Voluntary Sector Studies Network

Don't forget to join the New Researchers informal online catch-up tomorrow!

📅 Wed 4 March | 13:00–14:00

Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a69d2f...

We hope to see you there!

VSSN New Researchers online session on careers!

📅 Thu 16 April 2026 | 12:00–13:00 (UK time)

Join former New Researchers @helenabnett.bsky.social and Chris Mills as they share their experiences of moving from PhD study into research careers.

Register: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/c26728...

Yesterday our trustees and exec officers came together for a VSSN Away Day. Thanks to @prof-stig.bsky.social for hosting us at the University of Wolverhampton!

It was a chance to pause, reflect, welcome new trustees, and think ahead.

More reflections from the Co-Chairs soon - watch this space!

Part 1 Book Launch: Using Documents in Research - When, where, why and how Two online book launch sessions, at 10am or 5pm, with chapter authors discussing document analysis, methods and real-world research.

📣 VSSN member @helenabnett.bsky.social is speaking at the launch of Using Documents In Research, @brisunipress.bsky.social, editors Helen Kara & Aimee Grant

🗓️19 March | 🕙10am

Helen’s talk: using charity annual reporting data to explore representation

Register: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/part-1-boo...

📝 VSSN member @pbphd.bsky.social is recruiting participants for a study on AI in donor/supporter comms.

If you work or volunteer in comms/supporter engagement, join an online workshop to share how you judge voice and authenticity.

💻 Online workshop | ✅ No prep

📲 Scan the QR code to sign up

Register for 4 March: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a69d2f...

Register for 2 June: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/cf7ffe...

New Researchers: informal online catch-ups (save the dates!)

We’re hosting two informal online New Researchers sessions to help you connect with others working on voluntary sector and volunteering research:

📅 Wed 4 March | 13:00–14:00
📅 Tue 2 June | 13:00–14:00

We hope to see you there!

For this Special Issue, submissions are especially welcome on:

• networks between small voluntary orgs
• volunteer workforces impact on survival & influence
• the role of founders/key people in growth & reach

Send a 300-word abstract + 50-word bio to vsrassistant@vssn.org.uk by 27 March 2026.

📢 Voluntary Sector Review Special Issue – Call for Papers: Unravelling Smaller Organisations.

🗓️ Abstracts due 27 March 2026 | Full papers due 29 May 2026
Guest editors: Katy Adams & Ellen Bennett
Details: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

@brisunipress.bsky.social

🗃️Our next seminar is next week!

Delzar Sadiq (Salahaddin University in Erbil) will be talking about his use of Geographic Information Systems to reconstruct forgotten volunteer networks in 19th-century London.

6pm, Monday 9 February, Online via Zoom

Sign up here: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

The most read articles published in Voluntary Sector Review in 2025 are available to read for free throughout February 2026.

Explore the collection here: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/subject/Most...

@brisunipress.bsky.social

Voluntary Sector Review's Early View @brisunipress.bsky.social

Strategic adaptation in a cold funding climate: Third sector experiences of employment support funding and commissioning in the UK after Brexit

Authors: J Rose, J Payne, P Butler

Read bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

💫 Early View from Voluntary Sector Review, @brisunipress.bsky.social

Money, power and free lunches: examining foundation–non-profit power imbalances in the context of capacity-building programmes

Author: Katy Adams

Read here: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

🗃️This is next week!

Sign up here: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

💫 Early View from Voluntary Sector Review @brisunipress.bsky.social

A behaviour change intervention to increase volunteer participation in charity

Authors: Daniel Guzmics, Elena Kalfova, Simeon Petrov, Tatyana Tomova, and Ivo Vlaev

Read here: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Did you know? @brisunipress.bsky.social and Policy Press offer free or low-cost journal access, including Voluntary Sector Review, for eligible universities & nonprofits via Research4Life (www.research4life.org)

More info: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/journals/sub...

#VSR #Research4Life

📢 There’s still time to register for the VSSN New Researchers’ Online Session:

Tue 20 Jan 2026 | 12:00–13:00 GMT

This month: Jon Dean (Sheffield Hallam Uni) on researcher positionality & reflexivity + discussion, survey feedback, networking.

Sign up: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/03bf38...

Free resource sessions. How to explore decision making and the role of evidence. Date: 29th of January 2026. Time: 1:20pm – 2pm. Making Sense: Analysing qualitative information. Date: 26th of February 2026. Time: 11:30pm – 12:10pm. Making Sense: Analysing quantitative information. Date 19th March 2026. Time: 1:20pm – 2pm.

Free resource sessions are back! In this series of short lunchtime sessions, we will introduce a resource and share tips to help you get the most out of it.

Book now 👉 evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk/events/resou...

Our next seminar is two weeks away! 🗃️

Dr Sarah Flew (@c19thphilanthropy.bsky.social ) will be sharing her research on Lord Overstone’s philanthropy

26 January, 6pm to 7.30pm
Online via Zoom

Book through the IHR website: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

(As ever, it's FREE)

📖 Great to see a new VSR @brisunipress.bsky.social article by VSSN trustee @caitlinmcmullin.bsky.social on refugee social integration and the role of voluntary organisations in creating meaningful connection and belonging beyond service delivery.

bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

📚 Read Voluntary Sector Review 16(3), @brisunipress.bsky.social, with articles on volunteering during COVID-19, non-profit worker wellbeing, care ethics & leadership, digital emotional labour, homelessness services and more.

Browse the issue: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Reminder: the Voluntary Sector Review @brisunipress.bsky.social special issue on Evaluations for better philanthropy is open. If you’ve got an idea brewing, take a look at the Call for Papers and consider submitting.

bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

We’ve just published our “VSSN in 2025” roundup, a short look back at key moments from the past year across events, new researchers activity, comms, Small Grants and more.

Read it here: www.vssn.org.uk/2026/01/05/v...

#VSSN #VoluntarySector #ResearchCommunity

Season’s greetings from VSSN!

Thank you for being part of our community this year, for joining events, sharing work, supporting others, and keeping connected.

Wishing you a restful break and a good start to 2026!

If you’d like a look back, our 2025 roundup is here: www.canva.com/design/DAG8U...

📖 New open access research from VSR
@brisunipress.bsky.social

Relationships between supermarkets and food charities in reducing food insecurity: lessons learned by Kelli Kennedy and Carolyn Snell

Read: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

📖 New open access research from VSR
@brisunipress.bsky.social

Exploring the dark side of NGO moral goodness: a conceptual framework on the NGO halo and its role in unethical behaviour by Isabel de Bruin Cardoso, Muel Kaptein, Lucas Meijs

Read: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

Glad you could join, Victoria! @viva-victoria.bsky.social
Our New Researchers' sessions are all about creating supportive spaces for connection and shared learning. Great to hear it’s been useful for both your PhD and your role at VONNE!

Joined the @vssn1.bsky.social New Researchers meet-up

Being a part-time #PhD researcher can feel lonely at times, so connecting with others in #VCSE research really helps

Picking up great tips on writing, retreats, and ways to strengthen my thinking for both my PhD and my role at VONNE

#Research

📖 New open access research from VSR
@brisunipress.bsky.social

Collective co-production of health and care services: a systematic review of research from the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway by Håkon Solbu Trætteberg and Rune Ervik

Read: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...

💫 Early view from Voluntary Sector Review @brisunipress.bsky.social

Marching for equality – social identity model of collective action and psychological well-being perspective of collective action in LGBT+ community by Izabela Pawłowska

Read: bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journal...