Interviews with individuals and organisations that explore the current position of the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector (BME VCS) in relation to voice and influence in terms of policy and practice. The current climate has presented challenges for third sector organisations, such as responding to the economic downturn, the introduction of austerity measures and the impact of changing funding mechanisms. Yet research into how BME VCS organisations are faring in this changed context is limited not only in the area of understanding direct service provision for BME communities but, particularly, around the capacity of the BME VCS to play a strategic advocacy role. The research explored: (1) Whether there was a BME VCS and its characteristics; (2) The perceived voice and influence of the BME VCS within the third sector as a whole; and (3) The resilience of the BME VCS in the face of the current challenges. The Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) is a Venture Funded Centre, in partnership with the Office for Civil Society and the Barrow Cadbury Trust. TSRC is based at the University of Birmingham, but is a joint venture with the University of Southampton, with additional contributions from Middlesex and Kent. Research activity includes: (1) Analysis of theoretical issues and development of a critical understanding of the policy environment for the sector. (2) Securing and analysing reliable data about the size, shape, structure and dynamics of the sector - including quantitative data, drawn from administrative sources and large scale surveys, and in-depth qualitative research with a selection of sector organisations. (3) Analysis of the economic and social impact of the sector, including the role of the sector in delivering public services, the development of social enterprise, the role of organisations in the environmental field, and the mapping and analysis of smaller community organisations operating ‘below-the-radar’. Third sector policy has now been devolved to the separate administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and research includes analysis of the impact of this devolution. TSRC also employs a Knowledge Exchange Team to ensure that its work has a direct impact on policy and practice.

Interviews with 14 community group representatives, five members of strategic organisations and two representatives from a government department.