Voluntary Sector (Collaborative Working)

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to the voluntary sector to promote collaborative working with the public sector. (S7O-00451)

Collaboration between the public sector and the third sector is more important than ever, as Scotland faces increasingly complex social and economic challenges. Partnership working is central to the public service reform strategy, and we are committed to strengthening how we work together to improve outcomes for people and communities.

We are committed to developing a new third sector partnership agreement, and a steering group has begun to co-design the shared vision. Collaboration is also at the heart of the new whole family support third sector delivery fund, enabling more joined-up, locally tailored support for families across Scotland.

I have been truly inspired by the incredible work of POP Shop Enterprises, a community interest company in my constituency, which runs Dunoon’s rhubarb revolution and supports enterprising women and social entrepreneurs. However, real challenges exist for such groups and organisations due to the lack of parity of funding between the third sector and the public sector. How can the Scottish Government ensure that the situation improves?

From Jenni Minto’s description, POP Shop Enterprises sounds fantastic.

The Scottish Government recognises and greatly appreciates the third sector’s essential role in providing person-centred support to our communities. We have heard from the sector that the current system is not sustainable. As the demand for services increases, so do the financial pressures.

We recognise that the Government has a shared responsibility with the sector and other third sector funders to make changes to the current system in order to support the sector’s ability to thrive.

We are working in collaboration and partnership with all our partners. Any public sector reform provides an opportunity to work with our third sector services. As Julie MacDougall rightly said, they are providing more services, so we need to take a cohesive approach.

That goes back to my answer to Ms MacDougall. The third sector, including those who provide fantastic hospice care, is part of the fabric of Scotland. I see PSR as an opportunity to ensure that those partners are equal partners in our discussions.