Somerville hails ‘momentous opportunity’ to improve working with third sector

Scotland has a “momentous opportunity” to redefine how the Government and the third sector work together, the country’s social justice secretary has said.

Shirley-Anne Somerville said this offered the chance to “achieve better outcomes for our communities”.

Back in February this year, the Scottish Government announced it is to create a new formal partnership with the third sector – which is made up of charities, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and community groups – to help protect its future, while at the same time improving outcomes.

Holyrood will debate how to strengthen links with the sector on Tuesday, with Ms Somerville speaking out ahead of that.

The Social Justice Secretary stressed the need to work in partnership with charities to “tackle the biggest challenges of the day”.

And she said she was “committed” to ensuring organisations across the sector can contribute to shaping the new partnership, pledging this work would be “rooted in trust and respect”.

Ms Somerville stated: “This is a momentous opportunity to redefine how Government and the sector works together, in a partnership of equals, to collectively achieve better outcomes for our communities.”

With third sector organisations working “tirelessly in the very heart of our communities” and “helping to tackle our most complex and challenging issues”, she also stressed the Scottish Government was delivering on its commitment to increase multi-year funding,.

The Social Justice Secretary added that more than 60% of third sector grant funding in her portfolio was now multi-year, with this “prioritising organisations that deliver frontline services that support people with daily challenges, like debt advice, and that tackle child poverty”.