Between 2020 and 2023, the RC3 and the IFRC Volunteering Alliance worked together on a collaborative project aimed at bringing knowledge and expertise on volunteering created by members of the Movement together; supporting the development of a strong volunteering research culture; and promoting evidence-based volunteering development and management practices within the movement. 

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​​As part of this project, members of the RC3 developed three key resources: a Database of RCRC Research on Volunteering, a Reference Guide on Volunteering Research, and a Global Event - The RC3 Long Night of Research.

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​The project was conducted in three stages. First, a literature review of research reports, studies, and academic papers about volunteering produced by the Movement (i.e., RC3 members, RCRC Reference Centres, and National Societies) was completed in 2020. This review involved conducting interviews with RC3 members and sharing an online survey with members of the IFRC Volunteering Alliance to collect national societies' research on volunteering. This literature review allowed to identify and collect 60 resources. A database was subsequently created to centralize these resources. 

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​In 2021, RC3 and the IFRC Volunteering Alliance worked together with Northumbria University’s Centre for Global Development to develop an openly accessible tool to broaden discussions on volunteering research and promote critical thinking and continuous learning on the significance and complexity of volunteer practices and strategies within the Movement. The result of this collaboration was the creation of an introductory guide to research on volunteering centralizing some essential academic readings on volunteering.  The first edition includes 157 resources in English, Spanish and French, and is organized in relation to geographical regions (Global; Africa; Americas; Asia Pacific; Europe; Middle East and North Africa) and 6 strategic thematic areas.

 

The third and final stage of the project was the organization of the RC3 Long Night of Research. The RC3 Long Night of Research (23-24 March 2023) was the first global online event dedicated to showcasing and reflecting on how research can make a difference to volunteering practices within the Movement. The 24h-Global online event featured 23 sessions, with a mix of academic panels and interactive workshops. By bringing together researchers, practitioners, and volunteers involved in the Movement from all around the world, the aim of this event was to provide a  global platform to encourage the emergence of rich, constructive and action-oriented debates on current volunteering practices and future volunteering development. The event was a real success, with 500 active participants, 50% RCRC volunteers and 62 countries connected. Recordings and presentations from the event are available on the dedicated webpage.

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