ARVAC Bulletin 101

Do not go softly

Most readers will already be aware that ARVAC has been in dire financial straights for some months now. The curtailing of our core funding from the Home Office has meant that after months of sailing close to the wind, it has now become essential for ARVAC to downsize in order to survive. Whilst the euphemistic doublespeak whereby ‘crises’ becomes ‘opportunities’ and ‘ends’ become ‘new beginnings’ is all too familiar, it does not need to be applied in ARVAC’s case just yet. ARVAC is at a crossroads and whilst the future may be a little uncertain, ARVAC is determined not to be deflected from continuing its important work.

Whilst ARVAC will have to undergo some restructuring, the existence of the organisation is not in doubt. We will be moving offices to Roehampton University and seeking new sources of funding. ARVAC also remains hopeful that the government might reconsider their decision and resume our funding. Government funding over the last 25 years has not only enabled ARVAC to carry out our work but has also been an important recognition both of the value of community research and of ARVAC itself. We hope that the strong relationship that has been built with the government will continue and we are glad that Ed Miliband, the new Minister for Communities and Local Government, has expressed support for ARVAC by writing an article for the next Bulletin. His predecessor, David Miliband, and Paul Goggins are also vocal supporters of the work done by ARVAC and have also written for the Bulletin. News that ARVAC’s funding has been cut prompted a parliamentary question on 24th July by Greg Hands MP and it seems likely that there will be more cross-party questions asked of the government on the subject.

ARVAC was set up in 1978 by a group of individuals who joined together to exchange information and provide mutual support. In those days researching the voluntary and community sector was not a common practice and the people engaged in this research often found themselves working alone and feeling isolated. Over the last 28 years a great deal has changed. There has been a sea-change in attitudes towards the voluntary and community research with its importance now recognised by researchers, academics and policy-makers alike. This recognition has gone hand-in-hand with the acceptance that the sector itself is vital for the formulation and implementation of a wide range of public and social policy. With this greater recognition, the role of ARVAC has arguably become more crucial. Although there are now many organisations that exist to support the voluntary and community sector, ARVAC remains uniquely placed as the only organisation that actively promotes community research. ARVAC also provides an important bridge between academics and grassroots community researchers allowing for crucial two-way exchange.

Research is important because it shapes what kinds of knowledge and experience ‘count’, and because it helps frame public debate. It is for this reason that people directly affected by the issues being explored should have more say in the research. Indeed, ARVAC has always argued that local people know best about the problems they face and the solutions that will work best for their communities. As ARVAC’s values have gradually become part of the mainstream, ARVAC’s role has evolved.

Whilst still a national membership organisation, ARVAC has developed new ways to promote and help develop effective research. The Community Research Project has provided free training for hundreds of small groups enabling them to conduct their own research. ARVAC’s seminars and conferences have provided a forum for discussion and debate. The website has served as a useful resource and is currently being augmented with a searchable research database containing summaries of thousands of pieces of research. Last but not least, the Bulletin itself has been transformed from a flimsy newsletter to the influential publication it is today.

It is ironic that, despite the government’s new found enthusiasm for and recognition of the importance of voluntary and community research for sustaining a thriving voluntary sector, the Home Office has seen fit to discontinue ARVAC’s core funding. Despite a long and difficult negotiations, the restructuring under the Active Community Unit’s new strategic grants programme has meant the £42,000 annual funding previously provided has been stopped. ARVAC is not dead, but the loss of funding represent a severe blow to our ability to function as before and leads us to examine the possible routes for the future. Despite the current changes, there is no doubt that ARVAC provides a valuable service and resource and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Lesley Symes is ARVAC's director.

Stefan Simanowitz is ARVAC's information officer.