Policy blog

Do the First Minister’s announcements mark a truly radical change in approach and will actions match the warm rhetoric? With MSPs back from the summer recess, the First Minister outlined her Programme for Government for the year ahead. The programme was trailed as the Scottish... Read more

Speaking after the launch of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund today, Martin Sime, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations said: “This is a totally inadequate response to the UK Apprenticeship Levy which will have barely any impact in the third... Read more

First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon outlined her programme for government for the forthcoming year today (5 Sept 2017). Commenting on the announcement, Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Lucy McTernan said: “After a decade in office, the First... Read more

Like many colleagues across the sector, last week I finalised SCVO’s response to the Social Security Committee on the Social Security (Scotland) Bill (hurray!). In our response, as is echoed across the third sector, SCVO welcomed the Scottish Government’s aspirations to foster a... Read more

With Brexit negotiations between the UK Government and Europe leaders now underway, Scotland’s charities and voluntary organisations now face the daunting task of ensuring Brexit has the least negative impact possible on Scotland’s communities. Our sector has expressed grave... Read more

My role consists of promoting not just one but two multilateral agendas here in Scotland – the Sustainable Development Goals and the Open Government Partnership. It’s some test, but one of the most exciting challenges I’ve faced. In being a member of the Open Government... Read more

Scottish Government to review scheme and want to hear your views The Scottish Government is in the process of reviewing the new water rates exemption scheme for charities. The Government are keen to hear how the system has been working for charities in Scotland since its... Read more

Report out today calls for changes to non-domestic rates. Earlier today, the Barclay Review of Business Rates released the report of their findings and recommendations. This concludes the long process of evidence sessions, written submissions and Parliamentary scrutiny as the... Read more

In the Barclay Review of Business Rates published today (22 August 2017) two key recommendations affecting the third sector in Scotland were put forward. First, the Group have recommended that arms-length external organisations (ALEOs) lose charitable rate tax relief (and sports... Read more

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” – Winston Churchill After 14 months of wearying speculation and intrigue, Brexit is about to get very real. Soon, the phony war will end and we will begin to see a... Read more

Whilst our MSPs have been enjoying their recess, it’s been a typically busy Summer for our sector. Top of the agenda for many will have been the draft Scottish Social Security Bill – and so it should be. This bill covers a wide range of benefits and, with the proposed new agency... Read more

It’s only as the Guidance is being drafted that the full horror of what has been passed into law is being revealed. The Scottish Lobbying Act is a pretty toxic mix of thoughtless good intention and bungling incompetence. It will undermine participation in our democracy. The Act... Read more

Last week many of our political leaders made the most of recess and set off on their Summer holidays after an apparently gruelling political session so far...you can almost feel the sympathy up and down the country. With the sure footed Theresa May hillwalking in the Alps... Read more

Members of a new network dedicated to open government have written to the Scottish Parliament to call for an urgent review of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Members of the Open Government Scotland Network - which comprises over 200 charities, academics, trade... Read more

As you may have noticed, Liam Fox - the UK Secretary of State for International Trade - is in Washington DC. Poor Liam, you have to feel for him. Despite his best efforts to focus our attention on a "new and exciting chapter" in UK-US trade relations, the start of his visit has... Read more

With UK Government or Tory party policy – take your pick, depending on your perspective – disarray on Brexit negotiations on display once again last week, it's almost easy to look upon it as a great political spectator sport. If it only wasn't so serious. Liam Fox, the... Read more

Recommendations fail to guarantee the human rights of the workforce in the UK The Taylor Report on the modern workforce was published earlier this week to mixed reviews. There was some criticism for a report that many feel is too cautious to enact real change for workers in... Read more

We’re all busy. Busy working on projects, policies and campaigns in the hope that they’ll make a big impact to our organisations. I’m no different, busy promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to third sector organisations across Scotland. The question you’re probably... Read more

For the first time since her humbling General Election result, Theresa May has broken cover to deliver a major address – billed by some as a re-launch (another?) of her leadership and government. Accepting that she had to face up to a ‘new reality,' the Prime Minister appeared to... Read more

Reducing inequality, ending poverty and providing good quality education - no one argued that these weren’t the correct goals to aim for, but translating the Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs) into a Scottish context with clear actions and outcomes which are inclusive and... Read more

Lucy McTernan, Deputy Chief Executive for the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), today responded to the publication of the Budget Process Review Group's Final Report: “SCVO welcomes the publication of today’s report by the Budget Review Group which – if adhered... Read more

John Downie, Director of Public Affairs at SCVO, responded today to the publication of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill: "The publication of the Social Security Bill is a landmark moment for the Scottish Parliament and we are pleased that the forthright views of Scotland's... Read more

SCVO’s Director of Public Affairs John Downie said: “We welcome the publication of today’s report and are encouraged to see many of the concerns raised by the third sector taken on in the Commission’s recommendations. “Scotland’s voluntary organisations put in a great deal of... Read more

A day of solidarity and unity with refugees around the world The charity sector loves awareness days. We attach so much significance to them it’s easy to lose perspective and imagine everyone outside our bubble is as enthusiastic about our work as we are. So I asked some friends... Read more

As Brexit negotiations get underway, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and the Scottish Government’s EU Office are hosting an evening reception in Brussels tomorrow (Tuesday 20 June) to ensure that the voice of civil society is heard throughout the process... Read more

Brexit is a big deal for all of us. Right from the start it’s been a hugely complex issue - and that was before the General Election. Whether we look at it as private citizens or through the prisms of our professional interests there is no doubt that it will be one of the biggest... Read more

In 2015, Nicola Sturgeon 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 that... Read more

As we progress further and further with the Lobbying (Scotland) Act, I thought now would be a good time to tell you when you can give your notepad / laptop / other memory aid a rest, knowing that you do not need to record the names of who you spoke to and what you said. There are... Read more

It’s Carers Week time again, and there have been plenty of events and activities taking place all across Scotland raising awareness of what carers do and how they can be supported. The theme of Carers Week is 'carer-friendly communities' - highlighting that it’s everyone’s... Read more

When the unthinkable happens, we need a blog… don’t we? There’s no doubt that “Jez We Can” resonated. As a result, we find ourselves in the murky waters of the fabled ‘hung Parliament’. Far from establishing strength or stability, we are now aboard a rudderless ship, entering yet... Read more

As the dust settles on another extraordinary election result there are more questions than answers about what happens next. Will the PM hang on? Is an accord with the Ulster Unionists viable? Just what are the implications of this result for the kind of Brexit and the kind of... Read more

Martin Sime, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, has today issued a statement following the 2017 UK Election results: There has been some interesting analysis around the election results this morning, and while there have been a few surprises... Read more

Volunteers: we all love them, we all want them, but are there enough to go round? In our recent Sector Forecast, 61% of respondents told us they were planning to recruit more volunteers in 2017. One in three small charities and two in three larger charities hoped to see their... Read more

Children’s organisations in Scotland, and across the UK, are seriously concerned that Brexit may adversely affect the rights and wellbeing of children and young people. Child protection has been strengthened by binding European legislation, including laws against trafficking of... Read more

Thousands of charities and voluntary organisations are gearing up to celebrate the vital contribution made by volunteers across the length and breadth of Scotland. From 1-7 June 2017, Volunteers’ Week Scotland will see a huge range of events take place in communities all over the... Read more

Official guidance for the Lobbying (Scotland) Act is currently being created - what do you need to see in it? Read more

Is it any wonder people don’t engage in politics? Being on Twitter on Monday night, you’d be forgiven for thinking the whole world was tuned in to ‘The Battle for Number 10’. Quick wit, shrewd analysis, mild rage and casual observations filled my timeline as university friends... Read more

From October to December 2016, SCVO ran a series of three workshops and an online survey to get a better understanding of when and how trustees access information and support, and what they feel could be done to improve the information and support currently available to them. The... Read more

Like many working in public affairs, I’m guilty of trotting out lots of statistics to support my organisation’s policy objectives and calls to action. There are 759,000 unpaid carers in Scotland, and on top of that there are the hidden carers that we can’t measure through the... Read more

Organisations believe Scottish Government approach to employability won’t help those in need, or get the best out of the third sector. At the Joined Up For Jobs (Ju4J’s) partnership forum meeting in Edinburgh today (Friday 26 May) SCVO will state their opposition to the approach... Read more

Views are being sought from the third sector in Scotland on the future of social care, following the launch of a discussion paper outlining financial concerns. A key focus for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the sustainability of the third sector in... Read more

On the radio last week a group of 'Remainers' were asked if they would vote in the General Election for parties promising a second EU referendum. It was interesting. Most said "no" - their line being: the vote has been decided, we need to proceed and exit. This must give those... Read more

The UK is leaving the EU. UK citizens and organisations risk losing access to all of the progressive policy initiatives and social advances that have been hard-won over decades of EU membership. What can we do mitigate the risk? That was the question at the forefront of our minds... Read more

Scotland’s social care sector: The financial evidence that is driving change Report by Jo Armstrong, May 2017 Summary A key focus for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is the sustainability of the third sector in Scotland. Social care amounts to over a... Read more

How to solve a problem like social care? You will no doubt have noticed that the ‘social care crisis’ in England and Wales is playing out across our print and TV media. This coverage focuses primarily on declining finances and staff shortages. However, we must remember that it is... Read more

Having learned most of my French from ‘Allo ‘Allo, I’m afraid the title above will be the beginning and the end of the use of the language in this blog piece – which details a recent third sector delegation to Brussels. Led by SCVO, a diverse delegation of Scottish third sector... Read more

In our latest Intermediaries Report, we discuss the role of intermediaries and the reach and impact they have, with case study examples. Also included is a directory of intermediaries operating in Scotland right now. View the May 2017 Intermediaries Report Read more

HIV Scotland is often described as a “health charity” - one which can sit neatly within one specific policy portfolio. However as a policy issue, HIV spans across many topics – education, stigma, discrimination to name a few – and it must be first and foremost viewed as a human... Read more

Well, as is customary following an election (or any contest for that matter), let's chew over the results. Firstly (due to continued heightened interest in politics post-indyref and greater media coverage of General Election 2017) turnout increased to 46.9% from 39.6% in 201... Read more

As the unedifying spectacle that is UK general election continues to depress us with its stage managed press conferences and lack of genuine debate, you have to question the state of our democracy. It's even more depressing if you start thinking of it in the context of Brexit... Read more

NCVO has just launched its 2017 UK Civil Society Almanac. It’s comprehensive, has lots of great infographics and is crammed with enough new facts and figures on income and workforce to make any data geeks out there go weak at the knees (the more maths-averse amongst you may get... Read more

Ideas for a better world won't get a hearing in an election on Brexit Read more

Our new research shows need for funders and the third sector to map out a better system Read more

Summary When it comes to local funding from public bodies, the sector suffers from short term, small pots of money, with long-term funding in the minority; this can have real impacts for individuals and communities. The sector still does not always get the support it needs, and... Read more

In the final of our pre-local election blogs, Linsay Chalmers talks us through community land. Read more

Once more unto the breach Read more

In the fifth of our local election blog series, RNIB discuss visual impairment. Read more

What next for charities and voluntary organisations in light of constitutional upheaval? Read more

In the fourth blog in our series ahead of the local government elections, Amy Dalrymple looks at opening up government. Read more

In the third in our series of local election blogs, ENABLE's Jan Savage discusses what people with learning disabilities want to see from their councils. Read more

Voters are disengaged from the current system. But how should it be changed? Read more

A burden of responsibility for Scotland’s third sector Read more

Brexit and Indyref2 are not the only issues at play when deciding what kind of country we want to be Read more

In the first of our series of guest blogs on the local elections, The Poverty Alliance explores what Councils can do to tackle poverty. Read more

Sign up for an event in a city near you Read more

It is so disappointing that once again, the Chancellor has frozen alcohol duty, leaving the most vulnerable in our society to pay the price Read more

Fantastic opportunity to showcase the achievements and talents of people with learning disabilities in Scotland Read more

A one-stop guide to the levy, covering potential costs and key things to consider Read more

SCVO Open Government Coordinator on why a new budget process is needed to help drive social change Read more

Key Findings The majority of charities remain relatively confident about their future, but recognise that 2017 will be challenging. There is a ‘squeezed middle’ of medium-sized charities that are particularly worried about the dual pressures of financial uncertainty and... Read more

What practical steps should you take now to be ready for the Lobbying Act? Read more

New regulations expect too much of charities, and offer little public benefit Read more

Civil society can play a huge and unique role Read more

As the UK Government try to close the gap, our sector is vital Read more

SCVO Open Government Coordinator on ways to achieve accountability, participation and transparency Read more

SCVO media release 6 February 2017 86% of Scotland’s charities fear Brexit economic shock Charities in Scotland are warning that Brexit could have a severe impact on their survival, with further negative effects on their ability to help the people they support. The stark findings... Read more

06 February 2017 Full survey findings 1. Impact of leaving EU 86% felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on the Scottish Economy 81% felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on Poverty & Social Exclusion 80% felt that leaving the EU would have a... Read more

The future looks far from clear, but Scotland’s third sector may be uniquely placed to influence post-Brexit direction Read more

Irresponsible policy making by the Treasury ups threat to benefit claimants Read more

Big questions for the future affordability of social housing Read more

Child Poverty Action Group highlights worrying examples of how the benefit cap reduction is hitting people in Scotland Read more

Casting an eye on the big policy issues for Scotland's third sector Read more

Applications are now open for the Scottish Government’s exemption scheme Read more

We share the latest information on Scotland's Lobbying Act. Read more

Proposed housing changes mark new low in UK Government’s savage approach to welfare cuts Read more

Third sector must ensure prevention remains paramount Read more

New grant making standards will replace gagging clause - but what do they mean? Read more

As we reach the end of our #RightApproach campaign, Allan detects a change in the air Read more

Tumultuous year kept third sector sounding board busy Read more

SCVO media release 8 December 2016 The Scottish Fundraising Implementation Group has announced the members of the Independent Fundraising Standards & Adjudication Panel for Scotland, which will oversee fundraising standards and fundraising complaints about charities registered in... Read more

Monday 5 December 2016 SCVO media release The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) in partnership with the Wales Council for Voluntary Organisations (WCVA), Involve, and Northern Ireland Environment Link has been awarded a £500k Big Lottery Fund grant to support... Read more

Third sector reaction to the Autumn Statement Read more

On 23 November 2016, the UK Chancellor Philip Hammond presented his autumn statement to the UK Parliament. Commenting on the statement, SCVO Director of Public Affairs, John Downie, said: This budget offers little hope to the people that Scotland’s charities and voluntary... Read more

Introduction In general, we welcome the broad direction of travel of social security in Scotland, in particular the emphasis placed on ensuring each individual is treated with dignity and respect. Our members recognise the scale of the challenges facing the Scottish Government... Read more

Care Inspectorate consultation is an opportunity to promote human rights in social care Read more

A baseline year for children’s rights in Scotland Read more

SCVO media release 10 November 2016 The Scottish Fundraising Working Group is recommending to charities in Scotland that they do not need to screen against the FPS. Chair of the Group and Partner at MacRoberts LLP, Val Surgenor, said: “The Scottish Fundraising Working Group’s... Read more

Chair of recent review into fundraising in Scotland sets out what trustees need to know Read more

Leaders from across Scotland’s third sector have come together with a rallying call for all the nation's charities and voluntary organisations to commit to seizing the opportunities presented by new technology and the internet. Over the last six months, 19 senior charity leaders... Read more

It's time for bold thinking to close the gap between the old and the young Read more