The Third Sector Research Centre has today published a discussion paper designed to stimulate debate about how economic and political changes will shape the voluntary sector in the years to come.

The worst of times? is by Pete Alcock (director of TSRC), Rob Macmillan and Sarah Bulloch, and examines the changing status of the sector's relationship with the state, the impact this is having and how best to measure the change.

Over the next six months, TSRC will host a series of dialogues on the future of the voluntary secotor, informed by its research of the past four years.

This first paper asks whether the sector is currently going through a period of "unsettlement".  This is defined as "rapid and significant change, where existing resources, approaches and understandings are called into question, and new relationships between organisations and sectors formed".

The paper examines this unsettlement issue from two aspects: changing political/policy priorities and financial/economic dimensions.

It asks whether the New Labour era can be seen as a "golden age" for the sector in light of the subsequent "colder climate"; reviews the political debate about the Big Society and explores some of the policy changes that followed it; and examines data to establish the key indicators of the health of the sector.

Sector sounding board

TSRC plans four more dialogues and papers between this October and February next year: No longer a voluntary sector; Is the third sector so special? What is it worth?; Is the third sector being overwhelmed by the state and the market?; and A strategic lead for the third sector.

The papers accompanying the dialogues will be published online and there will be an opportunity for stakeholders to leave comments, as well as join a live online discussion on each issue.

TSRC has also put together a sounding board of 30 voluntary, community and policy representatives, who will meet to hear research findings and comments.

Members include Jo Casebourne, director of public and social innovation at Nesta; Caroline Cooke, head of policy engagement and foresight at the Charity Commission; Ralph Michell, director of strategy at Acevo; and Sarah Mistry, head of research and learning at the Big Lottery Fund.

A final report will be published and launched on 19 April 2013 at the British Library.

The dialogues are being held as part of TSRC’s ongoing work, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.