The voluntary sector should create a “data manifesto” that identifies who holds data about the sector and enables the sharing of data, recommends Dame Mary Marsh’s review of leadership and skills in the social sector.

Published yesterday the report recommends that such a manifesto should identify organisations holding data about the sector, the Charity Commission and funders, for example. It should also provide focus on the future leadership of data and how to open it up, and should include the development of common reporting standards and tools that would facilitate sharing data, the report adds. 

Leading Social, as Marsh's report is called, also suggests that the sector should develop a data store, along the lines of that developed by the government (gov.uk), that would be a “central rallying point” where organisations could deposit and share data, as well as connect with developers.

“Whilst NCVO and Lamplight have made putative efforts, a bigger push will help to model openness and innovation," advises the report. It adds that a sector champion at the Open Data Institute or DataKindUK would help to build links between the developers and voluntary sector leaders.

It also suggests that the sector needs to showcase the career options for researchers and analysts and develop intern or trainee programmes to attract talent.

Digital fluency

While there is a “general awareness with the sector” of the importance of digital technology, the report states, “the level of digital fluency is not nearly as high as it needs to be”.

To remedy the situation, it recommends the government and infrastructure bodies support skills training initiatives such as Go On UK.

It also warns that the lack of awareness about the importance of digital skills comes from the top, with 0.5 per cent of trustees being aged between 18 and 24 it suggests that there is a “severe shortage of digital natives at board level”.

Infrastructure bodies should also “collaborate to support and initiate a trust-based online service to promote and rate tools, solutions, learning, initiatives and communities of best practice for the sector”.

The full set of recommendations in the Leading Social review can be found by clicking here.

 

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