The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG.
Board of Trustees elections 2025
We're inviting nominations from our membership community so we can then hold a members' vote and announce the results at our AGM in December to fill our vacancies
Joining the SCVO Board of Trustees
At SCVO we're passionate about what the voluntary sector can achieve. Along with our 3,700+ members, we believe that charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups make Scotland a better place.
We’re lucky to have a board of up to 11 trustees with a wide range of backgrounds and experience. We want our board to be inclusive, and to reflect the diversity of the voluntary sector and Scottish society. That means striving for our board to be a mix of people with different characteristics, knowledge and experience, from different organisations and places, and with different perspectives.
Six of our trustees are elected from our membership. This year we have five vacancies for trustees elected from SCVO's membership. We invite nominations from our membership so we can hold a members' vote. We'll announce the outcome of elections at our AGM on 9th December 2025.
This page gives a brief overview of what being a trustee involves and explains how to apply to join the SCVO Board of Trustees.
How do I apply?
Complete a trustee nomination form and return it to us by 5pm on 31st October 2025. If you would like support to complete the form we're happy to help, please email us or call us on 0800 169 0022.
Farha Jamadar,"Being a trustee can be incredibly rewarding! It's not without its challenges but one of the best aspects is having a positive impact on SCVO and its communities. It’s a fulfilling role that combines responsibility with the potential for meaningful change.
Serving as an SCVO trustee helps develop leadership, financial acumen and strategic thinking skills. It also provides opportunities to connect with diverse groups of people."
SCVO treasurer
Being a trustee
SCVO is a trusted organisation, with a critical role to play in supporting the voluntary sector. As a member of the board, you can be part of something special.
Trustees make sure the governance of the organisation is maintained to a high standard. The role is both rewarding and challenging, as we operate in an ever-changing environment with precarious funding – just like most other voluntary organisations.
Our trustees play a key role in making sure that SCVO stays true to our mission and values, serving the interests of our members and the wider voluntary sector.
What are a trustee's responsibilities?
As a trustee, your responsibilities include:
- Being responsible for the strategic direction of SCVO
- Upholding SCVO’s values
- Promoting the role of the voluntary sector wherever appropriate
- Receiving reports from the Chief Executive and other staff on SCVO’s operations and finances, making recommendations as required
- Making sure that all statutory requirements for SCVO are met
- Agreeing on co-opting Board members to the Board of Trustees.
Gillian McKee,"As the representative membership body for Scotland’s vibrant, essential voluntary sector, SCVO needs a dynamic, supportive board to assure success against its strategic purpose."
SCVO trustee
What's the time commitment involved in being a trustee?
Being a trustee is hugely rewarding and there is a time commitment involved. We ask trustees to be available for:
- Quarterly meetings of the Board of Trustees
- The board’s annual away day – which normally includes an overnight stay
- membership of one of the standing committees [approximately quarterly]
- Ad hoc meetings of the board and working groups which progress SCVO’s strategic objectives
- Key internal and external events such as The Gathering and the Charity Awards
To support their commitments to SCVO, some of our current trustees use flexible working arrangements, annual leave or make use of volunteer days, it depends on their personal circumstances.
Get in touch if you'd like to talk to any of our current board members about their experiences - we'd love to hear from you.
Find out more about SCVO's work and our current board
Read about SCVO's work and learn about our current board members
If you have questions or want to know about something that isn’t covered here,
you can contact us for support.
If you're not yet an SCVO member, we'd love to have you as part of our membership community. If your organisation has an income of less than £100,000 you're likely to be able to join SCVO for free.