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The voluntary sector's contribution towards the social inclusion agenda is severely under funded, accordingly to new research, writes Sally Gillen.

Research, which looks at the work of nine councils for voluntary services, found that only a minority involved in social inclusion programmes received funding to do so.

The report, commissioned by the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Services and undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University, says: "A huge problem exists with funding."

Lis Pritchard, NCVS director, said: "The research has shown that we are heavily engaged in social inclusion work. But the negative message is that there is a severe lack of funding for strategic delivery."

She also said: "They (the government) is approaching us because they know they can’t deliver local strategic partnerships etc without CVS’s. If they don’t give more funding then our help will be less effective. They want us involved, we want to be involved, so we need more money."