Scotland's voluntary sector and the staff and volunteers working within it deliver vitally important services in every Scottish community. However, crisis in funding, capacity and its future are some of the few certainties the sector can currently anticipate. How should charitable organisations, staff and the sector as a whole now be thinking, planning and reacting amid widespread crisis and challenge? How do you navigate a way forward – and what does coherent purpose and success look like – in this context?
Scotland's charitable bodies have to have strong board level focus on strategy, outcomes and risk – particularly so in bad times. Those grappling with issues around funding, leadership and compliance face overwhelming tasks in trying to also focus on quality and public benefit in their organisation's activities. Executive and non-executive alike are challenged by the crisis faced by the sector. It encompasses sustainability, potential closures and issues of possible collaboration or merger.
Why is the future of the charitable sector and organisations within it a question? Radical uncertainty and change is unpacking. Financial issues are core, but so too are other challenges including AI, the compliance environment and the competition within the sector.
Taken together, the number of people directly employed by Scotland's voluntary sector and those volunteering in it amount to more than a quarter of the entire Scottish population. A much wider and larger number of people rely on services and support delivered through our charitable bodies. The future health and direction of the sector is of central importance to both the people depending upon it for support and those working within it to deliver critical services. Yet organisations may have to fold, reinvent themselves or collaborate to survive. However, the difficulties the sector finds itself in begs deeper questions. What is charity in the modern context? What is its purpose? Which myths or misconceptions about the sector – from within and without – may need to be addressed?
The conference addresses the crisis and challenges for the sector with in-depth insight from – and led by – sector experts. It will focus on three themes:
Topics to be discussed
Who should attend
This conference is for all those working in and with the voluntary sector and is intended for both organisations and individuals. It is relevant to those in leadership positions – including board members, trustees and employees in executive and non-executive roles – and to all staff working in the voluntary sector. It is also relevant to organisations and individuals working in partnership with voluntary sector bodies in the planning and delivery of services in the public, private and third sectors.
Director
Brian Cavanagh Consulting
Director
O'Donnell Associates
Employment Lawyer, Radio Presenter, Broadcaster & Events Host
Brian Cavanagh
Director
Brian Cavanagh Consulting
Prior to setting up Brian Cavanagh Consulting, Brian spent more than 25 years in strategic leadership positions in health and social care.
Taking on high profile and public leadership roles, Brian is well known and highly regarded as a dynamic and forward- thinking leader, guiding organisational and service change improvements.
Extensive service and organisational change programmes including supporting the development of local government in Kosovo, and health and social care integration in Ireland are some of his achievements.
He lectured at Napier University, Edinburgh in social services, and local and national government. Brian served as Chair of NHS Lothian and chaired Social Service Committees on Edinburgh City Council for many years, and understands the challenges faced by leaders.
Brian now leads a successful mentoring and coaching consultancy specialising in leadership, governance and influencing. Acting a trusted adviser and organisation strategist, Brian guides CEOs and senior teams to operate in ways that brings long lasting change achieved in a short period of time.
He believes that good quality leadership is critical for the success of any organisation and enjoys sharing his expertise to supports leaders to best the best they can be.
Brian believes that having the right leadership approach is essential for the success of an organisation.
Working across the public, private and not for profit sectors, he has a strong track record in improving board governance, with specialist expertise in the not for -profit sector.
Brian is passionate about the quality of board governance, and how that impacts upon organisational effectiveness.
A trained business coach, Brian currently chairs an innovative company specialising in healthcare support and is a keynote speaker on leadership and influence.
Mark O'Donnell
Director
O'Donnell Associates
Mark has been Chief Executive of 3 well known Scottish Charities – Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, Sight Scotland/Sight Scotland Veterans and Age Scotland. He is currently Chair of the UK medical research charity Action Against AMD and a Trustee of Heart Research UK, as well as sitting on Marie Curie’s UK Policy and Research Committee and Scottish Advisory Board. Previous Trustee roles include the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Visionary UK and the Scottish Drugs Forum. He has also been a career mentor for the Mastercard Foundation Fellowship Scheme at the University of Edinburgh.
He has been responsible for a wide range of strategic and operational leadership functions in his career including complex regulated services in health, social care and special educational needs, community-based services, commercial and social enterprises, policy and research. He has extensive experience in media and campaigning work as well as direct leadership experience of service reconfiguration, stakeholder engagement, rebranding exercises and the development of co-created organisational development and people strategies.
He also has valuable experience in Executive-team roles in the NHS in Scotland, as Head of Planning, Performance and Estates at the Scottish Ambulance Service and Interim Director of Planning and Equalities at NHS Health Scotland. He also spent 5 years on secondment to the Scottish Government, taking on Deputy Director roles in Health Improvement and then Healthcare Planning and Quality and a spell as Acting Policy Director in health and social care.
Mark is a member of the Institute of Directors and has an MSc in Social and Public Policy, an MA (Hons) in Politics and a Professional Certificate in Management.
Rupa Mooker
Employment Lawyer, Radio Presenter, Broadcaster & Events Host
Rupa is an employment lawyer with over 20 years’ experience at a large Scottish commercial law firm. Her most recent role as Director of People & Development ignited a particular interest in mental health and wellbeing, increasing representation of individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and improving socio-economic diversity within workplaces. She is a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion and uses her professional and lived experiences to advise and help organisations implement necessary policies, training and strategies on employment law, people, culture and belonging.
She is a member of the Law Society of Scotland’s Equality and Diversity Committee, the Scottish Ethnic Minorities Lawyer’s Association (SEMLA) Committee and the Scotland National Advisory committee for Action for Children. Rupa is also a BBC Scotland contributor, an award winning radio presenter (Best Female Presenter at the UK Community Radio Awards 2022), an events host and volunteers at her local Gurdwara, advising young people on employability and career matters.
In association with: O'Donnell Associates
ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION & IMPROVEMENT SERVICES ACROSS THE UK
Public sector and charity specialists
Organisational change for greater impact and influence
It is said that organisational change is the only constant. This is true but sometimes even great organisations need some objective expert perspective to plot and steer an effective route through the right kinds of change. We can bring a depth of experience to bear in helping your organisation achieve the kind of transformational change that your beneficiaries deserve and donors would applaud.
Sustainability and growth strategies aligned to values
Growth for growth’s sake is a classic charity pitfall. We can bring our extensive insights to help you create and deliver a compelling vision for the future, harnessing the emotional energy and passion of your organisation’s mission, whilst keeping this on the ground, and manageable, with ambitious pragmatism.
Leadership, operational and governance excellence
It is said that organisational change is the only constant. This is true but sometimes even great organisations need some objective expert perspective to plot and steer an effective route through the right kinds of change. We can bring a depth of experience to bear in helping your organisation achieve the kind of transformational change that your beneficiaries deserve and donors would applaud.
Planning, facilitation, co-creation, analysis & design
We don’t just help you work out ‘Why’ and ‘What’ – there’s also the ever-important ‘How’. We can use our extensive experience to tailor a bespoke approach to problem-solving that works for your organisation, its context and culture.
T: 07780 457 841
E: info@odonnellassociates.co.uk
W: www.odonnellassociates.co.uk
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