BVSC Research Directorate: Strengthening Birmingham’s Voluntary & Community Sector Through Research
Celebrating a Year of Impact
Over the past year, BVSC Research Directorate has been working alongside Birmingham’s voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector, academic, health and public sector partners to deliver research that makes a difference. Through funding secured from a range of sources, we have been able to support organisations like yours with valuable insights, evaluations, and capacity-building initiatives.
From community research to large-scale evaluations, we are committed to helping Birmingham’s VCFSE sector grow stronger and more resilient. Here’s how we’ve been working to support you:
- Delivering Meaningful Research and Evaluation: We’ve successfully led and partnered on research projects that provide real value, including the Birmingham City Council Community Research Hub (BCC CRH), multiple evaluations of community initiatives such as the Neighbourhood Network Scheme and BEE Inspired (Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Walsall) and research into issues that matter to Birmingham including the impact of the Section 114 notice on the sector.
- Empowering Community Researchers: We’ve trained over 50 local residents as Community Researchers, giving them the skills and opportunities to contribute to projects that matter to their communities.
- Innovating in Research Methods: From storytelling workshops to photo-elicitation techniques, we’ve introduced new ways to capture community voices and ensure research reflects lived experiences.
- Building Strategic Networks: We have continued to support and grow the Birch Network – bringing together community groups, academics, and public sector partners to ensure research is shaped by those who know their communities best.
- Supporting You to Engage with Research: Through initiatives like Research Better Together and through our new Research Champion role, we are helping VCFSE organisations access training, resources, and opportunities to get involved in research.
How We Can Work Together
While we are proud of our achievements, we know there is more we can do to ensure that Birmingham’s VCFSE sector is leading the research agenda.
In the coming year, we are focusing on:
- More Research Led by the Sector: We want to ensure that research is designed with and for VCFSE organisations and the citizens they serve.
- Better Access to Research Resources: We will be launching the CHERP (Community Hub for Engagement in Research Practice) website to provide a central hub for training, best practices, and research opportunities – connecting you with leading academics and public sector partners who are passionate about the work of the sector.
- Amplifying Community Voices: We will grow our Community Research activity, focussing on how we continue to develop, train and support a community of practice of Community Researchers who can bring their skills, experiential knowledge and deep understanding of their communities to the research environment.
- Share findings: We will be sharing more of our findings through blogs, newsletters, and podcasts to help organisations stay informed and up to date about the impact of our research.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
If your organisation is looking for a research or evaluation partner, is interested in learning more about research, or wants to be part of our networks, we’d love to connect. You can join the Birch network via the button below.
Let’s work together to ensure that Birmingham’s VCFSE sector is equipped with the knowledge, evidence, and support needed to make a lasting impact.
Get in touch with our team today and be part of shaping the research landscape in Birmingham! Please email researchadmin@bvsc.org, and we will get back to you!
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blogs, bvsc research, birch