Programme Day 1 Day 2

The First Minister has set out four priorities for his government: eradicating child poverty, growing Scotland’s economy, tackling the climate emergency, and improving Scotland’s public services. In this session, SCVO facilitated discussion between the First Minister and the voluntary sector on the sector’s key role in achieving these priorities.

This flagship session will shine a light on the ways in which civic society is advancing anti-racism in Scotland. The expert panel will focus on two key areas, drawing on their own work and experience:

• what is the role of civic society in advancing anti-racism within organisations, but also in the communities they support, including challenging far right ideas where they are encountered
• challenging some of the Scottish exceptionalism that might exist, getting into the history and modern experience of racism here in Scotland

Hear from Trustees, staff, volunteers and locals about how climate action can enrich the lives of locals rather than constrain them.

This event will be a walk through of the current projects being delivered by Climate Action Strathaven.

Find out why some projects succeed and some fail, and the valuable lessons we've learned from both!

Brought to you by the Scottish Funders Forum. Hear the experience of voluntary organisations in finding funds alongside the experience of funders.

The session will include practical tips for voluntary sector organisations to consider right now to achieve successful funding applications.

Join us for an inspiring and collaborative event hosted by The Melting Pot (Edinburgh) and University of Strathclyde's Social Innovation Cluster.

This session is designed to empower Third Sector organisations and social innovators to deepen their impact and navigate the ever-evolving social innovation landscape in Scotland.

In social enterprise, the journey to impact is often marked by setbacks and lessons. Fail Forward at The Gathering 2025 offers an open dialogue on embracing failure as a growth tool. Gain practical insights, connect with a resilient community, and leave empowered to transform setbacks into powerful learning experiences that strengthen their organisations.

This session is a safe space to explore some of the trickier issues that charities and voluntary organisations, and their staff, face when using social media. It can be complex and emotive to navigate these challenges, and our panel will provide insight and signposting to support you in making the decisions that are right for your organisation.

This discussion will cover a range of topics, including:

• What would a people and values-centred AI and digital strategy look like?
• An interactive look at some potential AI use cases, and use these to explore the ethical implications together.
• Reflecting on how civil society and voluntary sector organisations can play a more vocal role in shaping the future of AI.