Policy blog

Challenge Poverty Week has been coordinated by the Poverty Alliance for the last seven years, and it is an opportunity for third sector organisations to highlight what they are doing address poverty, showcase the solutions we can all get behind to solve it and commit to more... Read more

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has issued an open letter to all UK Parliament party leaders demanding action to stop a no-deal exit from the European Union. The letter – sent on 19 August 2019 - highlights the hugely negative impact no-deal Brexit could... Read more

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history. Created 30 years ago in 1989, it continues to be of vital importance to children and young people around the world. It was the... Read more

In response to today’s publication of the Charity Tax Commission’s ‘Reforming charity taxation’ report, Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) said: “SCVO welcomes the Commission’s attempt to undertake a fundamental review of... Read more

Last month I blogged on the need for Scotland’s third sector to step up its role in Scotland’s publicly owned investment bank. Now, with the Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee’s Stage One Report published, I consider how work to set up Scotland’s National Investment Bank... Read more

Last week, the Scottish Government announced its next steps in the review of Scottish charity law following a consultation period on its proposals to update charity legislation for the first time since 2005. Many in the sector – including SCVO – were hoping for reform but were... Read more

Without the right culture, it’s easy to talk ourselves out of collaboration and simpler to avoid challenging the dynamics that come with partnership working. However when it comes to addressing society’s greatest challenges – reflected by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and... Read more

Following the publication of a report on the Scottish Government’s charity law consultation issued this afternoon (Wednesday 3 July 2019), David McNeill, Director of Development for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) said: “SCVO welcomes the broad support... Read more

"Child poverty in twenty-first century Britain is not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and an economic disaster." These are the words of the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, in his final report on extreme poverty and human rights in... Read more

Scotland’s third sector is no stranger to encouraging forward-looking ideas that protect and enhance our society, economy and environment. But, are we all strangers to the Scottish National Investment Bank (the ‘Bank’ or SNIB), billed by the First Minister as a cornerstone of the... Read more

The UK Government’s response to the final report by Professor Philip Alston - the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights – following his visit to the UK last year has been an all too predictable one. Rejecting the report as “barely believable” and “completely... Read more

Third Sector Manifesto In these interesting times, trying to develop ideas for a fixed purpose might feel a little like trying to hit a dartboard hitched to the back of a rollercoaster. The next Scottish Parliamentary elections will take place in May 2021 – that much we know... Read more

As the Scottish Parliament is marking its 20th anniversary this month, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) have chosen to mark this milestone by working with representatives from across the voluntary sector to produce a limited-edition book. Entitled Charities... Read more

I have been working on the Volunteering in NHSScotland Programme, hosted by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, for almost three years now. Our programme is staffed by myself and my manager, Alan Bigham. We support NHS Boards to ensure their volunteer programmes are safe, effective... Read more

In these days of busy, stressful lives, where one in four people suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety, it’s heartening to know that there are alternative solutions that don’t involve medication or therapy. Volunteering to help others can reduce stress... Read more

#IWill ambassador Mhairi McCann, aged 19, writes on how she became an #IWill Ambassador, the barriers she faced and why it’s important to celebrate young volunteers. Mhairi became an #IWill Ambassador in 2018 for her volunteering commitment to Scottish SPCA, Eco-Schools... Read more

The following blog is by Sally, who has been supported by Home-Start Glasgow South, as part of our #VolunteersWeekScot series: I’ve been blind all my life but never needed to ask for support before. I truly believed that I could embark on the journey of motherhood without any... Read more

Last year my life completely changed. Out of nowhere I suffered a stroke. I was completely taken by surprise, there were no warning signs. I woke up during the night and I just knew something was wrong. My husband, Joe thought I had just fallen out of the bed and hit my head. My... Read more

At Macmillan In Scotland we have over 1000 volunteers who dedicate their time and give so selflessly. So surely the impact is easy to quantify? Not in a traditional sense, where organisations are still focussed on counting things - number of volunteers, number of service users... Read more

This year’s Volunteers’ Week slogan is a Time to Celebrate. A huge big thank you to all the people involved in bringing volunteering to life. From the 1st to 7th June there will be parties and promotions in every corner of the UK. It’s heart-warming to see that Twitter is already... Read more

1-7 June is Volunteers’ Week – a chance to celebrate and say thank you for the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It’s also an opportunity to promote the diversity, value and power of volunteering in all its forms – from front line operational work... Read more

Through the early hours of this morning, results from the European Parliament elections started to pour in from across Europe. Unlike most European Elections, which normally only warm the cockles of the most ardent political anorak, the 2019 election has captured the headlines... Read more

Responding to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that the Scottish Government will work to establish a Citizens' Assembly in Scotland, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Anna Fowlie said: “The First Minister’s commitment to... Read more

When the invitation to attend a Town Hall with President Barack Obama landed as junk mail, I presumed it was just that. I palmed it off as another phishing scam; the thought of recognition from the Obama Foundation seemed a little far-fetched. When it emerged that the invite was... Read more

The Scottish Government’s review of Scottish charity law is currently taking place, and the recent call for responses to the consultation has now closed - you can view SCVO's response on our policy page. While SCVO welcomes the opportunity to review charity law, the organisation... Read more

As some of you will already know, SCVO are taking a look at how to improve grant funding. We’re well aware that others in the sector have worked in this space over the years, so here’s a wee roundup of some of those approaches which will be informing our own work in the coming... Read more

Organisations across the third sector invest significantly in developing solutions to the challenges that face people and communities in Scotland. Highlighting these policy solutions to political parties is central to making many of these ideas a reality and improving the lives... Read more

What does the future hold for Scotland’s third sector? This was a question SCVO asked delegates at the Gathering 2019 and which the Policy Forum has been tasked to answer. With the current uncertainty caused by the ongoing Brexit saga and looking ahead to the Scottish Parliament... Read more

By standing up for themselves and others, Scotland’s children and young people defend human rights every day. Most people don’t realise younger citizens can act as human rights defenders— or that they’re protected by international law when they do. At the Children and Young... Read more

A campaign calling for an independent review of the impact of Brexit on health and social care is set to continue. The Assess and Address campaign was created in response to concerns raised by those in the third sector over the implications that Brexit will have for health and... Read more

Third sector organisations ‘have got a different way into communities and a different way into talking to people', one council chief executive reported recently. There is no doubt the third sector is the voice of the people but by investing in local communities third sector... Read more

Women are not a homogenous group and face different and various barriers to the labour market based upon their multiple and intersecting identities. For example, Black and minority ethnic (BME) women face an intertwined set of gendered and racial barriers that affect their... Read more

Public urged to support local causes through turbulent times Charity workers in Scotland are struggling amidst ongoing economic, social and political uncertainty, according to findings published today. A survey conducted by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO... Read more

I’ve been an activist and human rights defender from the age of 15, working on issues relating to gender equality youth voice. In that time, two things have become clear. Firstly, the idea of youth participation and consultation is beginning to move into the minds of decision... Read more

Today, (Thursday 14 February) the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) held a webinar with UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Professor Philip Alston. The live event provided an opportunity for civil society representatives in Scotland to... Read more

In 2015, the First Minister confirmed that the Scottish Government would be one of the first anywhere in the world to commit to meeting the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development, both at home and overseas. Since then, all 193 UN member states have signed up to the 17 goals... Read more

There can be no underestimating the importance of trust in charities, which is already at a high level in Scotland. Public trust in the charity ‘brand’ is one of the most powerful assets our sector holds, but gaining and retaining this is not easy in 2019. The environment that... Read more

Council finance officers are today analysing what effect the Scottish Government’s budget will have on local finances. One area likely to be welcomed by authorities is a commitment to move to three-year council budgets. This will result in less uncertainty across Scottish... Read more

So, you're facing a crisis? Matters of state? Constitutional chaos? International economic catastrophe? Your place in the world? Have you tried Gordon Brown? In all his tarnished armour, Scotland's answer to Don Quixote rides once more to front lines - proffering his solution to... Read more

The Scottish Government and COSLA’s Public Health Reform aims to create “a Scotland where everybody thrives”. As part of this reform, the Improving Health Commission is looking into prioritising health as a human right, taking a Health in All Policies approach and prioritise... Read more

The recent visit to Scotland of Professor Philip Alston, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, shone a light on what organisations working on poverty-related issues already know to be true; that the increasing levels of poverty that we have... Read more

As colleagues across the sector will know, getting an amendment into the Bill is one of the strongest ways to make change, as the amendment becomes law. So how can the sector effectively engage with the Scottish Parliament’s Bill process to progress their policy proposals? Last... Read more

Amongst the hubbub of Brexit dealings and confidence votes, you could have been forgiven for forgetting about the humble old Scottish Budget, which was delivered by Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay, yesterday afternoon. As I mentioned in a previous piece on the Programme for... Read more

Scotland is “mopping up the mess” of UK welfare policy, this was the key assertion from Aileen Campbell MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, during last month’s Ministerial Statement on the interim findings from the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme... Read more

I’m no Carol Vorderman, but the numbers don’t look good for Theresa May pushing her Brexit deal through the House of Commons. A combination of opposition parties and Tory rebels make it appear a mathematical impossibility. After two long years, the PM signed off on an agreement... Read more

Following the release of the Scottish Government's 'Fair Start Scotland', 'Work First Scotland' & 'Work Able Scotland' statistics publication, the fifth publication in a series about the devolved Scottish employability services, SCVO's Chief Executive Anna Fowlie responded today... Read more

The number of new charities set up in 2017 was higher than ever, but financially it’s a mixed picture of winners and losers. Growth has been in the right direction, but for many it’s been pretty anaemic. Our new interactive data hub has pulled together the latest financial data... Read more

Poverty is a political choice, this was the key message from the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, after he visited the UK this month. In a scathing denunciation of austerity Britain, the Special Rapporteur condemned the UK Government for... Read more

Our new interactive data hub pulls together all the basic data on the third sector such as how many organisations there are, how many employees, what they do, and where they are. What’s new is that you can now filter data yourself to find out things like – how many people work in... Read more

How are you feeling about 2019? Once again we're giving third sector colleagues and organisations the chance to tell us what you think next year's biggest challenges and opportunities will be. What you tell us will help us get a better idea of the issues that matter the most to... Read more

Politicians are set to consider plans for an independent review of Brexit’s impact on health and social care. Brendan O’Hara MP introduced a Private Member’s Bill at the House of Commons last week (14 November 2018) in response to concerns raised by those in the third sector... Read more

Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), today responded to Audit Scotland & the Accounts Commission's report ‘Health and social care integration: update on progress’: “The Auditor General has rightly reminded us that the purpose of... Read more

In the last fortnight alone, Glasgow has seen its fair share of collective action from workers. From the equal pay marchers and strikers, to the teachers marching for a decent pay rise and most recently Tuesday seeing precarious workers and campaigners taking to George Square for... Read more

Red box in hand, the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, posed outside 11 Downing Street in front of journalists who had been informed only a few weeks previously by the Prime Minister that "austerity was over". Delivering his last Budget before Brexit, 'Spreadsheet Phil' (as the... Read more

Charities and philanthropy are at the heart of our business. Each year Gillespie Macandrew donates 1% of their pre-tax profits to charitable causes, which over the past three years has topped £80,000. Our own charities and not for profit legal team is skilled and experienced and... Read more

It’s Pro Bono Week! - a global celebration of professional services for the public good #PBW18 And it’s also a cause for celebration here at SCVO because our very own Free Legal Advice Service is 10 years old. Since we started the Service in 2008, we’ve dealt with over 60... Read more

SCVO, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) have written a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, ahead of today’s Opposition day debate on Universal Credit in the House of Commons. The piloting of... Read more

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has today re-iterated its strong support for the UK to remain in the Single Market and Customs Union, following recommendations made in the Scottish Government’s paper ‘Scotland’s Place in Europe: Our Way Forward.’ In... Read more

SCVO has repsonded to the First Minister's speech regarding Fair Work at the SNP Conference this afternoon. SCVO Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said: “We welcome the First Minister’s expanded commitment to Fair Work – it’s essential that the Scottish Government uses all the drivers... Read more

I couldn’t have been the only one who found it a little toe-curling to see SNP conference emblazoned with (SNP-branded) Obama-era ‘Yes We Can’ posters and banners this week. At least Donald Trump had the good grace (a concept usually alien to him) to wait 36 years and add the... Read more

Commenting on the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) report Charity Street Scotland, which shows more than three quarters of Scottish households have used a charity service in the last 12 months, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Anna Fowlie said... Read more

Scotland’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Network began with fifteen people in a room. They strongly felt that the SDGs in Scotland needed a push; momentum had been lost and those at the heart of working with the SDGs were determined to step up the pace with government and... Read more

For a healthy and vibrant democracy it is essential that the voluntary sector feels able to participate in democratic debate. At the Electoral Commission we are currently undertaking a review of the guidance we produce for non-party campaigners and we are looking for help from... Read more

As part of Challenge Poverty Week 2018 John Watson of ASH Scotland wants to throw out the old stereotypes about poverty and smoking, so that we can start a new dialogue between health and anti-poverty groups. Working in public health I’m very conscious that we do what we do... Read more

No one can be in any doubt that the third sector in Scotland is overwhelmingly pro-European. SCVO’s engagement with the sector on Brexit over the past 18 months, found that over 80% of organisations felt that leaving the EU would negatively impact the Scottish economy, poverty... Read more

Minority government is an opportunity to be seized. This was the key message from our most recent Meet the Researchers event at which SCVO’s Policy Officers Network met researchers from the Scottish Labour Party. The seven strong research team, led by Head of Policy, Michael... Read more

It’s said that ‘defence of the realm is the first duty of government’. And, despite apparent agreement that this is the primary duty, there never seems to follow a list ranking the other ‘lesser’ duties of government – a sort of political Ten Commandments. Of course, with hammer... Read more

Charities from across Scotland have been granted additional funding to continue the delivery of projects which aim to reduce the impact of welfare cuts and poverty. SCVO, through the Community Capacity and Resilience Fund, has awarded £135,000 to 14 organisations to build on the... Read more

Straight back from the summer recess, MSPs had little chance to water their office plants and catch up with colleagues. No, no. Not when the Programme for Government is the main item of the day – with two subsequent days of debate and a series of Ministerial elaborations to... Read more

SCVO response to Programme for Scotland 2018/19 Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) responded today to the Scottish Government’s Programme for Scotland 2018-19: “There’s plenty in the Programme for Government that will make a... Read more

Universal Credit (UC) is the UK Government’s new benefit system for working age claimants, replacing six ‘legacy’ benefits - JSA, IS, HB, ESA, Work and Child Tax Credits - with a single monthly payment. UC Full Service, which is predicated on claimants managing their account... Read more

With our children and grandchildren now returning to the classroom, many of us will be thinking about how they are getting to school and back in a way that is healthy and safe. Is it easy for them to walk, scoot or cycle to school? If not, what might make it easier and what would... Read more

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has joined forces with other leading third sector organisations to highlight concerns over the effect of Brexit on volunteering numbers. Alongside Volunteer Scotland, SCVO has prepared a letter to the Home Secretary Sajid... Read more

Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Home Secretary Home Office 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF 15 August 2018 Dear Home Secretary, The Contribution of Non-UK Citizen Volunteers The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the national membership organisation for Scotland’s... Read more

How can the sector most effectively engage with Scotland’s political parties to progress their policy proposals? SCVO decided to ask the experts by hosting a series of, ‘Meet the Researcher’, events for members of SCVO’s Policy Officers Network. At the events, members have the... Read more

The Scottish Government has recently published their updated plan to tackle smoking in Scotland – “Raising a Tobacco-free Generation: Our Tobacco-Control Action Plan 2018.” The Plan centres on the Scottish Government’s priority that, by 2034, an entire generation of Scottish... Read more

Gender pay gap of Scottish voluntary sector May 2018 Download the PDF - Gender pay gap briefing May2018 All organisations with 250+ staff were due to report on their gender pay gap by 4 April 2018. The UK Government has published the full data set of organisations submitting... Read more

Recent OSCR research found that good governance is one of the top things that promotes trust in charities. People want to see charities are being ‘run well’. They want to know that the money or time they choose to put into an organisation is well looked after. In fact they expect... Read more

A landmark report on the UK’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been published. ‘Measuring Up’, produced by UKSSD, paints a gloomy picture of the UK’s performance, whilst highlighting successes across the 17 SDGs that tackle issues from improving health... Read more

At this start of 2018, the third sector was rocked by a fall in public trust and damning headlines of unacceptable charity failures. In reality, public trust in charities is still high in Scotland - 73% of those questioned in an SCVO survey in November 2017 strongly or tended to... Read more

Concern for the environment has never been greater and the way we use our natural resources is firmly in the public spotlight. The concept of a circular economy is one way to minimise the strain on natural resources and help eradicate waste by keeping resources and products in... Read more

Nicola Sturgeon fields new team as transfer window closes For Scottish Politics fanciers (yes, that includes both you and I) the last 24 hours have felt like premiership transfer deadline day. With Twitter tuned to #ScotReshuffle and thumb over the refresh button, we were treated... Read more

Growing up in Ecuador, I’ve witnessed the difficulty that marginalised communities face trying to access basic health services and quality education. I learned that the implications of these inequalities are vast, leading to higher prevalence of disease, homelessness, and... Read more

Volunteers’ Week is absolutely an important thank you to volunteers across Scotland and for the contribution they make to communities and society. But it is also a great opportunity to say thank you to, and recognise, those who help people volunteer and make volunteering happen... Read more

National celebrations will recognise the contribution of Scotland’s diverse volunteer community and encourage more people to get involved Thousands of charities, voluntary and public sector organisations are gearing up to celebrate the vital contribution made by volunteers across... Read more

Organisations across the third sector invest significantly in developing solutions to the challenges that face people and communities in Scotland. Highlighting these policy solutions to political parties is central to making many of these ideas a reality and improving the lives... Read more

Paths for All recently commented on Scottish Government proposals for a strategy to tackle social isolation and loneliness and build stronger social connections. We were pleased that the strategy recognised the value of our work to develop and deliver an action plan for the... Read more

Do you want to help transform government? Imagine a country where citizens and governments come together to solve the most pressing challenges we face; where the decision making process is transparent and accountable, and where you have a real say in the policies and services... Read more

Today, Wednesday 23 May, sees the launch of a pro-EU, anti-Brexit “Declaration: Scotland for Europe”. Signed by over 40 civil society figures, the Declaration marks the start of a Scottish civil society campaign in favour of staying in the EU. The “Declaration: Scotland for... Read more

Communities and charities with new ideas to tackle child poverty will be given the opportunity to bid for part of a new £7.5 million Innovation Fund. Announced as part of the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, the fund, financed by the Scottish Government and the Hunter... Read more

The Scottish Government’s revised National Performance Framework is important to us all. It sets the Scottish Government’s overarching purpose and the indicators that show how the Government is performing against National Outcomes that cover economic, health, social and... Read more

Volunteers week 2018 has the strap line ‘Volunteering for All’ for all UK countries. I’m especially pleased about this, as it’s a direct take from the work being led by the Scottish Government with bold and ambitious thinking to make it the norm for everyone to be engaged in all... Read more

As you might already know, ‘volunteering for all’ is the theme for this year’s Volunteers’ Week (1st -7th June). We’ve been chatting to Louise McGinty, Volunteer Development Manager, at Quarriers about the types of volunteer opportunities they have across Scotland and hearing... Read more

People volunteer for a number of reasons and over the last few years Good HQ has been encouraging people to share their experiences of volunteering to help raise awareness of the charities they support and encourage others to volunteer too. Take a look at just some of the... Read more

On Wednesday, following a vigorous, four hour debate MSPs voted unanimously in favour of establishing Scotland’s first social security system. Around the Chamber, there were smiles from MSPs, while I, like many colleagues from the third sector, watched on from the gallery... Read more

A campaign which aims to encourage EU nationals to stay and continue to live and work in Scotland despite ongoing uncertainty around Brexit took place in Edinburgh today. Created by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the #EUareValued campaign was launched at... Read more

Universal Credit is back in the news. While there have been a steady stream of stories over the past few years about both the administrative disaster of the rollout and the misery that ‘welfare reform’ has caused recipients, the focus this week has been on how plans for a single... Read more

I was really annoyed to read that new Charity Commission Chair, Baroness Powell, thinks people trust charities no more than they trust the average stranger they meet on the street. I was even more annoyed that she said it in her first major speech in the role, and at the National... Read more