# Help us transform SCVO Membership

I sometimes think that SCVO could stand for ‘Sarah Chats to Voluntary Organisations’, as it nicely sums up what I do. My role is all about membership engagement – committed to growing and developing our membership, by making sure our members are supported as best we can. And that’s what matters to me. I love chatting to members and prospective members.

My interactions with members on a daily basis mean I get to hear such wonderful stories, showcasing the strengths and impact of the voluntary sector – organisations and individuals who are being kind, and choosing to make life better for people every day. So, what am I chatting about at the moment? Our [membership review](https://scvo.scot/about/membership), which is taking place over the coming year.  
  
As the national membership organisation for the voluntary sector, we want to make sure that we continue to value our members and be considered valuable by them. Our review will look at what we offer, what SCVO can do for members to make your life easier and explore how you can feel part of a voluntary sector community.

Whether you are a member, past member or haven't joined us yet - we want to hear from everyone across the sector about your experiences, thoughts and needs, so we can consider what we could offer that would help make your life easier.  We’ll be running our own events, as well as connecting with voluntary sector events across the country where possible, to share updates on the review and hear from you on what matters.

By the end of 2020, we plan to have a revised membership offer which will be attractive, relevant and accessible to as many voluntary sector organisations as possible.

We launched our **[membership review survey](https://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90205833/MembershipReview2020)** at last week’s Gathering, the first of many chances to get involved and give us your input.

We also asked people if they feel part of a voluntary sector community and if that is important to them… I think this picture says it all:

![A picture containing object
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We’re already getting a clear understanding of what matters to the sector. And of course I had some chats with members and prospective members, reminding me of what the voluntary sector stands for and how we can best support and deliver what they need:

_‘It’s just small numbers of people we’re supporting, but it’s making all the difference to them’_

_‘There’s no such thing as barriers, you just push them down’_

_‘A cup of tea with someone is all you need to make things better’  
‘SCVO gives you a chance to lift your head from the day to day, so you can see what else is happening and get some support.’_

**[You can get involved right now by taking part in the membership review survey.](https://www.surveygizmo.eu/s3/90205833/MembershipReview2020)**

And if you have any ideas or would like to be involved in the review, I’d love to have a chat with you! Simply email me at [sarah.currie@scvo.scot](mailto:sarah.currie@scvo.scot) or call 0131 474 8043.

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## About SCVO

SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations) is the national membership organisation for Scotland's voluntary sector.

Our role is to champion the role of voluntary organisations in Scotland and to support them to do work that has a positive impact.

SCVO supports members and the wider voluntary sector with all aspects of setting up and running a voluntary organisation. SCVO represents the needs and concerns of the voluntary sector to the Scottish government in Holyrood and UK government and Westminster. Through our learning and events programme SCVO offers training and development opportunities to the sector.

Members access an extensive membership benefits package including specialist, in-depth, 1-to-1 guidance from our Information Services team and from professional service partners.

Access to exclusive membership networks (including comms, employers, governance and policy) supports members to grow their connections, stay up to date, exchange ideas and views with peers, and learn through tailored learning opportunities.

SCVO members enjoy free access to Funding Scotland Premium to stay on top of funding opportunities to support their organisation’s financial resilience.

Discounts and savings on SCVO products and services (including our HR service, managed IT support, payroll service and events and training) and partner offers provide members with support to allow them to focus on delivering their organisation’s goals. Further SCVO products and services include [extensive digital support](https://scvo.scot/support/digital), a climate action resource [Growing Climate Confidence](https://climateconfident.scot), a voluntary sector publication [Third Force News](https://tfn.scot) and a voluntary sector jobs and recruitment service [Goodmoves](https://goodmoves.org).

For more information on SCVO membership, visit [SCVO membership](https://scvo.scot/membership)