ARVAC's bulletin contains news and information about all aspects of research in the voluntary and community sector.

Articles by research practitioners, academics, and experts explore the methods, lessons, good practice models and issues relevant to those interested in community-based research.

Research news contains the latest information relating to resources and research funding, research in progress and voluntary / community sector news.

Bulletin 101 - September 2006

Do not go softly
Lesley Symes and Stefan Simanowitz explore the implications of ARVAC's current funding situation

Future directions
Jurgen Groltz invites readers to join the debate on the future direction for ARVAC

A giant leap for participatory research
Jane Dailly outlines the importance of a participatory approach to planning and evaluation

The strange re-birth of co-production
David Boyle charts the growth of the co-production sector and wonders whrether it is destined to change public services forever

Resolving conflict through research
Ruth Musgrove discusses a piece of community research that sheds light on traditional methods of conflict resolution in BME communities

Bulletin 100 - May 2006

Why Fund Community Research?
Mick Sheldon uses ARVAC's current funding problems as a starting point from which to examine wider issues of funding for community research. He suggests that by articulating the views of the community, ARVAC is playing its part in a process that inevitably makes those in power uncomfortable.

Putting Power into Local Hands
David Miliband, Minister of Communities and Local Government, who looks at social exclusion and the elderly. Mr Miliband argues the need for a new partnership, between the state, local government and the third sector, with the aim of putting more control and power in local hands

Getting the Green Light for Red Light Research
Teela Sanders shares some important lessons she has learned about accessing hard-to-reach populations from her many years of work researching female sex workers.

Access to Regeneration Skills
John Diamond opens up the debate on access to regeneration skills and asks whether the current situation reflects the needs of local communities and neighbourhoods.

Bulletin 99 - February 2006

The Value of Community Research
Home Office Minister, Paul Goggins writes on the vital contribution of community research to government policy making.

Preventing Extemism
Nahid Majid reflects on bringing an interfaith dimension to the dominant discourses in public policy in order to combat extremism in our communities

Having Faith in Civil Renewal
Ben Cairns explores the distinctive features of the contribution made by local churches to civil renewal

The Problem with Evidence-based Policy
David Boyle reveals some truths about numbers that officials often fail to grasp

A Healthy Approach to Research
Judy Robinson writes on the Heartland Territory (2005) project exploring voluntary and community sector engagement in the Yorkshire and Humberside regional health agenda

Bulletin 98 - November 2005

Teenage Kicks
Neil Jarman describes his experiences of doing community research with young people in Northern Ireland.

Hoping for Respect
John Diamond looks at issues surrounding accreditation and the voluntary sector.

Positively Perceived
Alison Crouch examines how LSP's view the voluntary and community sector.

Romas in Britain
Arther Ivatts explores discrimination against Europes largest minority.

Qualitative Research and Voluntary Action
Peter Alcock critically examines some popular assumptions about qualitative research.

Book Review
Fiona Poland reviews Close Work: Doing Qualitative Research in the Voluntary Sector.

Bulletin 97 - August 2005

The Regeneration Game
Jonathan France reports on a project using a pioneering set of indicators to evaluate whether community initiatives promote social cohesion in the London Borough of Newham.

Divided We Fall
Ade Fashade draws conclusions from the findings of a research project uncovering a failure of multi-ethnic partnership working in Newham and Hackney.

The Usual Suspects or Community Leaders?
Heather Blakey and Peter Richardson reflect on an online discussion project exploring the reality of community participation in formal decision-making structures

Homeless and Hungry...to Volunteer
Kate Burgett discusses a unique research project into homeless people and volunteering

Reaching out to the Community
Giovanna Speciale and Stefan Simanowitz reflect on the highs and lows of running ARVAC's Community Research Project.

Bulletin 96 May 2005

Ain't misbehaving
Paul Cambridge and Vronni Ward report on a project using utilisation focused evaluation to look at the perceived problem of young people hanging about in public spaces.

Using self-assessment guides: necessary but not sufficient
Dr John Diamond reflects on the effectiveness of self assessment guides and toolkits.

Moving into the mainstream
John Bloxsom describes a qualitative research project into BME housing in the West Midlands.

Making research work
Dr Maria Hudson describes an evaluation of ethnic minority outreach aimed at addressing employment inequalities.

Bridging the gap
Yolanda Sokirimunn explores the barriers to accessing advice services experienced by BME communities.

Bulletin 95 February 2005

Research for stronger communities
Stuart Hashagen reflects on an initiative in Scotland that demonstrates the importance of community-led research for effective community development

Researching hard-to-reach groups
Engaging hard to reach groups in research is central to their involvement in shaping service delivery. Claire Millet reflects on the key principles of effective community engagement

Power to the people
Helen Bidwell describes the way in which public consultation on the regeneration of Merseyside Waterfront has led to the growth of social engagement in the area,

Researching community cohesion
Dr Roger Green and Rebecca Pinto discuss their research into community cohesion and young people.

Good old researchers
Professor Roger Clough looks at the potential and pitfalls of involving older people as researchers.

Bulletin 94 October 2004

Pictures that tell a thousand words
Dr Sarah Johnsen discusses the used of auto-photography in her research into the day-to-day experience of homeless people.

Doing the right thing
Dr John Diamond reflects on some of the ethical dilemmas faced by the community-based researcher.

Whose research? Whose priorities?
Dr Karen Lucas explores how Local Strategic Partnerships need to recognise the environmental concerns of local people when developing strategy for neighbourhood renewal.

Participatory research and BME communities
Professor Andy Steele discusses the benefits of ensuring the community has an active involvement in the collection of research data

Bulletin 93 August 2004

Local knowledge for local solutions
Dr Ben Gidley examines the extent to which the community is engaging in the process of neighbourhood renewal.

Older and wiser
Jabeer Butt and Alex O'Neil describe their experience of getting BME older people to define their priorities for future research.

Measuring community cohesion
Jo Richmond explores what community cohesion is and how to measure it drawing from her experience in Oldham.

The ethical participation of children in research
Dr Sophie Laws explores ethical issues in participatory research with children.

Good practice guidelines
Guidelines agreed by the membership of the ESRC seminar series on eliciting the views of refugees and people seeking asylum.

Bulletin 92 May 2004

Invisible battlegrounds
Dr John Diamond reflects on the challenges faced in evaluating Community Empowerment Networks and unravels the competing discourses and contested meanings within the concept of community'.

Developing outcome indicators
Dr Cathy Sharp draws lessons from her experience of developing indicators of capacity building outcomes for an evaluation of a community project in Fife.

Identifying hidden need
Brenda Laker concludes from research into social care needs of Muslim elders in Exeter, that need is not hidden'. It is just a question of know how and where to look.

Participatory approaches to research on poverty
Fran Bennett explores the extent to which participatory approaches to research on poverty can give a voice to people with direct experience poverty.

A key economic player
Andrew Petrie discusses his research into the economic impact of the voluntary and community sector in Greater Nottingham.

Bulletin 91 February 2004

Faith-based voluntary action
Michael Locke reports on a recent study on how people's faith motivates their volunteering and how their volunteering is organised in faith-based communities.

Information technology in the voluntary sector
Mark Lenihan explores the benefits of good information technology and some of the obstacles voluntary organisations may face in its achievement.

What is good communication?
Kezia Lavan discusses researching the effects of communications materials on perceptions of sheltered housing.

Book Review
Colin Rochester reviews The Voluntary Sector: Comparative Perspectives by Jeremy Kendall.

Bulletin 90 October 2003 (25th Anniversary Edition)

Gangs and drugs: community participation
Ian Joseph reports on a recent study which provides unique insight into the potentially key role of the community and voluntary sector in tackling young people's involvement in gang activity.

Understanding social capital
Veronique Jochim explores the concept of social capital and its importance for the voluntary and community sector.

Future histories
Alda Terracciano discusses the importance of archiving and preserving the rich heritage of black performing arts in Britain.

Looking back on 25 years
Numerous long-standing members of ARVAC share their reflections on ARVAC's achievements over quarter of a century.

Ask us and do something about it
Bill Badham explores what differed about the Ask Us project in comparison to other research projects involving disabled people.

Book Review
Giovanna Speciale reviews Research for Development: a Practical Guide by Sophie Laws.

Bulletin 89 July 2003

Tackling health inequalities in Brent
Catherine Pearson and Marcus Ward explore the results of their rapid mapping exercise, across regeneration and other area-based initiatives addressing health issues in Brent.

Bridging the gaps
Karl Wilding argues the importance of ARVAC working with NCVO in order to link different researchers.

Lessons from the field
Stuart Tomlinson discusses pilot projects to support governance in small voluntary and community organisations funded by the Active Communities Unit.

The governance project
Kevin Nunan talks us through the findings of a one-year project aimed at strengthening the governance of small, new and emerging community groups and voluntary organisations.

Measuring the value of volunteering in universities
Colin Rochester looks at the Higher Education Active Community Fund and argues that it is worth some attention.

Bulletin 88 April 2003

So you think research doesn't make much difference?
Viv Schwartzberg tells the story of the Our PART Project in Northumberland, joint winner of the IPPR/Guardian Public Involvement Award

Management audits for profit and pleasure
Peter Jamieson gives advice as to how to conduct your own management audit.

The community research project
An introduction to ARVAC's free service to train people in research methods.

Playing for real
Chris Martin discusses an innovative scheme for community research into children and young people's experience of play.

Bulletin 87 January 2003
Race and cultural diversity in Mansfield Sharon Clancy
The PIRATE Project Parents in Rural Areas Facing Transition in Education Jane Hayward
We can do this: evaluating exit strategies of Community Fund Grant Holders Martin Price
Promoting community-university collaboration via ARVAC Nick Plant

Bulletin 86 October 2002
Measuring the magic: evaluating and researching young people' participation in public decision making Perpetua Kirby
Introducing ARVAC Steven Howlett