2022 research
Te Mana Tu o te Wahine:
Women as Leaders in the Community and Voluntary Sector
What is this research about?
Anecdotally, we know the Aotearoa New Zealand Community and Voluntary Sector is dominated by women, but due to a dearth of research, we know very little about their experience.
The research will update the 2012 study commissioned by WILA on today’s women in the not-for-profit sector.
What are the goals of this RESEARCH?
To provide a ‘lie of the land’ snapshot today of participation in the Community and Voluntary Sector by people that identify as women, in order to build on our understanding of the diversity present.
Investigate women’s participation in the Community and Voluntary Sector in a leadership capacity, as managers, CEOs and in governance roles.
Highlight leadership innovation in action in the sector being driven by women.
Allow the ability for comparison of women’s roles, leadership and management positions to business and government sectors
Provide recommendations to government ministers and departments, peak body NGOs and women’s networks.
How will the 2012 study be repeated?
We have redeveloped the detailed research design and questionnaire from 2012 for today, and are aiming to interview at least 50 leaders from NZ not-for-profit organisations. While we recognise this is a small sample, it is the same sample size as the 2012 study. Our intention is to build a comparative set of data to analyse 10 years of change between the two studies.
Interviews will be conducted in person, by phone and online as requested by the participants. In person interviews are available in main city locations where travel time permits.
Who is supporting the research?
WILA is hosting two interns from Victoria University of Wellington to conduct interviews, analyse data and draft a final report. Their internship is part of their MPPE programme, crediting towards their final Masters degree.
WILA members are volunteering their time and expertise for project management of the research. A small group of people with expertise in the sector are on hand to providing advisory for the project and help with seeking interviews.
The New Horizons for Women Trust also provided a grant for this repeat study a few years back. The grant is covering the costs of the project, which includes all intern and admin expenses.
Above: WILA research team - Sophie Stewart, Vanisa Dhiru and Tian Daniels.
What questions will be asked?
The interview will have a few statistical questions about your orgnaisation and your career path that led you to your role today. The researchers will also ask for your views and reflection on women in leadership, pathways and barriers. We do not anticipate interviews to take longer than 45 minutes.
Who can be interviewed?
If you currently work for a not-for-profit organisation in a leadership role (governance or operational) you are eligible to be interviewed. All information shared in interviews will remain confidnetial and no data will be identifiable to the interviewee or organisation they represent, in the final report.
How will the final research report be shared?
The final project report will be placed online as a PDF, alongside the 2012 report on Community Research NZ. The report will be shared with the Ministry for Women, the EEO Commissioner at the NZ Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and other peak Community and Voluntary Sector groups such HuiE!, Volunteering New Zealand, and with other women’s groups. The report may be used to seek further resourcing, both from the sector, and other potential partners, to undertake a wider survey of the sector - or another repeat in 10 years time!
Has similar research been done elseWHERE GLOBALLY?
In 2010, Rowena Lewis undertook a study of women working in England and Wales’s Voluntary Sector entitled Closer to Parity: challenging the voluntary sector to smash the glass ceiling. Lewis’s research comprised of a quantitative survey of 1,100 English and Welsh charities, and in-depth qualitative interviews with 22 women leaders of Voluntary Sector organisations. Lewis found that even though 70% of the voluntary sector’s workforce in England and Wales workforce is female, women only make up 27% of leaders in the largest charities. In addition, women are paid 16% less than male leaders in similar roles.
Along with painting a ‘snapshot’ picture, Lewis challenged the Voluntary Sector, saying that “not only has women’s progress in the voluntary sector passed seemingly unnoticed, but [the] sector continues to turn a blind eye to those inequalities that persist”. The voluntary sector has all the ingredients to be at the forefront of change for women’s representation – an understanding of equality issues, strong values, an already diverse workforce and an appreciation of caring responsibilities outside the workplace. But to date, the voluntary sector has failed to achieve a level playing field amongst it’s own people… Armed with a better understanding of where women are leading and of their leadership experiences, the sector must continue to take practical action to progress women’s equality. Only then will the voluntary sector stand a chance of being the first to empower its people that identify as women, to smash the glass ceiling and shift the terms of the equality debate once and for all.
Closer to Parity:
Challenging the voluntary sector to smash the glass ceiling (2012)
Through her research Rowena Lewis (UK) set out to demonstrate how well the sector is doing in the UK. She unearthed some uncomfortable truths along the way about the inequalities that persist. She argues that in the voluntary sector is best placed to be the forefront of change for women's representation, however to-date it has failed to achieve a level playing field.
Download the UK research: Close to Parity: Challenging the voluntary sector to smash the glass ceiling
Who can I contact for a korero or more information?
Please contact WILA co-founder Vanisa Dhiru on 021 550947 or admin@womeninleadership.org.nz for more information or media enquiries.