Press releases

Joint letter to Smith Commission 10 October 2014 Lord Smith The Smith Commission 7th Floor One Atria 144 Morrison Street Edinburgh EH3 8EX Dear Lord Smith As representatives of some of the major interests in civil society in Scotland, we are well aware of the challenges facing... Read more

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has made an interim contribution to the Smith Commission, asking for a guarantee that people in Scotland will be given a real say in the devolution of more powers to Scotland. Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO said: “We... Read more

SCVO – STUC – NUS Scotland - joint media statement 19 September 2014 The citizens of Scotland have made their decision and they must take the lead in shaping Scotland’s future Today the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC... Read more

SCVO media statement 19 September 2014 Reflecting on the result of the referendum on Scottish independence, Martin Sime, Chief Executive, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “People have voted in unprecedented numbers and the debate showed there is an... Read more

SCVO media release 28 July 2014 The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has joined forces with the STUC and the Daily Record for the Mission Million campaign to encourage the million people in Scotland currently unregistered to start using their vote. John Downie... Read more

SCVO media release 9 July 2014 For immediate release The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has become a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). This new legal structure, which has been purpose built for the charity sector in Scotland, allows... Read more

SCVO media release 9 June 2014 For immediate release NEED TO LEAVE BEHIND SCOTLAND’S ARCHAIC SYSTEM & HAVE FAIRER DISTRIBUTION OF LAND Five third sector organisations have joined forces to urge the Scottish Government to take early and decisive action on land reform. They have... Read more

SCVO media comment Wed 4 June 2014 Ahead of the publication of the Expert Group on Welfare’s second report, John Downie, Director of Public Affairs, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “It’s encouraging to see that the Group is aspiring towards a much more... Read more

SCVO media release 3 June 2014 NEW NATIONAL PROGRAMME GETS CHARITIES READY FOR SHIFT TO MORE LOCAL HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and partners today (Tuesday 3 June) launched Building Healthier and Happier Communities, a national... Read more

SCVO media release 7 May 2014 For immediate release The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has published a new report, An Economy for All, which outlines how we can build a stronger economy by reducing inequality. The report calls for people’s well-being to... Read more

Following the launch of the Help to Work scheme today, Martin Sime, chief executive, SCVO said: “SCVO has consistently opposed this kind of mandatory activity that forces people to do unpaid work or face unfair sanctions. It’s particularly harmful at a time when many people are... Read more

SCVO Media Release Embargoed until 00.01 on 4 March 2014 NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO TACKLE SCOTLAND’S “HUMANITARIAN CRISIS” More than 870,000 people in Scotland are living in poverty A fifth of children in Scotland are living below the breadline 23,000 people turned to food banks... Read more

SCVO media release New figures show vital role third sector plays in Scotland New figures released today (Wednesday 19 February) by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) show that the third sector’s turnover has grown to £4.9bn, having doubled over the last... Read more

Welfare, jobs, economy & health & social care to top agenda In key speaking appointments following last week’s currency union debate, the First Minister Alex Salmond MSP and Alistair Darling MP will set out the cases for and against remaining part of the UK for charities and the... Read more

An independent report released today shows that the second phase of Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) programme has created jobs for 1,420 young unemployed people in charities and third sector organisations in all parts of Scotland. John Downie, Director of Public Affairs, Scottish... Read more

41% of charities and third sector organisations grew in size in 2013 despite the difficult economic environment – an improvement on 2012 when just 31% of organisations increased in size Over three quarters (77%) of charities and third sector organisations expect demand to... Read more

Following the launch of the Scottish Government’s White Paper on independence today, Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO said: “More than one million people are living in poverty in Scotland and 30% of our population don’t vote and will never set eyes on this weighty document. How... Read more

SCVO has published the first in a series of papers which lay out the third sector’s vision and ambitions for a Scotland of the future in the run-up to next year’s referendum. The report brings together thinking and ideas from across the third sector and will help to spark more... Read more

New Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) programme targeted at young offenders. Read more

It needs to focus on the big issues that matter to people More than half of charities think the debate is uninspiring and predictable. It’s missing the big issues that matter to them and people in Scotland – poverty, welfare, jobs, health and social care 40% of charities and... Read more

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is launching a new project which will invest in charities and third sector organisations in several localities across Scotland to help prepare them for the shift of health and social care services to local community level... Read more

Following George Osborne’s speech proposing that long-term unemployed people will be forced into community service, John Downie, Director of Public Affairs, SCVO said: “The UK Government must stop this ritual humiliation of unemployed people “The so-called “Help to Work... Read more