What are intermediaries?
Intermediaries are voluntary sector organisations whose members are primarily other voluntary sector organisations that share a common interest or purpose. Their main role is to support and represent these members. Intermediaries are also called umbrella bodies, membership bodies or network bodies.
60 national intermediaries represent organisations working in the same field, such as youth work, arts, health or heritage. Scotland’s intermediaries directly reach thousands of member organisations, and indirectly support many thousand more organisations and individuals across Scotland.
About Scotland’s national intermediaries
This document gives an overview of Scottish Intermediaries, their functions, services, and collective impact, and contains a basic directory.
This interactive directory allows searching by activity area. The directory also provides information by each of the Scottish National Outcome areas, including an overview of the numbers and types of voluntary organisations working in each outcome area, and the main intermediaries supporting those organisations.
Resources
- Understanding intermediaries’ impact
- Scotland’s International Development Alliance social capital profile
- Find a local Third Sector Interface
SCVO Intermediaries Network
Our intermediaries network reflects interests in the arts, disability, the environment, housing, learning, social care, sport and transport.
The network meets regularly to discuss issues of shared interest, such as evaluating and increasing impact, networking, representing members, developing shared policy and campaigns.
Be part of a joined-up approach to supporting voluntary action, stay in the loop on policy and funding issues, learn from colleagues facing similar challenges and share experience and best practice.
Intermediaries Network agendas and minutes available here.
Contact pon@scvo.org.uk for more info.
