About CVSR
The
centre was founded in 1998 to bring together key interest in
the voluntary sector in two different parts of the University.
Over the years the work has expanded considerably, and now includes
15 core members spread across all four faculties of the University.
Because of the inter-disciplinary nature of our work, all members of CVSR are also members of a specific faculty within the University, including in many cases a faculty-based research centre. This is deliberate - we do not wish to lose our links with colleagues in our own disciplines, but our core linkage is a specific interest in voluntary organisations, or some aspect of their work.
Terms: Voluntary Sector, Third Sector, Charity Sector
We
use the term 'voluntary sector' on a wide basis to refer to organisations
established on a not-for-profit basis, and normally governed
on a voluntary basis. This can include community organisations,
faith-based organisations, co-operatives, social enterprises
and not-for-profit organisations in other specialist
sub-sectors.
Many UK voluntary organisations (but not all) have charitable status - hence our special interest in charity law and accounting. But we are also interested in the role and impact of voluntary organisations, the structures of organisations, service provision by third sector organisations, and many other issues. The acronym 'VCS' is a widely used abbreviation for the voluntary and community sector as a whole.
