The challenge

The Scottish third sector operates in a rapidly changing and often uncertain environment, shaped by funding pressures, rising demand for services, workforce challenges, and external shocks.

SCVO and its funding partners required a robust, independent evidence base to understand how organisations across Scotland are being affected over time, and to ensure that policy, funding, and sector support are grounded in reliable, up-to-date insight.

The challenge was to capture consistent, longitudinal data that reflects the diversity of the sector while remaining accessible and relevant to organisations of all sizes.

The approach

A representative democracy with three recognised national languages, a land area that makes up almost a third of the United Kingdom and a capital which boasts a castle atop an extinct volcano, Scotland is a truly fascinating country in which to conduct market research.

DJS Research projects across Scotland are led by Glasgow-based Associate Director Alex Belcher, a highly experienced mixed-mode researcher who has conducted qualitative and quantitative research in Scotland since 2010. Our agency however, has been proudly delivering leading market research north of the border since our very beginning, back in 2011. As the medium-sized, independent, and employee-owned company we are today, with a well-established presence in Scotland, our Scottish clients enjoy the benefits of the full breadth of our research expertise and capabilities along with direct access to our Scotland-based researchers and fieldworkers.

DJS Research in Scotland operates out of co-working space, and certified B Corp, Collabor8te, located just off George Square in the heart of Glasgow. Here we have access to rooms for one-to-one client meetings, a boardroom for larger groups and a comfortable space for hosting focus groups for up to 10 people.

Lead Alex has conducted research projects for a hugely diverse range of clients including not-for-profits and environmental organisations, government bodies and utilities providers. From on-street surveys in the Hebrides to focus groups in the Borders, Alex has conducted most types of research interviews across most parts of the country!

DJS Research in Scotland: Project in the spotlight

Operating the Scottish Third Sector Tracker (STST)

DJS Research have been running the STST on behalf of the SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations), the Scottish Government, the William Grant Foundation, Bank of Scotland Foundation, and the National Lottery Community Fund since its inception in 2021.

Running four times a year on average, the STST provides invaluable insight into the issues, needs and concerns of c. 750 third sector organisations in Scotland.

As Alex Belcher, explains we’ve broadened the scope of this longitudinal survey significantly since it began:

“The STST was first launched to understand the emerging needs of the sector around Covid and lockdown operations. Over the last three years we’ve expanded its focus to encompass many more key areas such as staffing issues and volunteer retention to increased operational costs. The tracker is now a vital tool, and its results provide a deep understanding of what is happening across the sector.

Running the tracker end-to-end, from panel recruitment through to conducting the survey and analysing the results, means we have a 360-degree view of its performance which enables us to continually optimise effectiveness at every stage. In the current climate, the outputs of this tracker are more important than ever to help shape the future of the sector. It’s a project which we are hugely proud to be a part of.”

Alex Belcher, Associate Director & Research Lead for Scotland

You can read more about our work on the Scottish Third Sector Tracker on our information and registration page here and on the SCVO websites.

To find out more about our expertise with Scottish businesses and organisations, contact our team today. 

The results

The tracker has become a trusted source of evidence for the Scottish third sector.

Our work has informed national policy discussions, supported funder strategy, strengthened SCVO’s advocacy and communications, and provided organisations with credible data to support planning, funding applications, and decision-making.