Towards a Methodology

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a different methodology on information and sources. There is a wealth of valuable information available in the voluntary organizations if it can be extracted. There is an obligation to discuss methodology, and to put into some kind of perspective framework for the research or information collector the conclusions that can be drawn. Their services could be particularly useful in the studies of needs and demand. One of the techniques used by voluntary organizations to demonstrate needs is to set up pilot facilities in an area, and the following bombardment is a good indicator of hitherto unidentified needs in that area. Information from voluntary organizations is likely to be particularly useful where the researcher is concerned with examining the policies on the provisions of services over a long continuum.