Free Downloads
This page contains free downloads of research reports, guidelines and other documents that are useful and relevant to voluntary and community sector organisations in the UK.
Skills
Equality & Diversity
Funding & Procurement
Governance
Volunteering
A National Skills Framework for the Voluntary Sector (Oct 2010) (PDF, 873kb)
This report presents what Skills - Third Sector have learned from the consultation and sets out their proposal for how a national framework to support priority skills development should be delivered in the three year period from 2011 to 2014.
Valuing Volunteer Management Skills (Sept 2010)(PDF, 529kb)
This report seeks to address some of the remaining gaps in our knowledge around the skills needs of people who manage volunteers.
Voluntary Sector Skills Survey (2007) (PDF, 3310kb)
This research explores skills gaps and skills shortages in paid employees within the voluntary sector in 2007. It was commissioned by the UK Workforce Hub to provide information on the skills and workforce development of voluntary sector employees in the UK. This report focuses only on England.
ACAS Delivering Equality & Diversity (March 2009) (PDF, 367kb)
A good example of delivering effective equality & diversity policies and action plans in the workplace. It includes ways of reassessing your current policy or creating a new one from scratch. It also includes examples of policies and action plans to help guide you in the right direction.
Equality in Diction (PDF, 200kb)
This guide will help identify terminology which is broadly acceptable and which promises best practice and professionalism. The information contained in this guide is intended to help avoid the unintentional offence caused by unthinking use of language and to improve relationships across the whole of our communities.
Women’s Resource Centre Equality Guide (PDF, 1480kb)
The purpose of this guidance is to provide a set of tools and resources to second- tier voluntary and community sector organisations to help them develop effective equality audits and impact assessments using creative and innovative techniques.
3rd Sector funding support ACEVO (PDF, 2493kb)
ACEVO and Capacitybuilders are collaborating on a workstream of activity to improve the support available to frontline organisations in the third sector, specifically to improve access and support for the full range of income generation opportunities. This is a vital issue for the sector if it is to remain both vibrant and sustainable in the future.
Grants Making for Voluntary and Community Organisations- VSNW (PDF, 510kb)
Historically grant funding has been derived by the voluntary and community sector from either central government or the wider public sector, primarily through local authority grant giving functions. In recent years, despite reductions in the above primary grants, a new form of grant has come to the fore through the charitable function of the National Lottery. This document aims to shed some light on the economic effects this might have.
Sourcing Innovative Solutions (PDF, 520kb)
This article discusses different methods of sourcing new ideas, illustrated with examples from Cancer Research UK’s approach to finding new ways to fundraise.
A beginner's guide to commissioning (April 2011) (PDF, 2.98mb)
The commissioning of local public services and the impact on communities and organisations is as important as ever. NAVCA provide, for the first time, a guide for development workers starting out on this journey of supporting organisations to engage with the commissioning landscape.
The sustainable sun tool: steps to sustainability (May 2011) (PDF, 528kb)
Help you assess where you are in working towards financial sustainability; Give you practical ideas and support for how to move forward; Help you review your progress.
The UK Civil Society Almanac 2010 (PDF, 347kb)
This is a preview of the full document which is available from NCVO here for £125 (£40 to NCVO members).
Volunteer Managers: National Ocupational Standards (February 2010) (PDF, 107kb)
These are the National Occupational Standards for volunteer managers. They have been developed to encourage good management of volunteers throughout voluntary and community organisations. They are part of the series of National Occupational Standards developed by Skills – Third Sector to set the standards for key jobs in the community and voluntary sector including fundraisers, trustees, campaigners and people who work in organisational development.
Big Society ACEVO (May 2010) (PDF, 734kb)
A review of David Cameron’s’ ‘Big Society’ includes examples and case studies from the past to describe the points raised and explain just exactly what this Big Society is and what it will involve from civil services and the state.
Governance Hub & Co-Operatives UK - Guide to Governance and Organisational Structures (August 2007) (PDF, 553kb)
According to Governance Hub research, many trustees and management committee members want greater reassurance and access to practical information about legal structures. In response, the Governance Hub commissioned Co-operatives UK to produce this guide about the common organisational and legal structures, including newer forms outlined in the Charities Act 2006: Community Interest Companies and Charitable Incorporated Organisations.
Charities Act 2006 - What trustees need to know (May 2007) (PDF, 1.26mb)
The Cabinet Office and Charity Commission have launched this concise guide to to the biggest shake up of charity law for centuries. The guide is primarily aimed at those running small charities that may not have the knowledge or expertise to make the most of the new laws.
Assisting the Development of Good Governance in Voluntary Organisations (Word, 232kb)
Based in Northumberland, the Foundation for Good Governance is an independent charity that focuses on developing greater understanding of governance within the charitable and not for profit sector by organising events, undertaking research and disseminating the results of its work.
The Governance Hub - Code of Governance and Standards (PDF, 264kb)
The Governance Hub has also produced a Code of Governance and Standards for the voluntary and community sector.
Office of the Third Sector - Criminal Records Bureau checks Guidance for volunteering (June 2008) (PDF, 200kb)
The Cabinet Office has published new guidance for organisations that make use of volunteers, to clarity when Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks need to be carried out. The guidance, said the Cabinet Office, explains how CRB checks work as part of a proper risk management process, and will help cut unnecessary red tape by identifying when checks are not necessary.
acevo & Volunteering England - Essential Guide to Involving Volunteers 2007 (PDF, 196kb)
Many volunteer-involving organisations say they are experiencing problems in recruiting and retaining volunteers. This guide aims to help organisations to develop a volunteer programme which will not only survive but prosper.
Disability Rights Commission (DRC) -Recruiting, Retaining and Developing Disabled Volunteers: Guidance for Volunteer Opportunity Providers 2006 (PDF, 296kb)
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) believes that disabled people should have the same rights, choices and opportunities as non-disabled people. This applies as much in the field of volunteering as elsewhere. This document seeks to improve access to volunteering opportunities for disabled people by providing advice and guidance to organisations providing, or who are planning to provide, such opportunities.
The DRC hopes that organisations of all kinds will use this document to help them create barrier free volunteering opportunities for disabled people in many different types of volunteering environment.
UK Workforce Hub - Management of Volunteers NOS (PDF, 976kb)
National Occupational Standards (NOS) define a framework of good practice in the way people work, based on the functions of their job or role, and the UK Workforce Hub has developed these sector specific standards for the management of volunteers.
Volunteering England - Volunteers and the Law (PDF, 298kb)
Volunteers and the Law has been created as a readable overview of legal issues for volunteer managers and anyone who works with volunteers.
