Around two-thirds of charities plan to use technology to collaborate more nationally and internationally, according to new research by Lasa.

Lasa, a charity which offers welfare rights and technology support to the voluntary sector, surveyed more than 425 people who work in the charity sector.

It found that 62 per cent of charities want to use technology for more collaboration here and overseas.

However, support for the Big Society agenda was low amongst respondents.

When asked how they thought the Big Society emphasis on localism will affect the way voluntary sector organisations will work together, an overwhelming majority of respondents (88 per cent) feared there will be less funding for second and third-tier charities.

However, almost half of respondents (45 per cent) still said their organisation is interested in running public services.

Further, more than a third (37 per cent) of those quizzed said the Big Society agenda is "not useful". A similar proportion (38 per cent) said they don’t know if it is useful and only 26 per cent said it is useful.

Some 57 per cent of respondents think the Big Society agenda will not help the sector be more efficient and effective. Around 30 per cent said they don’t know, and only 12 per cent said it would help the sector be more efficient and effective.

Terry Stokes, chief executive of Lasa, said: “Our survey shows the passion that exists in the sector, the interest in running public services, and using new technologies, but also the extreme frustration we are experiencing.

“Charities don’t run on thin air. The Big Society dream cannot be achieved by the coalition government if support organisations have their funds taken away.”