Comment

Over the last five years I have assailed you – a dwindling bunch of misguidedly loyal readers – with my meanderings through the back-alleyways of the voluntary sector with occasional ascents to some foothills of political life. Despite me exposing my haplessness in many ways, 24.1% of the good people of Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart in Edinburgh opted

ROBERT ARMOUR discovers that forward thinking third sector bodies are improving the skills of existing staff

Balancing education and training at Work We are all leading increasingly busy lives, but that doesn’t have to curb your learning aspirations, says Daniel Evans MANY organisations are increasingly balancing job levels and pay scales against qualifications, so employees are finding they have to advance their knowledge and education in order to progress in the workplace.

Are we doing enough to help our colleagues find their way asks Shirley Grieve

IN the week that TFN examines training in the third sector it sad to note that its workforce is not being trained up to take on leadership roles. Women are, it seems, 68 per cent of staff in the top 100 charities but only 9 per cent of the chairs. The third sector’s values of

ARE third sector groups finally taking training seriously? Statistics show they are to the extent that many are investing more time and money than they did even before the recession made everyone batten down the hatches. Organisations used to steer clear of training because of the costs involved. Now they are positively embracing it because

Parliamentary Questions and Answers SNP MSP Sandra White asked the Scottish Executive: “What representations it has made to the Home Office regarding concerns that families may become destitute as a result of the award of the contract for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers in Scotland to Serco.” The Minister for Public Health, Michael

SO cash machines will soon offer the facility to donate to charity. Well done but is it not about time banks themselves were more charitable? There’s a distinct irony that many banks restrict people from using third party cash machines. People on low incomes with basic accounts can’t use the Link network. And when they do

I refer to the front page article and leader column in Issue 684 of TFN (11 May), and am writing to express our concern about the proposals by the Unite Trade Union to involve itself in volunteering matters. Most importantly, it is simply not correct for the union spokesman to assert that “you enter into

FROM board members at loggerheads over the direction of an organisation to volunteers rearranging the kitchen and confusing everyone, the issue of volunteer management is never far from the minds of those involved in the third sector. Volunteering is the lifeblood of many Scottish voluntary organisations and it also provides opportunity, skills and society for

SCOTLAND’S prisons are amongst the most overcrowded in Europe. With six out of 10 offenders reconvicted within two years of leaving the prison gates new approaches to reducing offending should be a priority. Politicians know they can address these issues in one of two ways: either by building more and more prisons to house as

HANDS up who forgot to vote in their local election on Thursday? Hands up who couldn’t be bothered to vote in their local election? Hands up who didn’t know there was a local election taking place on Thursday? I suspect quite a lot of people are reading this with both hands in the air by

Human rights and personalisation are the same thing writes Henry Simmons

Wake up to public procurement! ALYN SMITH MEP explains why public bodies need to be less scared of EU procurement rules and increase competition through creativity THE fastest way to lose friends, it seems, is to keep talking about public procurement and why it has to change. Dull, boring and a cure for insomnia are among the

WE took visitors to Eaglesham Moor wind farm at the weekend. We were all prepared to be negative; instead we were pleasantly surprised. An architecturally-sensitive visitors centre sits in an amazing setting. The hundreds of turbines create the sense of a weird forest. The 45-minute bus trip through the wind farm was quite beautiful. The

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond said after Saturday’s Pedal on Parliament (TFN 683) that the event was hugely impressive and that he would undertake to have Keith Brown, minister for transport, meet cycling associations. The motion in the Scottish Parliament by Alison Johnstone promoting cycling showed remarkable cross-party agreement and the First Minister said there is

Opening up the school estate is reaping rewards for communities

THE Health and Sport committee’s report into integration of health and social care, published this week, held no surprises and generally backed the Scottish Government’s way of travel. It was good to see so much emphasis on the third sector’s role in integrating health and social care, as well as a call for strong action

THE biggest problem facing the Shetland Charitable Trust isn’t its investment in the Viking Energy wind farm but its increasing lack of credibility within the community it serves. With 22 local councillors on a board of 24, it is plain to see for every member of the community that it is not operating separately from

Brigadier Hugh Munro and former Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini have recently made some sensible and progressive proposals for the treatment of prisoners, with particular reference to the women held in Cornton Vale in Stirling. What they failed to mention, and a fact that goes right to the heart of prison treatment and reform, is that

I READ with interest the article Can we save our village halls? printed on 20th April and would like to share some information on funding opportunities which may be of interest to your readers. As your article rightly notes there is no dedicated fund in Scotland for the refurbishment of village halls. Despite this, a

THE Irish poet Louis MacNeice wrote in one of his best known poems, “World is crazier and more of it than we think, incorrigibly plural.” The poem is called Snow. It consists of three verses totalling twelve lines. I know very little about poetry but I know what I like, and I like Snow. I

The impact of welfare reforms on Scots unveiled Michael McMahon, convener of the Welfare Reform Committee, highlights the latest evidence sessions THE Welfare Reform Committee is keen to explore the practical options available in Scotland that could mitigate the impact of impending UK reforms, and to examine some of the knock-on effects of the reforms. Last

Parliamentary Questions and Answers SNP MSP John Mason asked: “How many local authorities are committed to paying a living wage?” The minister for local government Derek Mackay responded: “Five councils have confirmed that they already pay the current level of the living wage through their existing wage structures; nine councils have introduced the living wage; six

As champions of local democracy, the third sector must fight to be heard

Can I make a couple of corrections to last week’s excellent article on village halls? First, while the impact of LEADER funding may have been limited, it is unfair to say that it is “too piecemeal to make any impact”. Many rural communities are grateful for the impact of investment from this source. Second, while

COULD I clarify TFN’S Charity Essentials feature (TFN 680) in which it was pointed out that local Citizens Advice Bureaux are able to assist voluntary organisations with funding. CABs are able to identify grants which are available for individuals but as far as we are aware Parkhead is the only Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau that

I CANNOT understand why the Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Energy Committee has invited Donald Trump to give his “opinion” at its inquiry into green energy. I also do not see why the First Minister should have to justify the Scottish Government’s decision to pursue offshore wind development to Trump. Trump is neither a resident nor

Edinburgh’s Twilight Talks with council candidates Edinburgh political parties spoke to the third sector at a series of Twilight Talks in the run up to this week’s local elections. MILIND KOLHATKAR analyses the events IT is an old platitude that we get the government we deserve! An engaged and informed electorate will likely choose a government

I HAVE a small column, so I intend to pursue this issue over my next two or three and you’ll have forgive me if this first one isn’t as sardonic as usual. I am setting myself up to get as poisonously Sardinian as I can (make that link after reading). Entomology is the study of

With public interest in local elections at its lowest ever, is it time for change? ON St Valentine’s Day, Fife’s Third Sector Strategy group hosted a unique event entitled “With Love and Power”. From the outset, delegates knew this wasn’t going to be the average conference – the tables were festooned with heart decorations, the

IT is official: the warm glow is fading. Despite higher job satisfaction in the voluntary sector satisfaction levels among voluntary sector staff are waning. Working in the third sector was never a kind of Utopia but it has always been understood that contributing to a good cause has beneficial effects because staff are more likely

JUST over two weeks before polling day on 3 May, Scotland’s political parties launched their campaigns for local elections. What a difference to last year’s Scottish Parliament elections. It is as if Scotland’s political parties actively decided to put as little effort as possible into their council campaigns. The lack of engagement with the third

A COUPLE of years ago I devoted this here column to my precious Brompton. For the uninitiated a Brompton is a folding bike. But not any folding bike. A Brompton is to folding bikes what an oak tree is to arboreal shrubbery. I posted a copy of the relevant TFN off to the Brompton factory

Weeding out the devil in the detail on welfare reform Michael McMahon MSP, chair of the Welfare Reform Committee, gives an update on the Scottish Welfare Reform Bill THE Scottish Welfare Reform Bill is required to ensure that passported benefits and other payments can be provided when the old welfare system lapses as a result of

Parliamentary Questions and Answers Christina McKelvie MSP (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) asked the Scottish Executive: “what progress has been made with its child poverty strategy?”Michael Matheson, minister for public health, responded: “We laid in the Parliament our first annual report for the child poverty strategy for Scotland. It highlights a range of measures that

We, the undersigned, fully support the decision made by Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, to resign from the government’s Advisory Panel on the Work Capability Assessment, an “assessment” which he rightly brands “inhumane”. At the recent Scottish Local Medical Committees Conference – the voice of General Practice in Scotland – the conference voted overwhelmingly

In most cases of high net worth individuals they are not giving money directly to public charities. They are giving money to personal charitable trusts owned by themselves which they then use to buy influence in society which benefits their business activities. It may not be a direct benefit, but its a significant one. There is a

The sinister world of cyber bullying is leaving permanent scars on young Scots, argues Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale

A QUICK perusal of the comments sections of websites carrying stories highlighting George Osborne’s “shock” over how little income tax the very wealthy are paying reveals a public less easily surprised than the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Or more cynical? Despite what most assume is fake incredulity, Osborne is right to want to ensure that

WHAT is the uniform of the voluntary sector? As we all know, everyone in the private sector, regardless of gender or age, wears a suit, shirt, tie, shiny leather shoes, bowler hat and carries an umbrella. It’s the rules. Those in the medical profession have their scrubs, teachers their gowns and mortar boards and those

SENSCOT’S announcement that it plans to create a code of conduct for the social enterprise sector is welcome. The voluntary code aims to go further than the current Social Enterprise Mark, offering guidance on everything from pay ratios between staff and chief executives to the amount of profit put back into the organisation. It makes

ONE of the problems of the much vaunted Big Society Capital scheme is that the proposed investments are based on a type of venture loans model, which, I presume, expects an eventual return on investment. If this return is based on the social good rather than having to pay back the loan, then with the

THE current rationalisation of colleges and cuts to the further education sector have led to concerns from people who have learning disabilities that they may be disproportionately affected. Last year the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability (SCLD) found that 34 per cent of part-time college places for students who have learning disabilities had been cut.

Prevention and personalisation can meet the needs of ageing Scots says David Manion of Age Scotland

I KNOW that it’s a holiday because the rush hour has been transformed into the rush 20 minutes. It hasn’t escaped my attention that the seasonally themed aisle in the supermarket is shelf-to-shelf chocolate eggs. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude it isn’t the Festival of Sprouts. Besides my brother and sisters have birthdays

IT is unfortunate that the role out of Self Directed Support across social care services in Glasgow has been mired with problems and equally unfortunate that Glasgow councillors are so reluctant to admit it. Personalisation of care is now widely held up as the ideal way to support independent living, ensure the human rights of disabled

WHEN a community comes up against a local authority, the public’s empathy naturally sides with the underdog. That was the case when local campaign group Portobello Park Action Group (PPAG) took Edinburgh Council to court over its plans to build a school on local parkland. However, while many in the community sided with PPAG, many

Can our current economic gloom be a catalyst for real change asks Ruchir Shah

Parliamentary Questions and Answers CONSERVATIVE MSP Nanette Milne asked the Scottish Executive: “When it plans to establish a carer’s parliament.” The Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson responded: “The first Carers Parliament will be held on 1 October 2012 in the Scottish Parliament. The National Carers Organisations have agreed to work with us to help

FAMILIES of drug users are indeed the “forgotten victims” as your news story in last week’s TFN points out. While the vast majority of resources in this area are understandably chanelled into the treatment of users themselves, it is family members who are at the coal face, so to speak, with many on the receiving end of

Whether or not it is true, a common public perception of Gypsy travellers is that theirs is a lifestyle which by its nature is a method of tax evasion: by constantly moving they avoid council tax, and by being self-employed they avoid income tax. Given this it is easy to see why people are unsure

The announcement that the Scottish Government’s Universal Home Insulation scheme is to be extended is welcome. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations believes tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency must remain priorities for the Scottish Government. While housing associations have the most energy efficient homes in Scotland, inflation-busting rises in domestic energy bills have

Dominic Notarangelo, Chair of Citizens Advice Scotland, questions how value is achieved through tendering

Michael McMahon and Jamie Hepburn call for third sector bodies to get involved in the Welfare Reform committee

I’VE gone and done it again, dear reader

IT has been one of the most leaked budgets in recent years, as since last weekend we were led to expect a cut to the 50p top rate of income tax and increases to the tax-free amount. The increase in tax-free amount to £9,025 by April 2013 however is one of the few elements of this

THE BIG Lottery fund’s announcement this week to invest over £7m to help more young, single parents get employment is the latests in a spate of funder’s turning to the third sector to help boost jobs. Initiatives such as Community Jobs Scotland, working with young people who have been out of work for six months,

Parliamentary Questions and Answers GREEN MSP Patrick Harvie asked the Scottish Executive: “How much renewable electricity generation in megawatts is currently in local and community ownership and what plans there are to achieve the target for local and community ownership of electricity in the 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland.” The Cabinet Secretary for

THE UK Border Agency’s decision to downgrade or remove Highly Trusted Sponsor Status from Scottish colleges has thrown into doubt whether international students already enrolled at these institutions will be able to finish their courses, and the ability for the affected colleges to recruit new students. No student should ever be removed from their course –

As grassroots disabled people’s organisations, Black Triangle and Disabled People Against Cuts was extremely dismayed and disappointed to see Inclusion Scotland, ILIS and LCIL branded ‘childish and petty’ and accused of having ‘put their vanity before the needs of the disabled people they claim to represent’ by refusing to attend a meeting with Maria Miller,

Claire Munro has got news for you

Kony video raises the spectre of unintended harm in development argues Catherine Street

A WAR of words broke out this week between charities and Glasgow City Council over a competitive tendering process that was destined to leave only one winner. In the world of consumer advice, the Citizens Advice network is peerless with a proud history of helping those who need it the most and often on a

THE cutting of funding to Remploy factories across Scotland is a cause for fear and worry for its disabled workforce, whether it is the right move or not. From a political point of view, disability charities are pretty much united in their desire to ensure that disabled people are supported into mainstream employment, where they

MSPs united on need to change our booze culture Health and sport committee convener Duncan McNeil highlights the evidence given for minimum pricing In the week that the Scottish Parliament debates Stage 1 of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill, the eyes of the world are upon us. Several witnesses at the Health and Sport

HATS off to Glasgow Women’s Library for their project mapping memorials of women across Scotland (TFN 675). The achievements of too few women are celebrated, let alone noted, and in many ways this project will remember them for posterity. These kinds of projects go some way to promote local history and can involve the wider

I fully support lowering the voting age to 16 (as argued most cogently by Young Scot’s Chief executive Louise Macdonald, TFN 24 Feb), but would this really be going far enough? I think we should consider making voting available from birth. This might seem utterly ridiculous, but it wouldn’t mean a baby or youngster going

IT is with great sadness that Partners in Advocacy announce the loss of their long serving board vice chairperson Pauline Crombie. Pauline lost her fight against cancer on Wednesday 15 February 2012 at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh. Pauline will be sorely missed by those who knew her and all at Partners in Advocacy as

Barbara Hurst, Director of performance audit, Audit Scotland, examines the impacts of social care commissioning practices

NEWS of Glasgow City Council’s agreement with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) restricting the activity of chuggers in the city’s main pedestrian thoroughfares shows how well self-regulation can work. The agreement is a win/win for both the council and the PFRA and, more importantly, charities, who have been facing a dilemma over whether or

THE findings of Audit Scotland’s report into care commissioning in Scottish councils will not come as a surprise to many people in Scotland’s third sector. It is reassuring, however, to have the third sector’s concerns regarding councils’ failure to strategically commission upheld. The report notes that there is a risk councils are putting cost before

Is it not childish and petty for Inclusion Scotland, ILIS and LCIL to put their vanity before the needs of the disabled people they claim to represent by refusing to attend a meeting with a Government Minister? (TFN 24 February) Surely they should have used the opportunity to put the record straight about their concerns

I AM writing in connection with your article on the passage of the welfare reform bill featured in Third Force News on 3 February 2012. In particular, I would like to comment on the sidebar on page 8 which was headed “The Welfare Bill’s stuttering progress” As a person who has stammered all his adult

Parliamentary Questions and Answers LABOUR MSP Drew Smith (pictured) asked the Scottish Executive: “Whether the public sector equality duty revised draft regulations will include proposals to publish data on (a) recruitment, (b) training and (c) grievance and disciplinary procedures for each protected characteristic, with the exceptions of gender reassignment and sexual orientation, as has been

LAST week I tried buying non-alcoholic beer before 10am on a Saturday. For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever this comes in a bottle like beer does, tastes (quite remarkably) like beer but has no, and I mean no, zero, nada alcohol content. In terms of alcohol it might as well be peanuts. I’m not

Scotland’s 16 and 17 year olds should have the right to vote on independence

If the coalition government thought it was sailing in calmer waters after the sizeable defeats in the Lord’s last month over its welfare reforms, it might want to think again

Parliamentary Questions and Answers Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McInnes asked the Scottish Executive: “What steps it is taking to tackle mental health problems in males.” The Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson responded: “The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation

THE Royal Bank of Scotland’s massive losses announced this week show that “business as usual” is not working. Earlier this month, a coalition of over 20 leading experts, investors, NGOs and universities wrote to the Bank of England warning of the dangers of a ‘carbon bubble’, where Britain’s exposure to polluting and environmentally damaging investments

AS the UK recently grappled with below-freezing temperatures, snow and ice, worrying new research released by charity Elizabeth Finn Care uncovered the plight of those on low incomes struggling to keep warm. The research revealed that a third of people on low incomes in the UK have not been able to buy essential warm clothing,

BORED, bored, bored, bored, BORED! Get the message? Dear reader, that is what I feel when I read the latest regurgitation of a press-release-purporting-to-be-news, lamenting a fall or stagnation in house prices. On those occasions when house prices creep upwards (apparently – since most of the data are about as reliable as a Liverpool player’s

David Griffiths is… Speaking up for volunteering A CHANCE remark by a fellow attendee at a consultation event the other week got me thinking (not for the first time) about what a volunteer is and why we go to consultation events anyway. It was that kind of consultation event where most attendees were pretending to

Public service reform must put outcomes before self interest, argues Derek Mackay

LLOYDS Banking Group’s decision to appeal the Scottish Court of Session’s decision to back Lloyds TSB Foundation’s claim for £5m is quite simply unbelievable. The zeitgeist that blamed greedy bankers for our current economic situation has clearly passed if one of the nation’s biggest financial institutions feels no fear in hounding a charitable foundation for

A JOKE doing the rounds goes like this. An investment banker, a Daily Mail reader and a benefit recipient are sitting round a plate with 12 biscuits on it. The banker takes 11 biscuits, then turns to the Daily Mail reader and says: “Watch out – that scrounger is after your biscuit.” That is unfortunately

RECENT moves by some schools in Scotland to recognise Scouting skills is to be welcomed. The case for schools recognising the wider achievement of pupils is a strong and very much-needed one. Areas such as developing leadership, encouraging responsible citizenship and enhancing a wide range of skills are promoted not only by the Scouts, but

This week, Citizens Advice Scotland revealed that employee exploitation has risen in Scotland since the recession. According to the advice body, employees are being pressured to work through breaks, do unpaid overtime and have had forced cuts to hours and terms and conditions, despite other colleagues being made redundant. Is this happening in the Scottish

BIG Scotland has created an oasis of funding for existing grant holders

After months and months of wrangling, it looks like the Welfare Reform Bill will be passed at Westminster within the next few weeks as it was originally proposed, by and large

Alan Moir shares his views of Valetine’s Day – international day of red heart cards and bad poetry.

Parliamentary Questions and Answers LABOUR MSP Rhoda Grant asked the Scottish Executive: “What the estimated annual payment to local communities on Forestry Commission land will be from the Forestry Commission Scotland renewables contracts?”The minister for environment and climate change Stewart Stevenson responded: “Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) has negotiated a community benefit payment of £5,000 per

Barnardo’s Scotland’s campaign to tackle child sexual exploitation in Scotland has resulted in significant success. The charity’s petition Cut them Free – Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation in Scotland, was signed by 3000 supporters and considered at the Petitions Committee in Parliament this week. Scottish Government Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell gave evidence

Following the recent debate and discussions concerning plans to replace the Prison Visiting Committees with advocacy, we are concerned that there appears to be a misunderstanding around the role of Independent Advocacy. Independent Advocates help people to have a voice and participate in decisions made about their lives. Collective advocacy helps to improve systems, services

THERE’S a Jackson Brown song called Lawyers in Love. It’s a satirical song (duh!) about the fact that some people couldn’t give a monkeys about anybody else. However, since I appear to be on the way to becoming a lawyer, it set me thinking about those that could and do give a monkeys: folk in

Martin Sime highlights why the third sector’s role in the independence debate matters

THIRD sector organisations fight inequality, lobby for social change and champion society’s underdog. Traditionally, this has meant it has provided employment opportunities for minority groups where other sectors have failed. It is disappointing therefore to find out that only 43 per cent of leaders in the third sector are women compared to 70 per cent of

THE long awaited news that the Scottish Government is set to develop the Community Jobs Scotland programme will be warmly welcomed in the third sector this week. The initiative has placed more than 1,200 young people in jobs in Scottish third sector organisations in six months. The variety of these jobs, ranging from sport through

Jayne Stuart, director of Learning Link Scotland, explains why Scotland needs to refocus on adult education

While of course it is great news that the charity retail sector is thriving (TFN 669: “Charity Shops – Retail’s Good News Story”) I worry that charity shops are forgetting their social purpose as they look for increased turnover. A few years ago, charity shops provided qood quality products – clothes, housewares, etc – for

IN these exciting times when opportunities are emerging for the citizen to play an active part in determining the future of Scotland, other than as a mere voter, I suggest it might be useful to distinguish between civic society and civil society, which are frequently used, mistakenly, to mean the same thing. Civil society is

Stripping Fred Goodwin of his knighthood is a distraction from the continued poor regulation of the taxpayer-owned RBS bank. Fred Goodwin isn’t the problem anymore. Post bail-out – and post Fred Goodwin – the bank has been ranked as the third biggest financier in the world of coal-based electricity generators, and continues to pump billions

APPARENTLY, according to some religious figures, allowing same sex couples to marry will undermine the institution of marriage itself. Personally, I have never really understood this argument, any more than I would understand someone who claimed that giving women the vote (or 16 and 17 year olds, for that matter) would undermine the institution of

Can health and social care partnerships overcome the barriers to integration

OSCR’s report on charities in Scotland provides a fascinating insight into the sector, the headline statistic of which is how few charities exist in urban areas, many of which are classified as suffering from high deprivation, compared to other parts of the country. To see that the Shetland Isles has almost seven times the number

Parliamentary Questions and Answers Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale asked the Scottish Executive: “How the Minister for Youth Employment will consult external organisations regarding the best way to use her £30 million budget?” The Minister for Youth Employment, Angela Constance responded: “The Scottish Government is convening a special session of the National Economic Forum on 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS of large scale redundancies are unfortunately nothing new in these times of financial austerity. So to hear 400 people could be paid off in Scotland as the result of government funding cuts is hardly an issue for note. However the fact that 400 disabled people are facing redundancy is another matter altogether. Even in

This weekend (28 and 29 January), thousands of Scots will be taking part in RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch. This year, we are hoping the results will not only create a snapshot of bird numbers across the country, but also reveal more about the movements of a small woodland bird called the nuthatch. Previously confined

Amnesty International Scotland, Equality Network, Scottish Youth Parliament and NUS Scotland have written to Edinburgh’s Lord Provost to bring his attention our concerns about the human rights situation in St. Petersburg, Russia. We are urging him to use his influence because of the twinning arrangement between Edinburgh and St. Petersburg, to call on the Governor

IF I tell you I’m currently knitting a Sarah Lund jumper and you know what I am talking about then you, like me, have the Danish drama bug. Fans of The Killing series 1 & 2, BBC 4’s imported Danish drama about an unusually taciturn and downright brilliant woman police detective, may not all have

Mary Fee MSP, convenor of the Equal Opportunities Committee, believes equality should be at the heart of Holyrood

I read with disappointment of the comments made at the weekend, by Prime Minister David Cameron in regard to Tourette Syndrome (TS)

Recent research has revealed that pension incomes are expected to hit a five year low for people retiring this year

Scotland needs to be honest about its failings investigating racial attacks

This week’s front page story once again raises the chilling reality of how ineffective responses can be to the plight of developing nations, despite much rhetoric otherwise

Alison Elliot kicks off TFN’s Big Public Service Debate with a look at public services

You may have heard of the recent scientific discovery of neutrinos which travel faster than the speed of light

Welfare Reform The potential impact of the Welfare Reform Bill (UK Legislation) on the most vulnerable people in our communities has been causing concern for many in the third sector.The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has been leading the legislative scrutiny of the bill and hearing evidence from across the third sector. Following a

For some a new year brings renewed optimism, a resolve to do things differently and to improve life – or at least that is the way it should be

As the UK braces itself for another year of financial gloom this January, for the third sector there is some comfort in the victory of the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland over Lloyds Banking Group at the end of December.

I WAS heartened to read the piece from Cyrenians (16 Dec) on how they are preventing homelessness with their innovative services. Community Network provides preventative services to older people living in their own homes through the use of telephone friendship groups. We have been funded to provide this service to older people in Scotland and

PEOPLE across the country are making New Year’s resolutions this month, and due to the current economic climate, sorting out finances will top the list of priorities. We recommend that anyone reviewing their finances visits the Turn2us website to use the free and confidential benefits checker and charitable grants search. The latest annual figures show

LOOKING back over 2011, it feels like it’s been a long eventful year, though how much has changed in reality is questionable. A notable difference for TFN, however, was its redesign in March and the launch of its independent website www.thirdforcenews.org.uk. The new, improved TFN and website has given the sector the opportunity to voice its views

Kezia Dugdale MSP explains why she believes the third sector must be at the heart of public service reforms

The effect of a double inflation rise in Air Passenger Duty (APD) this spring will have a devastating impact on charities carrying out important humanitarian aid and development work overseas

CCPS welcomes the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement on the integration of health and social care.

I was informed that “cynical is better than schmaltzy” when I suggested I might do a warm and fuzzy Christmas column to make everyone feel better in the face of the whipping rain, excoriating wind and mocking darkness of a Scottish winter, which now envelops us all like a malevolent shroud come to life. So

Pressures on the sector demand new ways of working, says Des Ryan

There’s much to celebrate for International Human Rights Day 2011 says Professor Alan Miller

Public confidence in the banking industry has hardly recovered since the financial collapse in

Civil society can show us the way out of a crisis Anas Sarwar, MP for Glasgow Central, believes a strong third sector will help us weather the financial storm FOR Scotland’s civil society it threatens to be the perfect storm. Many organisations are facing unprecedented financial pressures – at exactly the same time as cuts

AS Audit Scotland’s report on reducing Scottish greenhouse gases makes clear, the future, long-term costs of inaction to tackle irreversible climate change will be far higher than the short-term cost of taking action now. The longer we fail to put in place the appropriate measures to prepare for, mitigate and prevent climate change, the higher

AS organisations spanning the housing and construction sectors, we have this week written to Keith Brown MSP, minister for housing and transport, on behalf of our members and of the homeless people and others in housing need who rely on our services, to urge him to argue for affordable housing to have a greater share

Parliamentary Questions and Answers Labour MSP Margaret McDougall asked the Scottish Executive: “what support there is for people with learning difficulties who attend college.”   The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Michael Russell responded: “Colleges are required under equalities legislation to make reasonable adjustments in order to accommodate people with learning difficulties. In

Further to your article, CAS Needs NTS-style Governance Review (TFN Issue 663), CAS has always been committed to providing the best possible service to its members and stakeholders, and to the wider public. This includes full transparency in all of our procedures. We are committed to the principle of continuous improvement, and fully acknowledge the

I’m writing to say how much I enjoyed the social business special of TFN two weeks ago. We in the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health are keen that terms such as social business and social enterprise are being used interchangeably. Muhammad Yunus himself talks of social business, but there really is no difference

Clare Simpson explains the need for a National Parenting Strategy

Initiatives to help stem the growing tide of youth unemployment in the UK will always be welcome but there is more than a hint of pessimism concerning the government’s new Youth Contract

WHAT is this terrible self-loathing that has swept across women? Either I’ve had my head stuck in a girdle for the last few decades or we are witnessing a new sinister morphing of a once proud sisterhood into a monstrous regiment of our own worst enemies. It’s not just the well documented dissatisfaction with the

I want to express some degree of annoyance and a feeling of being let down by some organisations who are supposedly crying out for volunteers

Parents are more concerned about the whereabouts of their children and when they will be back than what they are doing on the internet

Norman Mckinley turns the heat up on communities as UK faces third year of extreme winter weather

The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has some strange ideas about what counts as a call for calm to housing associations

This week Citizens Advice Scotland announced that the second of two chief executive officers appointed since January 2010 has now left the organisation

I HAD my six-weekly haircut this week. These days my definition of a good haircut is that it take less than a minute for my hair to dry after a shower. On my way out I was looking to book an appointment in a few weeks time and there was a cancellation available on 24

THE decision by North Ayrshire Council to oppose a new coal plant at Hunterston puts into focus the many contradictions of Scotland’s energy policy

David Griffiths told a committee of MSPs this week that Scotland needs to create its own welfare state

THIS week has been a good one for social enterprise in Scotland

FAILINGS in our care system mean one in five people with diabetes in Scotland could be at increased risk of amputation

THIS year marks the ninetieth anniversary of the Scottish Poppy Appeal

I’D like to urge Scots readers who have secured a place in the Virgin London Marathon (VLM) to run for Cancer Research UK. Crossing the finish line at this famous event is an amazing feeling and knowing you’re supporting Cancer Research UK makes it even more worthwhile. Cancer Research UK relies on money raised through

Scottish Government is investing £13.4m in autism support and services, but must regrettably add a cautionary note. Certain important facts appear to have escaped Government advisors on this issue. According to the Autism Research Unit at Cambridge University, autism in the UK has now reached the rate of one child in 64. In addition, a

Carry on campaigning – it’s in the blood Politicians, whether in parliament or not, have a wealth of experience and knowledge to offer charities, explains Shirley-Anne Sommerville, a newly elected Shelter Scotland committee member BEING an MSP gives you the opportunity to experience and work with all sections of society – almost on a daily

Parliamentary Questions and Answers LABOUR MSP Rhoda Grant asked the Scottish Executive: “What steps it will take to enable housing associations to develop renewable heating schemes?” The minister for energy, enterprise and tourism, Fergus Ewing responded: “The Scottish Government has established a task group on renewable heat to advise on priority issues in order to

I WAS recently asked by charities Leonard Cheshire Disability and Mencap to chair the Low Review, an independent review into how the personal mobility needs of disabled people living in state-funded residential care are met. Now that the Low Review has published its findings, I would like to urge the government to make sure that

Research carried out by Action for Children highlights a growing dilemma for many third sector agencies in Scotland

FRIENDS of the Earth Scotland is disappointed that the UK government has announced cuts to incentives for household solar electricity production

MINIMUM pricing of alcohol is a subject that will polarise the nation

THE revelation this week that almost half the public think that children and young people are animals, or feral, is hard to believe

Future Change Funds need to be managed better argues John Downie

I SOMETIMES wonder if there is such a thing as the voluntary sector: so disparate are we in size, resources and even ethos. I am sure that if Mr Darwin were gazing upon us he’d pronounce: “probably the same species but unlikely to mate”. But mate we do. Most often, like stereotypical hillbillies, we reach

Unpaid and paid carers have identified flaws in the care system, writes Duncan McNeil MSP, convener of the parliament’s Health and Sport Committee

IT is disappointing to see during Mental Health Week 2011 that treatment for mental health problems is still such a low priority in Scottish society. With one in four people experiencing mental health problems in their life-time – and the number of people suffering from stress, depression and anxiety rising – it is essential for

The three-year Close the Gap campaign aims to tackle poverty and inequality in the

IN times of financial straits, technology could change everything for the third sector and this week a survey on behalf of Action for Children shows that charities would be naive to ignore new developments. The survey found that the easier it is to donate – for example through smart phone apps, social networks and websites

I COME from farming stock, in Dorset, so living off the land is in my blood. I was brought up to believe that farmers were the guardians of the land as they didn’t mindlessly destroy what they could use. That rings true today though they face very difficult times. So it was a natural progression

I APPEAL to TFN readers to get behind what will be the biggest rally of disabled people in the country’s history. The Hardest Hit Rally, taking place in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, on 22 October, is the culmination of opposition to draconian welfare cuts that will further discriminate against disabled people and lead to

The fact that, according to the Office for National Statistics, public spending is at a 10 year low, comes as no shock.  Families in Britain are faced with falling salaries – and in many cases redundancy – rising inflation and the soaring price of food and fuel. Tightening purse strings is an inevitable side effect

The SNP Government has backed Labour MSP Jackie Baillie’s motion to oppose consent to the Westminster proposals for welfare reform. This may be a symbolic act, but it is one of huge significance. The Westminster Coalition has been warned that disaster awaits if these changes are implemented. Scottish Churches Housing Action’s main concern is that

THERE is growing evidence that either some middle class people are a few fondue forks short of the full set or the gap in understanding between the really quite rich and wretchedly poor is bigger than I thought. First there was the woman on the news last month who was appealing for public money to

We can all be role model for leadership

THE spectre of industrial action in the third sector has reared its ugly head again this week, as Unison and Unite started to ballot Action for Children staff across the UK on strike action. It comes after Quarriers staff walked out in early September and this week London-based homeless charity CentrePoint, famous as one of

Consultation on the Creation of a Scottish Civil Justice Council – this Scottish Government consultation paper seeks views on proposals for the establishment of a Scottish Civil Justice Council.   Consultation on Post-16 Education proposals – this Scottish Government consultation covers universities, colleges, skills and training.   New Scottish Parliament Information Centre briefings – SPICe

Fundraisers are urging the public to beware of bogus charity collectors

Tough economic times creates challenges for charities, however GREGOR McNIE explains why now is the perfect time to focus energies on fundraising

BEING a Scout leader isn’t like volunteering; it’s more like brininging up your own children. I’ve been involved with boys clubs since I joined the Cubs when I was seven and I still have the same sense of adventure I did then. That’s really the essence of the Scouts movement – excitement and adventure. Ok

Water Rates Exemption. Labour MSP Elaine Murray asked the Scottish Executive: “whether it plans to review the criteria for charities exemption from water rates.” Stewart Stevenson (SNP) responded: “The Water Services Charges Exemption Scheme was set up as a temporary measure in 2002 to help small organisations that had received relief from water charges on

In his Annual Report published on 4 October, Hugh Munro, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, singles out the offending behaviour of young people for particular attention. He identifies school exclusion as an area of significant concern in so far as it places these young people at the greatest risk of getting involved with

DISABLED people across the UK are set to hold simultaneous demonstrations against the UK Government’s welfare reform proposals next month in the latest of a string of protests around government policy. Whether or not the riots in England earlier in the year can be classed as a political protest or not, there has been a

OneKind is gathering information to help campaign for an all out ban on snaring

Theresa Shearer says Enable Scotland is fit for the personalisation agenda

GARDENING is a therapeutic pastime and when I first arrived in Glasgow in 2007 I immediately got involved with Thrive, the mental health gardening charity. It made me realise how much people from other countries are isolated when they become asylum seekers so it led me to volunteer with Glasgow in Bloom. Three years on

YOU might have heard Twinings the speciality tea-makers landed themselves in a spot of bother recently. They mucked about with the recipe for Earl Grey tea and boy did the people revolt. Inevitably a Facebook campaign was launched and ultimately people-power prevailed, or the profit motive if you prefer, with Twinings reinstating the original blend.

Be efficient and collaborate says Keith Legge

CHRIS Huhne, the energy minister, promised this week at three Liberal Democrats’ conference, to get tough on energy companies’ pricing policies. He said he wanted to help people save money by making it easier to spot cheaper deals and switch providers. But to the ordinary person on the street, Huhne’s speech will come as cold

Claudia Beamish, convener of the Scottish Parliament Equal Opportunities Committee, explains its role in the budget

A report, compiled by Alcohol Research UK, has found that people are sceptical about Alex Salmond’s minimum pricing policy amid concerns that it could create or increase crime or encourage drinkers to turn to drugs instead of alcohol. Those questioned also thought that minimum pricing should be introduced with additional policies to fight alcohol abuse,

SNP MSP John Mason caused controversy this week with a motion in the Scottish Parliament opposing gay marriage. But should religious freedom come before equality? Do objections on moral grounds still have a place in today’s society? What do you think? Is religious opposition to gay marriage immoral

Dame Anne Owers asks do public service contracts impact on third sector independence

Holyrood Happenings The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Fergus Ewing delivered a statement on the 2020 route map for renewable energy. The minister highlighted the target to meet 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand from renewables by 2020 as well as an ambition to meet at least 30 per cent of our overall

That families are struggling to pay rising power bills (‘Charities urge government to act on growing fuel poverty’, 7 July 2011) comes as no surprise to those of us who work in this area. At Elizabeth Finn Care, a national charity which helps people in financial need, we see first hand the effect on families when

The closure of the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) is a major concern. The charity, which worked across the UK, was the biggest of its kind providing free legal advice on immigration and asylum cases. It went into administration on Friday 8 July, and we heard about the closure the following Monday. We shouldn’t underestimate the effect

IT seems not so long ago that Live Aid brought the reality of the Ethiopia’s famine into our living rooms, mobilizing the biggest charity campaign ever mounted. That was in 1985, when politicians and policy makers vowed that it could never happen again. But Africa’s fortunes have not been so fast to recover. The constant

ONE of Scotland’s leading social care charities is this week on the brink of strike action over changes to staff terms and conditions. This is the third time in five years that Quarriers has been in dispute with staff, and it raises a number of questions. The most obvious issue is how sustainable Quarriers business

Steve White remains hopeful despite MBHA being the focus of the unfounded media speculation

UK Government plans announced this week on energy market reforms will undoubtedly have the effect in the short to medium term of increasing domestic fuel bills, possibly by around £160. This is an easy move by the government as it shifts the onus for the cost of reforms onto the shoulders of the energy companies.

Forget about the recession – wasteful public spending is costing charities dear

AS a former volunteer counsellor at ChildLine for 12 years, I am dismayed and alarmed to hear changes being brought about by the

We welcome the Christie Commission’s report into public service reform

A member’s bill could help councils prosecute pavement parkers, says Joe FitzPatrick

THE Scottish Agricultural College’s report into the impact community land ownership has had on rural areas confirms that these communities are enjoying happier, more prosperous and productive times. That’s what Land Reform Act set out to achieve and to this end it is, so far, mission accomplished. Unfortunately that’s not the full story. Despite the

THE Dilnot Review into social care costs in England and Wales could be a major step forward in the care of older people in the South, where the costs of care are regularly eating up people’s life savings. Even with the Scottish Government’s flagship free personal care policy, it could do well to consider some

Geoff Mawdsley highlights the need for a strong plan to improve public services

The publication of the Christie Commission Report into the future delivery of public services this week is a welcome boon for the third sector in Scotland. The last few years have seen a number of challenges for all sectors of society – the realisation that there will be less money to spend for around 15

IN case you missed my last column, welcome to the first of what was intended to be a short series of columns in which I would truly play devil’s advocate and excoriate various facets of voluntary sector existence, as suggested by TFN readers, in order to provoke some sort of weird and wired state of

Three people, three stories, three lives changed by working on street papers

IT is good news to see such a focus on employment during this year’s Learning Disability Week. With 120,000 Scots classed as having a learning disability in Scotland this is a significant workforce and at 86 per cent unemployment, it is currently an untapped resource. Levels of physical and mental illness are higher amongst the

THE latest chapter in the saga of the Work Programme, once heralded as a fertile ground for third sector growth, is the allegations of poor employment practise from the new contractors. As one former Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ staff member said this week, it is ironic that the Work Programme appears to be kicking

Find out what is happening at Holyrood

I can’t help but think the so called SlutWalk (TFN front page picture, 10 June) misses the point

THIS week’s followup inspection report on HMP&YOI Cornton Vale will be of grave concern to all involved with addressing offending among women in Scotland.

THE Scottish Government is stating that its robust management of the M74 project has delivered cost savings, yet it’s entirely possible that these may have actually been achieved through creative accounting instead

What can Scotland learn from the founder of co-production

CARE Commission figures have once again cast a positive light on the third sector in Scotland. In 2009/10, the third sector proved itself to be the provider of a range of excellent services for children, adults and the elderly both in the community and in care homes. These figures reflect the quality of care the

ONE of the great unsung successes of the Scottish third sector is the way it has encouraged groups to interact with refugees and asylum seekers, thus smoothing their often perilous arrival. As Scotland celebrates Refugee Week we should pause for thought at the not insignificant work organisations like the Scottish Refugee Council, Save the Children,

IT is Sunday afternoon and I am considering a list of the things I have to do

THE Elsie Inglis care home tragedy could prove to be the tipping point for private care homes in Scotland. Budget restraints mean many care services are being aggressively tendered for, apparently on a best quality basis, yet it is now clear that in fact the quality of provision is questionable. In recent weeks in Edinburgh,

THE issue of how to reform Scotland’s struggling health and social care system in the face of an aging population is getting hotter and hotter.

As the holder of a Post Graduate Certificate in Community Education from Strathclyde University I am a little dismayed by its proposal to cut such courses.

I don’t think your Talkback poll of 27 May (Should the Supreme Court have the final say on Scottish law) asks a valid question

THE Scottish Government has announced that the implementation of a ban on cigarette vending machines has been delayed because of an ongoing legal challenge. It is disappointing that the ban on vending machines will not go ahead in October as previously planned and I am sure all those in public health will be disappointed at this announcement.

Helen Tyrrell discusses how to better develop the role of the voluntary health sector

Jim Sweeney argues for Scotland’s world class community education courses

The 3rd sector – more talked about, more required & winning the arguments more than ever before

TAKING advantage of the extra holiday granted the citizenry by virtue of the Royal Wedding I am writing this from what is and shall remain an unidentified location somewhere in Northern England.   It’s curious that the places such as the one I’m in market themselves as holiday ‘parks’ rather than ‘camps’ ‘though camps they

THOMAS Kuhn, noted historian and philosopher of science, was the first person to coin the term “paradigm shift”. In his 1962 book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, he argued that scientific progress is not a smooth procession of accumulating knowledge. He thought it was characterised by long periods of tinkering with mainstream thought punctuated by

A THIRD of Scottish people are not interested in volunteering or charities, says Parkinson’s UK. Fair enough, but that means that two-thirds of people are interested in volunteering and charity. For those desperate to harness a community action army, this statistic may look depressing on the surface but is in fact good news for Scottish charities.

TRYING to convince the general public that the Holyrood election is exciting is like to trying to prove miracles are possible. Whatever you think about the personality politics of the 21st century, politicians’ assertions they are simply listening to and representing the public appear hollow. Take climate change. This election Scottish politicians claim to be

BROKEN promises are something politicians are accused of with amazing regularity but the coalition government has gone a step with its announcement in last week’s budget to drop two key elements of the new equalities laws. The UK has lead on equalities and is regarded as providing a standard for Europe, such is the progress

SCOTS cancer patients are not getting the support and information they need to help them cope with their illness after they leave hospital. As part of our Change Cancer Care Today campaign, Macmillan is calling for everyone who is diagnosed with cancer to be routinely offered information and support as part of a care plan.

AS we head to the Scottish elections, can I just be the first to say that nothing really changes in politics. OK, we will gain some concessions but equally we will lose some. We will also hear how crucial these elections will be yet, mark my words, this won’t be reflected by the turnout at the

THE Scottish Parliament’s problem finding a means to charge overseas and other British students university tuition fees while exempting Scots, could be resolved simply by setting up a Big Society charity. Its purpose would be to fund Scottish students’ tuition fees by awarding grants to the amount required for the student to obtain their degrees.

“If you are cutting budgets, how can people live independently and have their full human rights?”

Holyrood Happenings: Equality Impact Assessments IN a written answer to a recent written question from Marlyn Glen (Lab), finance Secretary John Swinney gave examples of where changes to policy had been changed in response to Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA). For example, the Scottish Government recently decided to support the development of translation, interpreting and communication

WRITING ahead of the budget means it would be unwise of me to get too worked up about the rumoured cuts to parental leave for people working in small businesses. The coalition’s pledge to cut red tape to enable enterprise to flourish seems, as I write, to boil down to yet another attack on the

Should Patrick Harvie be included in the leader debates? 83% said Yes 17% said No  Here are your comments   ASilver says: March 18, 2011 at 10:28 am Patrick Harvie should be included – otherwise what is democracy? The Green Party have consistently returned MSPs to Holyrood, therefore they deserve as seat at the

This Sunday is the official start of British Summer Time as the clocks move forwards by one hour giving us longer, brighter evenings. Lighter evenings mean fewer deaths and injuries on our roads as more of our daylight time falls during hours when we’re awake, and we all (school children in particular) have more time

I read with disbelief that the Neilston Community Windfarm will generate £11 million for development and regeneration projects in the community. Good for Neilston and good for Carbon Free Developments (who get another £11 million) but not so good for the rest of us who, as electricity consumers and taxpayers, are having to pay enormous

THIS week is Climate Week; a fantastic opportunity to showcase the inspiring and encouraging work going on the length and breadth of the country. But while it’s important to acknowledge such positive action, it is also vital to do what we can to make sure this isn’t undermined by the actions of those who continue

DO we need another Forth crossing? The Scottish Government thinks so. Despite huge costs – estimated at present to be £2.25bn – it is to forge ahead with the project, announcing its preferred bidder this week. Such huge capital outlay even in relatively affluent times would be questionable but in these times of austerity one

ONE of the top five earthquakes to have shaken the world since seismological records began was followed by the most widely televised tsunami ever. The world watched as 10 metre high waves crashed into Northern Japan causing widespread devastation. As the days have passed since the events of 11 March, it has emerged that around

The third sector will have to give up its own sacred cows to ensure public service reform

IT is not just the lack of cash that is making voluntary groups rethink how they operate in today’s tough climate. Campaigners are now having to change tack to suit the times as, increasingly, calling for more cash, more resources and more recognition is falling on deaf ears. This week we learn a new tack

Rosemary Brotchie, senior policy officer at Shelter Scotland  gives an update on current housing policy. The private rented sector (PRS) plays an important role in meeting housing need in Scotland, but it could, and must, do more. As we get closer to meeting the 2012 commitment, it is vital that all housing sectors in Scotland

THE third sector manifesto is clear that the sector offers solutions for a more successful Scotland.

FOR the Scottish Government to organise an emergency summit on sectarianism something must be seriously wrong – and it is. As a result of the well documented spat between two Glasgow football clubs, a number of organisations will get more money for the forthcoming year, which is good news for the individual groups and good

A PUBLIC service reform agenda necessarily leads to big questions regarding the future of the structures that make up the public sector, so it is not surprising that SCVO chief executive Martin Sime has this week opened the debate about local authority reform. The third sector in Scotland wants to do things differently. This has been

By GAVIN CORBETT THERE’S a perception that Third Force News columnists don’t really exist in normal dimensions.  We get let out once a month to blether purposelessly and quickly thereafter are put back in the dark cupboard under the stairs, alone with our troubled thoughts. I cannot speak for my brother and sister columnists but

Scotland’s 1 million victims are not getting the service they deserve from the Scottish Criminal Justice System, argues David Stewart. Here he explains why he hasn’t given up on a Victims Commissioner. THE third sector has got a proud record in supporting and promoting the causes of victims. Indeed it was the valuable contribution of

SINCE October 2009 the Woodland Trust has been campaigning to raise £1.5 million to buy land at Lang Craigs in West Dunbartonshire, which it would own lock, stock and barrel, although bought mainly with public money. However, over the same period it spent £6m on a new office complex in Lincolnshire. It also has many

I NOTE that the fortunate Wendy Alexander is to give up politics as she feels her children need her at home. Meanwhile, the Coalition Government announces that all mothers in receipt of the new universal credit must work even if they want to stay at home for the sake of their children. It seems that

IT is good that Ian Williamson of Unison recognised that the voluntary sector, as well as the public sector, delivers public services. It was also reasonable for Martin Sime to challenge the distribution of scarce public funds between the sectors. For many years, the distribution of public funds for public services has been biased against

IS there to be a government u-turn on the mobility allowance debacle? The jury on this issue is still very much out. While some groups think the end may be nigh, there is no guarantee the Westminster government is in a mood to backtrack on the proposals despite widespread revolt against them. The quiet announcement

By David Griffiths SPOT the odd one out: care packages, disability related benefits and allowances, the Independent Living Fund, airguns. The provision of care and support for the most vulnerable people in our society has to be one of the most important responsibilities for society in general. I am aware that there is a genuine

NEWS that David Cameron wants to open up all our public services to private enterprise, a move he seems to believe will increase our powers of influence as service users, simply confuses me. In my experience large organisations are no more likely to be interested in my views just because they are in the private

IT’S quite unlike me but I’ve been trying to write this column for days and I’ve been getting absolutely nowhere. How can someone as puffed-up with his own self-importance as me; who likes the sound of his own voice as much as I do and who doesn’t get out much but grossly overcompensates when he

I CRAVE your forgiveness, dear reader. Having spent the last three years extolling the virtues of appropriate technology and mocking those enslaved to possessing the latest gizmo, I have gone and bought a smartphone. Of course, technology itself is to blame for my downfall. On Boxing Day my broadband connection died and the nice man

HOW are small organisations feeling about the abolition of compulsory retirement? I ask because I once joined a management team which was waiting patiently for the glorious day when a key member of staff was set to retire. Apparently it was inconceivable that this person could be retrained to use computerised financial systems so the

HAPPY New Year everybody, hope you had a good one. Now that’s out of the way, remember the Big Society, the biggest and hottest post-election voluntary sector policy potato (in England anyway)? It’s easy to criticise BS, quite aside from the fact that it shares its initials with a less fortunate phrase, and it certainly

IT seems I have landed the “Christmas Gig” again. Last year I warned the editor that I was not exactly prime candidate to be writing a column in the last issue before Christmas, having spent much of the preceding year bewailing the perils of consumerism. Other columnists may relish this slot as a faint echo

THERE is a school in England investing in a hostel for its numerous homeless pupils – it is tragic that any school-age youngsters are abandoned by their parents but not entirely shocking to those who has survived the turbulent period known as parenting teenagers. Most of us graduate from shared rented housing because we want

I THINK the first Christmas advert I saw this year was in October. Soon the run up to the festive season will be greeted by Valentine’s cards in the shops. Google the meaning of Christmas and you’ll discover Christian websites that say the whole bally consumer howdeedooda, and great swathes of the traditions from holly