Policy blog

In these days of busy, stressful lives, where one in four people suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety, it’s heartening to know that there are alternative solutions that don’t involve medication or therapy. Volunteering to help others can reduce stress... Read more

#IWill ambassador Mhairi McCann, aged 19, writes on how she became an #IWill Ambassador, the barriers she faced and why it’s important to celebrate young volunteers. Mhairi became an #IWill Ambassador in 2018 for her volunteering commitment to Scottish SPCA, Eco-Schools... Read more

The following blog is by Sally, who has been supported by Home-Start Glasgow South, as part of our #VolunteersWeekScot series: I’ve been blind all my life but never needed to ask for support before. I truly believed that I could embark on the journey of motherhood without any... Read more

Last year my life completely changed. Out of nowhere I suffered a stroke. I was completely taken by surprise, there were no warning signs. I woke up during the night and I just knew something was wrong. My husband, Joe thought I had just fallen out of the bed and hit my head. My... Read more

At Macmillan In Scotland we have over 1000 volunteers who dedicate their time and give so selflessly. So surely the impact is easy to quantify? Not in a traditional sense, where organisations are still focussed on counting things - number of volunteers, number of service users... Read more

This year’s Volunteers’ Week slogan is a Time to Celebrate. A huge big thank you to all the people involved in bringing volunteering to life. From the 1st to 7th June there will be parties and promotions in every corner of the UK. It’s heart-warming to see that Twitter is already... Read more

1-7 June is Volunteers’ Week – a chance to celebrate and say thank you for the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It’s also an opportunity to promote the diversity, value and power of volunteering in all its forms – from front line operational work... Read more

Through the early hours of this morning, results from the European Parliament elections started to pour in from across Europe. Unlike most European Elections, which normally only warm the cockles of the most ardent political anorak, the 2019 election has captured the headlines... Read more

Responding to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that the Scottish Government will work to establish a Citizens' Assembly in Scotland, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Anna Fowlie said: “The First Minister’s commitment to... Read more

When the invitation to attend a Town Hall with President Barack Obama landed as junk mail, I presumed it was just that. I palmed it off as another phishing scam; the thought of recognition from the Obama Foundation seemed a little far-fetched. When it emerged that the invite was... Read more