Words and intentions matter: Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation

Last week, we saw the launch of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.  To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be overcome with optimism. But, given the central importance of the third sector to Scotland’s economy, I had expected a bit more than the odd cursory mention.  In the programmes of action, we are relegated to “and partners” and the work of the sector in relation to employment and skills, and human rights and equalities is completely ignored.  

Chapters five and six, Skilled Workforce and A Fairer and More Equal Society, are particularly galling. It is well-known that the most effective support for people furthest from the labour market is delivered by the third sector – the Princes Trust, Enable Works and Barnardo’s to name but three. And I’m sure colleagues in disabled person’s organisations, organisations working with refugees, the women’s movement, homelessness and many others will be quite surprised to see that expertise in equality and human rights is centred in the government and public sector.  

There are some glimmers of hope, particularly around social enterprises, and yet the Social Enterprise Action Plan doesn’t merit a mention amongst the sectoral strategies at page 10. The importance of quality, affordable childcare is recognised but only as a means to get parents into employment.  This is another missed opportunity to invest in the first 5 years of a person’s life, when there’s a wealth of evidence that that makes the biggest single difference to people’s future wellbeing and economic contribution. 

It may be exciting to learn that Scotland has great opportunities in the space industry and start-up incubation, but none of that will work without the foundational economy. And it won’t address poverty and inequalities, which are the biggest draining effect on our country’s economic and social wellbeing. 

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy said in her foreword:   

“As a country we will be judged on the outcomes we deliver, not the strategy we write. Words and intentions matter, but only actions deliver change…. Ours must be a country in which the public, private and third sectors respect each other's strengths, draw on each other's talents and work together to create and sustain an economy that works for all.” 

Those outcomes won’t be achieved without proper recognition and valuing of the third sector. The words in the strategy are not inclusive and the document shows no evidence of Scottish Government respecting the strengths or drawing on the talents of our sector.