This webinar will explore the critical role of Scotland’s third sector in supporting communities, public services and the economy as they grapple with the task of delivering recovery from the COVID pandemic. It will discuss the strategic importance of third sector activities in all aspects of Scottish life, the centrality of clarity in leadership and funding within and for the sector and the prospective role and challenges for the sector in helping to deliver recovery and aiming to ‘build back better’.
Two reports published amid COVID crystalised positive external perspectives on the importance of a strong, secure and thriving third sector for Scotland. The Advisory Group on Economic Recovery for Scotland called for protection of the capacity and financial sustainability of the sector. The Social Renewal Advisory Board called for active support to enhance the capabilities of the third sector across Scotland and a focus on long-term, sustainable funding. These views are simply and clearly stated, but what needs to happen next if their objectives are to be achieved?
How is the capacity and financial sustainability of the sector to be supported as we move out of pandemic? What is the solution to meeting the challenge of rising demand while addressing financial instability? What steps should government take to deliver flexible funding, greater collaboration around procurement and encouraging private investment in the sector? Does learning on flexibility and innovation during COVID contain opportunity for the third sector to support nimbler, more efficient and better joined up services? Have we finally found a point where the prevention agenda, co-production and placemaking can be given primacy in the reshaping of communities, services and an economy fit for purpose in the digital and global age? What is the role of the sector in achieving the Social Renewal Advisory Board’s objectives on money and work, people, rights and advancing equality and communities and collective endeavour?
Key points
Chief Executive
ACOSVO
Chief Executive
Cattanach
Chief Executive
SCVO
Chief Executive
Aberlour
Pat Armstrong
Chief Executive
ACOSVO
Pat is Chief Executive of ACOSVO, the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish Voluntary Organisations. Pat has led the IIP Gold accredited organisation since 2003 and having worked in the third sector for over 25 years, she has gained experience of both local and national voluntary organisations from a range of thematic areas.
Pat has an MBA from Heriot Watt University and has a particular interest in leadership development in the third sector. This interest led her to establish the Leadership Exchange Programme which brings together leaders from across the third and public sectors for peer support, good practice sharing and personal development. She is currently a Doctoral Research Student with Edinburgh Napier Universities Business School.
As part of the 2018 New Year's Honours List Pat recognised with an OBE for services to voluntary organisations.
Pat’s other involvements:
Vice Chair of OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator)
Fellow of the RSA (and was previously Chair of the RSA Scotland Committee)
Board Member of EUCLID, the European Network of Third Sector Lead
Sophie Flemig (Dr)
Chief Executive
Cattanach
Dr Sophie Flemig joined Cattanach in 2019 as Chief Executive. Her passion is supporting families holistically and she is particularly excited about Cattanach's work around attachment. Before joining Cattanach, Sophie was guiding legislative reform in her role as Director of Public Policy in the legal sector and working across early years, children's and family services as an impact-driven academic. Sophie has also worked as a management consultant specialising in change management and digitalisation projects, and has advised global Fortune 100 companies and governments across Europe.
Outside of work, Sophie has several public appointments and enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, doing anything from baking to visiting the rhinos at Edinburgh Zoo.
Anna Fowlie
Chief Executive
SCVO
Anna joined SCVO as Chief Executive at the end of April 2018. SCVO is the national membership body for the third sector in Scotland, providing services such as payroll and IT and publishing Third Force News, as well as lobbying and policy work on behalf of the sector. During the pandemic, SCVO has also been a key player in distributing crisis funding to voluntary organisations, delivering a one-stop-shop for advice and support and managing the Connecting Scotland programme. Before she came to SCVO, Anna was Chief Executive of the Scottish Social Services Council for nearly 9 years. The SSSC is the professional regulator for social workers and people working in adult and children’s social care.
Her career started with 18 years working in HR in local government, after which Anna joined COSLA as part of the employers function working on, for example, national pay negotiations. She then became lead for all policy relating to children and young people which led to her being seconded into Scottish Government to work on corporate parenting for children and young people in the care system before moving to the SSSC in 2009.
Anna has recently stepped down from the board of Who Cares? Scotland after 8 years, and has recently joined the board of SCDI. She has a degree in History of Art from Edinburgh University, and is a Chartered Member of the CIPD, and is passionate about grassroots football.
SallyAnn Kelly
Chief Executive
Aberlour
SallyAnn has over 30 years of experience working in Children’s Services, having qualified as a social worker in 1990. She was promoted to her first management post in 1996 and has worked in several Scottish local authorities in middle and senior management positions until 2008.
Prior to joining Aberlour as CEO in 2014, SallyAnn worked for Barnardo’s Scotland, first as Head of Operations, then as Acting Director of Barnardo’s Scotland.
SallyAnn has a keen interest in strengthening and improving practice with an emphasis on taking rights based approaches. She has a particular interest in improving the experiences of children and young people who have experience of the wider care system in Scotland. She has enabled Aberlour to put in place ambitious plans for improvement in how the organisation works alongside children and families – not being afraid to be led by the views of children and young people and their families.
She is a member of the Scottish Government Leadership Group on Child Protection and the Perinatal Programme Board.
SallyAnn has a commitment to challenging and reducing poverty and inequality and she has worked with colleagues within Aberlour and across Scotland over a number of years to ensure that reducing child poverty is at the heart of the political agenda.
SallyAnn has supported colleagues in Aberlour to focus on digital transformation and the organisation is currently involved in a number of initiatives to take change forward.
SallyAnn is currently the Chair of STAF (Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum).
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