January 15, 2008
Third Sector Division restructures
The Third Sector Division of Scottish Government has restructured into 4 teams – one of which is called `supporting localism`. The new team provides for the first time a national focus within Scottish Government for all matters relating to the Community Agenda.
The Third Sector division in Scottish Government has restructured internally. The division will continue existing work such as supporting national intermediaries and implementing the social enterprise strategy but the new structure recognises the shared nature of many of the issues facing both voluntary organisations and social enterprises – for example around commissioning and connecting with Community Planning Partnerships.
The structure now has four themes: Strategic Development and Partnerships – ensuring a strong and positive engagement with the sector and ensuring the contribution of the third sector is integrated into wider Scottish Government policy; Opportunities for Growth – working with the sector and commissioners on procurement processes and establishing a robust evidence base with the sector; Investing for Growth – developing and managing the key investment programmes as well as working with funders and others on new approaches; and, Supporting Localism – increasing the focus on how to support the third sector (volunteering, social enterprise and voluntary organisations) at the local level within the context of the concordat with COSLA and the desire to contribute to Community Planning .
This focus also reflects the discussion at the recent Third Sector Seminar hosted by Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism in Victoria Quay – with issues around procurement, funding patterns and conditions as well as constraints on skills development within thesector appearing as key issues inhibiting the sectors contribution to sustainable economic growth.