« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
ANNEX A
THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR'S CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT AGENDAS
The focus of the main document is on the different roles we envisage the sector playing over the next 15 years - it is important to acknowledge the voluntary sector's significant contribution towards the Executive's broad cross cutting priorities. This is not an exhaustive list but includes:
Strengthening the economy
Voluntary organisations are key players in the economy in their own right as employers and service providers. The sector also has a key role to play by creating the conditions where the economy can flourish by investing in people through training, boosting skills and confidence, and improving the employability of people on the margins of the labour market by providing evidence of reliability, punctuality and dedication to work through volunteering. Through their business activities social economy organisations are key partners in the regeneration of deprived communities - at its best, the sector can also act as exemplars of socially responsible business practise to the business community, promoting corporate responsibility by linking business decision making with ethical values, respect for communities and the environment.
Building strong, safe communities
Economic growth alone is not enough to guarantee happiness, but is dependent on a host of other factors, including the quality of social networks. The sector plays a key role in building community cohesion - creating links and social networks in communities, giving people the opportunity to come together for example through sports, voluntary arts and youth clubs - nurturing public spirit, institutional co-operation and community identification.
A confident, democratic Scotland
With a strong ethos of volunteer management voluntary organisations embody ideals of civic participation and active citizenship. The sector promotes the involvement of people in the lives of communities and wider society through its projects and through volunteering. Volunteering itself can be about people who step forward to help others whose lives are very different from their own, without judgement or prejudice, to work with people affected by drug or alcohol misuse, people with mental health problems or those in the criminal justice system. Volunteering can be a way of creating a climate of optimism, hope and a confident Scotland.
Delivering excellent public services
Our public service reform agenda aims to ensure that services are high quality and designed and delivered around the needs of individuals and communities. The voluntary sector can play two roles in this agenda. Where organisations have the particular skills and expertise they can provide services directly. They also contribute to planning and designing of service delivery through powerful advocacy to ensure that services meet the needs of specific groups or individuals .
Growing Scotland's reputation abroad
Many of Scotland's voluntary organisations have international connections ( SCVO research suggests that the Scottish voluntary sector has links with 189 different countries) - their mutual interest transcending language and cultural barriers. The voluntary sector plays a role in our tourism industry - voluntary action is also behind the maintenance of many of our most beautiful local beauty and heritage sites.
Sustainable Development
It is the aspiration of every voluntary organisation to improve wellbeing and quality of life on a lasting basis. Many voluntary organisations are adept at developing integrated and innovative links between social, economic and environmental problems and can offer a rich source of feedback on whether sustainable development is being achieved in practice, offer a vehicle for community action around sustainability issues, act as a catalyst for adoption of sustainable lifestyles and can demonstrate through example how sustainable development can be an integral aspect of public service delivery.
« Previous | Contents | Next »