The Disclosure Act in Action: Progress, Challenges, and Ongoing Support
Back in April, when the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force, we braced ourselves, but nothing quite prepared us for the sheer wave of activity that followed.
Help shape the future of the National Recruitment Campaign
In September 2024, we launched the National Recruitment Campaign as part of the Volunteering Action Plan, alongside the work of the Cost-of-Living Task Group. The Campaign was designed to support organisations across Scotland to recruit volunteers more effectively, particularly during a time when many communities are under increased pressure.
Volunteering Support Fund 2025-2027 opens for applications
Impact Funding Partners are now welcoming applications for the Volunteering Support Fund! The fund supports small to medium-sized third sector organisations to recruit volunteers for the delivery of a volunteering project. Learn more and apply >
SCVO 2025 Voluntary Sector Workforce survey
Volunteer Scotland is inviting you to take part in the 2025 Workforce Survey, on behalf of our partners at SCVO. The aim is to better understand how people across the sector (volunteers, staff, managers, and senior leaders) feel about their work and how they can be better supported. The survey is anonymous and will close on Wednesday 20th August.
Honouring the Heart of Our Communities – Reflections on Judging the Scottish Charity Awards 2025
On the evening of 19th June, I had the immense privilege of participating in the Scottish Charity Awards, one of the most inspiring and uplifting nights of the year for our sector.
Employer Supported Volunteering at Volunteer Scotland
At Volunteer Scotland, our team actively takes part in volunteering through our Employer Supported Volunteering initiative, a programme that empowers staff to give their time in flexible and meaningful ways. Check out the inspiring stories from our team this Volunteers’ Week.
Make your Mark in Volunteering – Volunteer Survey
Are you a history, culture, or nature organisation with volunteers in Scotland?
The Make Your Mark in Volunteering campaign, in partnership with Volunteer Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland, has launched a survey to better understand the experiences and skill development of volunteers in the heritage sector.
Programme for Government Response
As in previous years, we’ve had to carefully read between the lines in the 2026/27 Programme for Government to find the glimmers of hope for volunteering in Scotland.
VSDS April Update
In this update we will share some of our key achievements, highlight the training and support available to you, and provide important updates to help you stay informed and compliant. Whether you are looking for training opportunities, guidance on regulated roles, or help navigating the PVG scheme changes, we are here to support you every step of the way.
Volunteering in Scotland today: putting the puzzle pieces in place
Last year was busy for Volunteer Scotland’s research team. We completed in-depth analysis of the 2022 and 2023 Scottish Household Survey data on volunteer participation, wrote three bulletins about the impact of the cost of living crisis on the Third Sector, published doctoral research on volunteering and associational life, shared findings from a literature review of employer supported volunteering, and commissioned research on the social value of volunteering in Scotland.
The Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 (Disclosure Act) is now live!
Here’s a quick reminder of what you need to know. The Disclosure Act improves the disclosure system in Scotland by removing unnecessary barriers for people with convictions as they seek employment or other opportunities, and enhance the PVG scheme.
Research conference: perspectives on Scotland’s third sector impact
This will be a free interactive facilitated event promoting dialogue between academics and voluntary sector practitioners, policy makers and other stakeholders from a broad range of third sector organisations.
Spring statement – Volunteer Scotland Response
We share the concerns voiced by many third sector organisations regarding the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on Wednesday. The significant cuts to health-related benefits have the potential to push more people into financial difficulty. This would create significant additional demand for third sector services and the volunteers that support them.
Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 – March Update
In this update we will provide updates on;
Regulated Roles – updated our children and protected adult checklists, Updated Code of Practice, Changes to application types,
Temporary disclosure application freeze, and much more!
The social value of volunteering in Scotland
How do you feel when you volunteer?
Does it make you feel ‘better’ than you did before?
Maybe you feel like your life has purpose, or you feel better for having interacted with others, or the satisfaction of helping someone, or contributing to a cause greater than yourself.
Research shows that volunteering is good for you – it has tangible mental and physical health benefits. It is good for your wellbeing.
Local Authority Budgets vs ‘Community Empowerment’
In a time of considerable pressure on local authority finances, how do we ensure that ‘community empowerment’ activity is truly empowering, and not seen as an easy option to cut services?
Disclosure Act – 6 weeks to go!
This latest update covers information on regulated roles, new offences, legal requirement, requirements for applicants and much more.
Volunteers’ Week 2025
We are delighted to announce the return of the Volunteers’ Week campaign for its 41st year, along with the launch of a brand-new UK-wide website!