lancaster, voluntaryskills.com Project Manager.

To download the report please click on one of the links below:

North East Third Sector Skills Survey 2007-2008 (Full Report) (pdf,1010kb)

North East Third Sector Skills Survey 2007-2008 (Executive Summary) (pdf, 227kb)

In March 2008, we were also commissioned by the North East Regional ICT Champion at VONNE to carry out some further research into Third Sector ICT Skills in the North East. Following its publication, the research was described by the 2008 ICT Hub External Evaluation as a 'great piece of work'.

To download this report please click on the link below:

North East Third Sector ICT Survey 2008 (pdf, 684kb)

If you have any questions about the research, would like to order a hard copy, or would like to discuss future research projects with us please contact Paul Lancaster on 0191 261 6009 or email paul.lancaster@pne.org