SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE

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1. The Scottish Compact was published in October 1998 and endorsed by the Scottish Parliament in November 1999. The Compact contains a statement of the values shared by the Scottish Executive and voluntary organisations, volunteers and community development groups and enshrines their mutual commitment to partnership working: each party has agreed to adhere to these commitments when working in partnership with the other. The benefits of doing so are listed in the Compact.
2. Across the UK there are 4 Compacts, one for each of the home countries. The Scottish Compact applies to the Scottish Executive and its agencies working with the Scottish voluntary sector. It was developed by a Working Group consisting of representatives from the then Scottish Office, the voluntary sector and government agencies (Scottish Homes). Departments with a GB/UK remit should take account of the commitments of the Scottish Compact as indicated in the GB/UK Protocol when working with the Scottish voluntary sector. (See section 6.)
3. The Scottish Compact is available on the Scottish Executive website. Hard copies may be obtained from the Voluntary Issues Unit (VIU) on 0131 244 3649 or can be purchased from the Stationery Office, price £4.55. A summary of the commitments contained in the Scottish Compact is attached as the annex to this consultation document.

Definitions

4. The phrase "voluntary sector" is used in this document to include all voluntary organisations and volunteering and community development initiatives pursued through voluntary organisations working in any area of activity.

Good Practice Guides

5. There are 6 Good Practice Guides which should be read in conjunction with the Scottish Compact. These have been produced by the Scottish Executive Voluntary Issues Unit (VIU) and are intended to help Divisions throughout the Scottish Executive that have an interest in voluntary organisations, community groups or volunteers to carry out their responsibility to implement the Compact commitments in their area of responsibility.

Agencies and non-department public bodies

6. Scottish Executive Divisions also have a responsibility to ensure that Government agencies and non-departmental public bodies which they sponsor develop plans to implement the Compact. Non-departmental public bodies and agencies may find these Good Practice Guides of use in developing their own good practice in relation to the sector, and Divisions may wish to forward the guides to them. The guides are essentially provisional and are subject to revision following the first round of monitoring of the operations of the Compact in May 2000.

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