MRS Rolls Out Pro Bono Service for Charities

The UK's Market Research Society (MRS) is setting up a network called Research Aid, to provide charities with access to market researchers on a pro bono basis.

Research Aid will act as a broker for charities which need survey research skills, and only MRS members or retired members will be able to offer pro bono work through the scheme.

A framework containing some simple procedures will be developed to prevent bottlenecks in the process, and to establish the terms of engagement between members and charities. This will also include guidelines to help charities write briefs. Any charity seeking access to the network will submit a brief to the steering group, and this will be circulated to those members who have offered their services.

The group will be chaired by former Pulse Train Chairman Geoffrey Roughton, who comments: 'Charities are trying to become better at evaluating their outcomes, and we can help them. Market researchers might not save the world, but we can certainly help others make it a better place.'

Those wishing to join the new network can e-mail researchaid@mrs.org.uk for more information.