The unit, which is supported by the Baring Foundation, the Bridge House Trust and Lloyds TSB Foundation, will provide practical information and advice to help organisations make informed decision about whether and how to work collaboratively.

Speaking at the launch, Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said that greater understanding of collaborative working would make the voluntary sector even more effective and would improve services for beneficiaries. “Voluntary organisations are always looking for ways to save time and money and improve their efficiency. Collaborative working can be a way of doing this by combing expertise, services and resources of two or more organisations.”

The Charity Commission expressed its support for the Unit, saying that those charity trustees who have identified collaboration or merger as necessary for their organisations will receive the full support of the commission. However, it acknowledged that such a move may not be appropriate for all as "diversity and independence are hugely important strengths for charities to retain".

The commission's new chief executive, Andrew Hind, said: "Together with Geraldine Peacock, I want this [collaboration] to be one of the hallmarks of our leadership of the commission; not only encouraging charities to collaborate more but to emulate this behaviour ourselves by really reaching out to the sector and developing new partnershops with the sector we regulate.

"It isn't our aim to force charities to merge but to ask instead that they consider whether there are ways in which they could achieve more for their beneficiarites by working more closely. We feel that the establishment of NCVO's Collaborative Working Unit will boost charities' ability to do this and we are delighted to be able to support its launch today."

Voluntary organisations who would like more information on the Collaborative Working Unit should email collaborate@ncvo-vol.org.uk The Charity Commission has also completed a study into this area Collaborative Working and Mergers, which can be downloaded from www.charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk