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Last updated: 23 November 2008
A substantial amount of development work and a pilot study was undertaken to guide decisions on the way NI 7 would be measured and on the design of the survey and the wider questionnaire. This work is documented in full in a Research Paper which can be accessed below.
Chapter 1: Overview of the full research paper [PDF, 520KB, 16 pages]
Chapter 2: The indicator [PDF, 1.1MB, 60 pages]
This chapter presents pilot survey findings and explains why NI 7 will be measured by the question: ‘… how do the local statutory bodies in your area influence your organisation’s success?’
Chapter 3: Determining the survey population [PDF, 642KB, 28 pages]
This chapter considers the working definition of the population of third sector organisations proposed for the survey.
Chapter 4: Sample coverage and frames [PDF, 600KB, 28 pages]
This chapter discusses the possibilities for compiling systematic and comprehensive lists for sampling third sector organisations for the survey.
Chapter 5: Survey design and sample sizes [PDF, 978KB, 40 pages]
This chapter discusses the survey design and required sample sizes that will deliver a robust measure of the NI 7 indicator in each local authority. There is also a detailed summary of the response to the pilot survey, giving an indication of the efficacy of the data collection methods proposed for the main survey.
Chapter 6: Data collection method [PDF420KB, 8 pages]
This chapter discusses the practical issues relating to the choice of methods for delivering the survey – including postal self-completion, telephone and online methods.
Chapter 7: The questionnaire [PDF, 754KB, 38 pages]
The survey questionnaire will capture third sector organisations’ views on a range of relevant local issues, which together might contribute to a supportive environment. This chapter describes work undertaken in developing the pilot questionnaire.
Chapter 8: potential use of hard economic data [PDF, 452KB, 12 pages]
There is a range of ‘hard’ economic measures that might be used to provide useful contextual information about the sector at a local level, in conjunction with findings from the survey.
Annex: Pilot questionnaires
Substantial work has already been conducted to produce pilot questionnaires for both unitary and two-tier local authorities, but some limited further development will be done before the main survey begins in Autumn 2008.
These contained potential measures of the NI 7 indicator, of which question 22 was selected as the basis for the indicator. They also covered a range of relevant local issues, which together might contribute to a supportive environment, including: the strength of local partnership arrangements; the availability of local resources including human resources (volunteers, employees, trustees), and financial, management and other support services; funding opportunities and relationships; opportunities to influence local decisions; and questions to classify the type of organisation.
The work was conducted by a Consortium led by BMG Research, including Guidestar UK, NCVO and Inlogov.