Background to the Research

• Within the voluntary and community sector the competencies and skills of managers are fundamental to achieving organisational effectiveness.
• Apart from research undertaken by NICVA and ACOVO in 1996, there is little information on management issues within the voluntary and community sector.
  

Research Approach

• The sample was constructed from the NICVA membership which totals some 1,150 organisations. Information sought through the 1,012 questionnaires sent out included levels of income, training budget levels, types of training supported by the organisation and number of staff in management positions.
• In total, 349 questionnaires were returned which equated to a 34.4% response rate.
  

Main Findings

• The economic size of an organisation exhibits a direct correlation with the type and level of management training undertaken by employees. Employees of organisations with incomes over £1 million are more likely to pursue more academic based qualifications.
• Other factors influencing uptake of management training qualifications include the organisation's attitude towards staff development, the perceived value of providing management training and organisational need.
• Management training within the sector is extremely limited with 83.3% of organisations in the voluntary and community sector having either no training budget or one which is less than £5,000 per annum.
• The low level of management qualifications is also highlighted. The bulk of organisations' managers (82%) tend to develop appropriate skills on the job.
• Management development is not just about building individual skills, but a structured process to help organisations achieve objectives through effective management.
• In summary, the main issues highlighted within the report include management development, cost effectiveness, flexibility, accredited training and funding.