The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on an upcoming review of charity regulation. They want to know if a review is needed, and if so, what its size and scope ought to be.
They will be collecting opinions from the third sector, which will ultimately go into a report that will be published a few months after the consultation has closed.
What is The Purpose of the Consultation?
This review has been many years in the making and represents a huge opportunity for meaningful change. Those working in the third sector have been calling for a comprehensive review for a long time, and despite several positive steps taken in recent years, a lot of work still needs to be done
The previous review process (beginning in 2019), which resulted in the Charities (Regulation and Administration) (Scotland) Act 2023 was felt by many to have not gone far enough. For the most part, only very specific regulation, of relevance only to OSCR (the independent regulator for Scottish charities) itself, was improved upon. There is still a need for a wider-reaching review.
This is our chance to advocate for a holistic, independent review of charity regulation, with a scope set by the third sector itself.
How Can I Take Part?
For more information on the consultation process, you can visit the Scottish Government website. For further reading on why it is so important to make your voice heard, check out the SCVO blog.
You can take part in the consultation via Citizen Space. The closing date is 22 July 2024. If you have any questions, or concerns, you can email charityreview@gov.scot
For those who wish to discuss the issues raised in greater detail, or share their views on the consultation more broadly, you can do so by signing up for one of our focus groups. You will be given the opportunity to share your thoughts and discuss the current proposals with other third sector groups and workers. All feedback from the event will be passed on to the Scottish Government for their consideration.
These sessions will be conducted over Microsoft Teams. Dates are yet to be confirmed, but you can register your interest below and we will contact you once dates are set.
