CCE Directors
Chris Dayson, Centre Director
Chris Dayson is the Centre Director of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness. Prior to joining CCE, Chris spent 17 years at Sheffield Hallam University as Professor of Voluntary Action, Health and Wellbeing.
Chris’ academic work explores the role and contribution of small locally based charities and voluntary organisations in relation to public policy and public services.
His work is interdisciplinary and sits at the intersection of sociology, economics, public administration and management, and health. It has an applied focus on policy and practice and is proven to have had an impact on local, national and international policy and practice.
Research grants and collaborations
Chris regularly collaborates with charities of different shapes and sizes on research, evaluation and knowledge exchange.
Chris is currently leading ‘Creative Health Boards’, a three-year £2.1m project on creative health and community assets funded through UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) as part of their mobilising community assets to tackle health inequalities programme.
He is also part of the academic leadership team for the five-year £10m Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded Centre for Collaboration in Community Connectedness (C4), a collective of researchers, community organisations, policy makers, funders and residents collaborating to deliver an ambitious vision for better connected communities across the UK.
Dr Justin Davis Smith CBE, Director of the Charity Master's programme
Dr Justin Davis Smith is Director of the Charity Master’s programme and an Associate Professor in Voluntary Sector Management. He was previously chief executive of Volunteering England, director of the Institute for Volunteering Research and Executive director of volunteering at NCVO. He has over 20 years researching and leading in the voluntary sector and has advised the UK Government and the United Nations on the development of volunteering policy. He wrote the volunteering strategy for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has published numerous articles and books on volunteering and the voluntary sector.
He has been a member of the awards committee for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and advisor to the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. He served on the Council of the Economic and Social Research Council from 2012-2015. He is a trustee of the Watford FC Community Trust and of the Royal Voluntary Service charity.
His research interests include the management and leadership of volunteers and the history of voluntary action.
Find out more about Justin on his Academic Experts page.