Charities are being urged to submit evidence for a research project investigation into how “the potential of civil society can be unleashed”.

The call has come from the Law Family Commission on Civil Society, which was set up last year by the think tank Pro Bono Economics to carry out research into the future of civil society.

Charities, community groups, volunteers, social enterprises as well as academics, politicians and business leaders are being urged to submit their evidence.

The commission is looking for data and examples to help them better understand civil society and to develop ideas.

This includes investigating the value of civil society. A report released by the commission in December last year revealed that the charity sector could be worth as much as a tenth of UK gross domestic product (GDP). Official estimates have undervalued the sector at 1% of GDP, the Commission suggests.

“We want this Commission to be a dialogue across organisations and across sectors because that’s the only way to achieve real progress. Civil society knows better than anyone that change rarely comes from one organisation alone making the case,” said Pro Bono Economics research and policy director Anoushka Kenley.

“So launching today’s Call for Evidence, we want to hear not only from charities, community groups, social enterprises, volunteers, services users, community leaders and activists, but also from policymakers, and both purpose-led and profit-led businesses. We want to hear examples, good or bad, of civil society working with government and with business.

“We want to know what holds civil society back from unleashing its full potential and what existing evidence we need to build on. And we want to know what you’d most like us to achieve over the next two years.”



The Commission is particular keen to look at how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting on charities.

It says that the health crisis has “shone a light on the contribution of volunteers and community groups”.

Theresa Shearer, one of the project’s commissioners and chief executive of Enable Scotland, added: “Never has the value of civil society been more apparent than over the past year, during which it provided much of the vital support that has kept our country going through the pandemic.

“But Covid has created significant challenges, with many organisations trying to meet increased demand for support with fewer resources. The Law Family Commission on Civil Society wants to look for practical solutions that will help civil society organisations make the best possible use of existing resources, as well as looking for opportunities to increase the amount of resource flowing into the sector.”

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