Policy blog

Yesterday we showed that politics is not just for politicians. Let us carry that momentum forward. Read more

SCVO media statement 19 September 2014 Reflecting on the result of the referendum on Scottish independence, Martin Sime, Chief Executive, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “People have voted in unprecedented numbers and the debate showed there is an... Read more

The #BigBigDebate was a rare opportunity to find out what young people in Scotland have to say about the referendum. And it didn’t disappoint. Read more

There have been big changes in the European Commission but will that lead to a new way of doing things? Read more

Like many of us I won’t decide to say yes or no to independence until I'm in the voting booth Read more

I’ve been involved with the Community Empowerment Bill for around three years now and as time has passed its limitations have become increasingly apparent. I remember when it was “potentially the greatest transfer of power since devolution” but now some serious life needs to be... Read more

Hi! For those of you who don’t know me, my name’s Felix and I work in the charity sector.  And as we all know, that means that the only thing I am good for is knitting. Read more

Last week I had a dilemma. What to wear to a poverty and social exclusion conference? I know that seems shallow given the serious context, but something just feels wrong about sitting in a nice room in smart clothes discussing how many people can’t afford to clothe their kids... Read more

Let's be honest political parties and politicians only care about people who vote. It's all about getting elected. If you don't vote they don't care about you. They'll tell you they do but it’s the people who vote who get to enjoy the political “sweeties”. I'm always amazed this... Read more

The referendum’s legacy could be closer links between people and politicians Read more

The top question of the day is: why do so many working people in our most deprived communities think voting doesn’t make any difference. The reason: harsh experience and being let down time and time again. To them it's not a cliché to think that all politicians are the same, that... Read more

SCVO media release 28 July 2014 The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has joined forces with the STUC and the Daily Record for the Mission Million campaign to encourage the million people in Scotland currently unregistered to start using their vote. John Downie... Read more

The Third Sector in Scotland has been involved in the governance and implementation of European Structural Funds since the UK joined the EU. As the national body representing the interests of all Third Sector organisations in Scotland, SCVO secured support from the Scottish... Read more

Communities in East Dunbartonshire are making connections to tackle health inequalities in their area Read more

Building Healthier and Happier Communities is a national programme to improve the health and quality of life of people and communities across Scotland. It is starting in East Dunbartonshire, where SCVO is working on a pathfinder with East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA... Read more

Building Healthier and Happier Communities is a national programme to improve the health and quality of life of people and communities across Scotland. It’s starting in East Dunbartonshire, where SCVO is working on a pathfinder with East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA... Read more

Scotland and the world around it are changing. From demography to technology, environment to economy, faith to fiscal policy, nothing about our society is standing still. For the third sector, how Scotland changes in the next two to three years matters less than how it changes in... Read more

Thankfully for the vast majority of the sector the answer is likely to be “no” Read more

Friday 18 July 2014 would have been Nelson Mandela’s 96th birthday. More than 27 of his years were spent in prison, while a staggering 67 years were committed to public service. He lived a great life of struggle and achievement, and touched the lives of millions of people across... Read more

How could a consultation about improving voter participation have got it so wrong? Read more

Tackling poverty once and for all can be the legacy of the referendum debate Read more

Tailored support is now available from Building Healthier and Happier Communities in East Dunbartonshire. Before completing an Expression of Interest form please read the Guidance notes and for more information check out the Building Healthier and Happier Communities section of... Read more

Putting people at the heart of Scotland's future We want a Scotland that has a shared sense of purpose, is fair and prosperous, and where the entire population has the opportunity to participate on equal terms. This ambition is the biggest political, policy and practical... Read more

Policymakers must take heed of insight provided by people living in poverty in the Turning Up The Volume On Poverty report Read more

Focus on engaging communities rather than enabling community action makes the Community Empowerment Bill frustratingly inconsistent Read more

Over the last week a new chapter has opened in the attack on civil society's campaigning role, and not in China or Russia but right here in the UK Read more

We need to reverse the debate by asking what areas of responsibility should lie with each level of government, including local government and community councils. Read more

SCVO media release 9 June 2014 For immediate release NEED TO LEAVE BEHIND SCOTLAND’S ARCHAIC SYSTEM & HAVE FAIRER DISTRIBUTION OF LAND Five third sector organisations have joined forces to urge the Scottish Government to take early and decisive action on land reform. They have... Read more

Now we have a chance to really move forward on land reform Read more

John Downie responds to the second report from the Expert Working Group on Welfare. It’s a strong start, but if we don’t aim for more radical change, we all lose Read more

SCVO media comment Wed 4 June 2014 Ahead of the publication of the Expert Group on Welfare’s second report, John Downie, Director of Public Affairs, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said: “It’s encouraging to see that the Group is aspiring towards a much more... Read more

Jill Wood, policy manager at Engender, takes a look at the referendum debate from a women's rights perspective. Read more

The Scottish Conservatives have set out their plans for more powers if Scotland says No on 18 September Read more

Charities in East Dunbartonshire are getting the help they need to provide more health and social care services in their communities Read more

SCVO media release 3 June 2014 NEW NATIONAL PROGRAMME GETS CHARITIES READY FOR SHIFT TO MORE LOCAL HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and partners today (Tuesday 3 June) launched Building Healthier and Happier Communities, a national... Read more

What does having UKIP in Scotland mean for the third sector? Read more

Slovenian civil society is seeing great results from its much more direct challenge to the private sector Read more

The debate around the referendum offers the opportunity for all of us to consider how we make sure that positive mental health is the foundation stone of a fair, equal and inclusive society for all. Read more

Stephen’s Story is one of a truly brave and inspiring young man who will help people for generations to come Read more

New Procurement Act has long way to go to deliver real change Read more

In a role funded by the Scottish Government, public health practitioner Kate Burton is supporting NHS boards to mitigate the impact of welfare reform on health and the NHS. She is collecting data from advice services on: the number of people you have supported who opt to claim... Read more

SCVO media release 7 May 2014 For immediate release The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has published a new report, An Economy for All, which outlines how we can build a stronger economy by reducing inequality. The report calls for people’s well-being to... Read more

If we put people at the heart of the economy, growth will follow #economyforall Read more

The Commission on Local Democracy’s interim report aims to provide a starting point for the reform of local democracy, but will it end up gathering dust on a shelf or can it deliver real change? Read more

Can the third sector capitalise on a more time-rich society? Read more

Following the launch of the Help to Work scheme today, Martin Sime, chief executive, SCVO said: “SCVO has consistently opposed this kind of mandatory activity that forces people to do unpaid work or face unfair sanctions. It’s particularly harmful at a time when many people are... Read more

New arguments for rethinking our economy are emerging and they range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Read more

Thoughts on what an increasingly automated workforce will mean for Scotland's future. Read more

Applied Futurologist Tom Cheesewright spoke at February’s Gathering, and we now have the report on that session available for you to read. Tom highlighted what will affect our sector and those we work with – demographic change, technology change, changes in the way we work… And... Read more

This weekend’s party conference is a chance for the SNP to demystify what independent Scotland could do about poverty. Read more

One aspect that has been absent from the independence debate is the role that cooperative and mutual structures can play in shaping Scotland’s future. Read more

Ilse Mackinnon takes a look at why the latest round of third sector stats left us scratching our heads. Read more

About these statistics This page pulls together statistics for 2014/2015 from a range of sources, including SCVO, OSCR and the Scottish Housing Regulator. Financial data is based on charity accounts for 2013/14. Key facts The Scottish voluntary sector encompasses an estimated 4... Read more

Half of Scotland's private land in the hands of a small but powerful group. With changes on the horizon is radical reform finally a possibility? Read more

Only 13 Labour back benchers voted against plans to cap welfare. Can the party still claim to represent vulnerable people? Read more

The coalition might win the battle but we won’t let them win the war. Read more

Let’s not get complacent about equality and human rights. A new online resource can help keep us right. Read more

The outcomes of our economic and political system are too often misaligned with what we as people and communities want and need and what our planet requires to survive. Read more

Johann Lamont's big conference speech was rhetorically impressive but does local government really equal community empowerment? Read more

Whether someone is in work or unable to work, they should have access to a decent income that lets them live with dignity. Read more

Can the Tories make the case for the Union while fending off attacks on Westminster policy? Read more

Is Holyrood functioning well? Yesterday’s Procurement Reform Bill session would suggest not, but changes are afoot. Read more

Living on benefits can happen to anyone at any time and it should not be frowned upon by anyone. Read more

Following SCVO’s event on a new economic model at The Gathering, economist and author Stewart Lansley argues that economies built around poverty wages and huge corporate surpluses are unsustainable. Read more

In the race for economic growth we have forgotten about people and communities. Read more

The housing outlook for tens of thousands of people is bleak. That it need not be makes it doubly tragic. Read more

We need to stop shying away from knowledge of the circumstances in which our fellow Scots live, and begin making the changes needed to enable participation as equal, active and valued citizens. Read more

Being unable to heat your home, being unable to buy food, living with debt – this is the reality that thousands of people wake up to each morning. Read more

Sources 870 000 people in Scotland still live in poverty The Poverty Alliance Poverty and Income Inequality Scotland: 2011-12 Households below average income A fifth of children in Scotland are living below the breadline Poverty in Scotland Summary Briefing Sixth of people living... Read more

SCVO Media Release Embargoed until 00.01 on 4 March 2014 NEW CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO TACKLE SCOTLAND’S “HUMANITARIAN CRISIS” More than 870,000 people in Scotland are living in poverty A fifth of children in Scotland are living below the breadline 23,000 people turned to food banks... Read more

Can the Scottish Government make better policy than its UK counterpart? Read more

SCVO media release New figures show vital role third sector plays in Scotland New figures released today (Wednesday 19 February) by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) show that the third sector’s turnover has grown to £4.9bn, having doubled over the last... Read more

Welfare, jobs, economy & health & social care to top agenda In key speaking appointments following last week’s currency union debate, the First Minister Alex Salmond MSP and Alistair Darling MP will set out the cases for and against remaining part of the UK for charities and the... Read more

Giving isn’t altruism, it’s science. Read more

Kate asks whether the Scottish Government needs to set a deadline for public service reform. Read more

A nation defines itself by its culture – it’s part of who we are. What will the cultural landscape of Scotland look like after 18 September? Read more

Lynn blogs about the need for more compassion and understanding in advance of tonight's Dispatches: Benefits Britain and Benefits Street. Read more

The odious stream of negativity targeted at third sector campaigning rumbles on. Read more

There is nothing permanent except change - Heraclitus Read more

It’s time to start thinking more fundamentally about what we want from those who will govern us after the referendum. Our human rights seem like a good starting point. Read more

SCVO has consistently called for part two of the Lobbying Bill to be scrapped entirely, as it is... Read more

Thanks for your interest in this survey. It is now closed. If you would like to get in touch with someone at SCVO about this please email john.ferguson2@scvo.scot Read more

A new pledge sees rivals SNP and Scottish Labour unite against the bedroom tax. Let’s make sure they get it right. Read more

Was anyone really surprised that the latest Scottish Attitudes Survey said that the economy will be the decisive issue for voters in the referendum? It was always going to be the case that people would base their decision on whether independence would be good for the economy. I... Read more

The last five years have been mercilessly hard for UK charities and NGOs. The financial crisis has seen budgets squeezed and axed, whole organisations shutting down, and all this with a withdrawal of service provision from government and rising poverty creating increased demand... Read more

If the proposals to introduce a lobbying register in Scotland go ahead the positive relationship the third sector has with the Parliament will be at risk. This would be a worrying development that runs counter to the participative principles the Scottish Parliament was founded... Read more

Benefits sanctions might provide a short term fix but they're bad for job seekers and bad for the economy. Read more

More options download full report as a PDF document download full report as a Word document Executive Summary Community Jobs Scotland Background 1. Community Jobs Scotland (CJS) is a Scottish Government funded job creation programme that performs a dual function as: An... Read more

Introduction I would first like to say thank you to Sally, who is here tonight with Jamie and Luke, and to Martin Sime for asking me to give this lecture. I am truly honoured. I deeply respected Stephen Maxwell. He had such integrity and a real and serious concern about... Read more

Channel 4's latest documentary adds to the dangerous anti-benefits rhetoric. Read more

In 2011, over 4000 charities in Scotland were focused on the prevention and relief of poverty and 17% of all charities included this in their list of charitable purposes. Read more

As we move into the festive period, many of us will be reflecting on what this year has meant for us. We may also be looking ahead, planning our resolutions, joining the local gym (again), digging out that diet plan (again) - you know the drill. For many of us in the third sector... Read more

Throughout the rushed passage of the UK Government’s Lobbying Bill (that wonderful piece of legislation that, if enacted in its current form, will stop nearly all campaigning of any kind by anyone within 12 months of any election – so basically all year, every year here in... Read more

In the newly released SCVO report into the future health and confidence of the sector, it’s clear that our sector is viewing 2014 with some pretty mixed feelings. Read more

Zero hours contracts are bad for workers and bad for customers Read more

41% of charities and third sector organisations grew in size in 2013 despite the difficult economic environment – an improvement on 2012 when just 31% of organisations increased in size Over three quarters (77%) of charities and third sector organisations expect demand to... Read more

Commentary The third sector is clearly making a real difference to the lives of people in Scotland and is heading in the right direction again despite a challenging economic environment. This isn’t just good news for the staff and volunteers who work within the sector, it also... Read more

These data tables accompany the State of the Sector 2013 report. Figure 1 The increase/decrease in organisation size reported by respondents between 2007 and 2013. Over the last 12 months has your organisation: 2007 2008 2009 (estimate) 2010 (estimate) 2011 2012 2013 Grown in... Read more

Progressing Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights will be no easy task, but if there was ever a sector that knows how to change lives for the better, it’s ours. Read more

Ironically passing on the night of the launch of his biopic, many more will now take the time and space to reflect on his life and unrivalled legacy. Read more