Policy blog

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