Our Research

CASS Business School, Centre for Charity Effectiveness External Evaluation Report for Voluntary Action Media Unit

This report assesses VAMU's achievements, looking in depth at how journalists and charities use askCHARITY.org.uk. The report also looks at VAMU's Media Connections and Snapshots schemes. Key findings include:

  • "askCHARITY is a well-used, well-liked resource amongst media and charity users."
  • 72.3% of journalists report that they are more likely to produce stories involving charities because of askCHARITY
  • 44.2% of charity users have a better understanding about what the media want from them since registering on askCHARITY
  • "It was felt by journalists that Snapshots events are a helpful reminder that there are “more charities out there than you think” and that journalists do not need to go to just the same old few"
  • "Arguably, Media Connections has done more than any other aspect of the VAMU offering to improve voluntary sector understanding of the media’s agenda and how media professionals gather stories"

Read the report

Published February 2008

Working with the media: lessons for volunteer-involving organisations

This report explores the day-to-day experiences of two organisations as they seek coverage in their local media. The report tells the story of what was and wasn't so successful for them. It also gives tips and advice for organisations seeking media coverage to recruit volunteers. This action research report focuses on the experiences of small and medium sized charities who may not have a marketing team or a budget for communications. Produced by Institute for Volunteering Research and the Voluntary Action Media Unit. Read the report.

Published October 2007

In response to this report VAMU also created a free online resource for any charity interested in using the power of the media to recruit volunteers: www.VolunteerGenie.org.uk. The site was launched in October 2007 and features the marketing and PR campaign materials used by over 30 charities to recruit volunteers.

Read media coverage about VolunteerGenie.org.uk:

Marketing needs to be measured, Third Sector, 24/10/2007
Evaluating charity PR, VS Magazine, October 2007

Culture Clash? The relationship of the media with the voluntary sector - a research report.

An in-depth look at the current way in which charities, PR agencies and the media work together. Are the media receptive to voluntary sector stories? How do the press perceive volunteering? How could charities improve their approach to the media? Read the report

Published September 2005

Read what the media had to say about the report:
When two worlds collide, The Guardian 14/11/2005
Third Sector 19/10/2005
Third Sector 15/06/2005

Modern Day Freak Shows?

What do disability and health organisations think about the current trend for sensational, 'extreme biology', television documentaries? Is it education or exploitation? A survey conducted by the Voluntary Action Media Unit recording the opinions of users of the BBC's disability site, Ouch! and the responses of charity representatives listed on the askCHARITY.org.uk database. Published August 2006.

Read the report

This report will be discussed at The Edinburgh Television Festival on Sunday 27th August 2006.

Promoting Volunteering

This research report, produced by the Institute for Volunteering Research on behalf of VAMU, reveals some of the barriers currently facing organisations which work with the media trying to promote volunteering, as well as the successes some Volunteer Involving Organisations and Volunteer Development Agencies are achieving with their media campaigns. Published June 2006.

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The image of the volunteer in the media and the impact of media campaigns on volunteer recruitment - a research report.

This report reviews published and current research on volunteering. It will look at the consumer’s idea of what a volunteer is, examine the power of the media to influence people to volunteer and track media campaigns that appear to have been influential in inspiring volunteering. Download a copy of the report


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