The Scottish Government laid out economic planning earlier this year in Scotland’s Economic Strategy March 2015, promising a core & central purpose to create a “more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.“
The ScotGov economic strategy, outlined in the diagram below, is based on two key pillars: increasing competitiveness and tackling inequality.
It is important to note that many of the key levers for addressing both competitiveness and inequality however, remain reserved to the UK Government. The effects of the recently announced further cuts to Scottish public spending remains to be seen.
Creating greater prosperity and fairness is a shared national endeavour. Only by working in partnership with the wider public sector in Scotland, the Third Sector, trade unions, businesses and communities, will we be able to create a society where the benefits of economic growth are shared more equally and where future economic growth is stronger and more sustainable.
What does the economic strategy mean for the Third Sector?
Scottish Government recognises the work of the Third Sector, stating in the the strategy:
“The Scottish Government recognises the critical role the Third Sector plays in addressing issues of inequality and the needs of disadvantaged communities, and the contribution that the sector makes to Scotland’s economy. The [Third] sector is essential to the design and delivery of public services, and to helping us find solutions to the economic and social challenges that Scotland faces.
As we deliver our Economic Strategy we will bring an increased focus on local communities.”
The ScotGov strategy plans to align a social justice approach with economic policies. This includes the aims of:
- Ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are shared more equally across society is just as important as boosting overall growth.
- Working to reduce unemployment, underemployment and in work poverty (Among working age adults in poverty in Scotland, 52% live in households with at least one adult in employment.)
- Addressing inequalities in educational outcomes also improves employment opportunities and living standards for individuals
- An increased focus on local communities and considering how they connect into supply chains to ensure that local communities have the best possible opportunity to benefit. We will also look at how communities across Scotland can benefit from a community-based approach to economic development.
- Employment and training opportunities
- Creating opportunities for SMEs and third sector organisations to deliver public services;
- Support for community initiatives
- Environmental benefits
- Decisive shift towards placing prevention at the centre of public service delivery – working with local communities and the Third Sector to nurture flexible and innovative approaches to achieving better outcomes.
- Re-designing approaches to procurement to maximise social and environmental benefits from public spending, including providing local training and employment opportunities and sub-contracting opportunities for small businesses and the Third Sector.
These aims support EVOC’s mission for a valued and respected Voluntary Sector, which helps to build and enable resilient, sustainable and inclusive communities. EVOC will serve, as always, as a trusted leader, effective strategic partner and model of good practice for the Sector. We do understand that aims and plans are not always as straightforward as action. We have, therefore, been instrumental on the integration of Health & Scoial Care, holding several thinkSpaces through the year to share ideas with Edinburgh’s Third Sector and feeding these ideas directly to the Integrated Joint Board for Health & Social Care. In implementing Scotland’s Economic Strategy the EVOC will continue our work in building on these partnerships to improve Scotland’s economic performance and reduce inequalities in communities and in the workplace.
The whole public sector in Scotland, the Third Sector, trade unions, businesses and communities need to be onboard in the ‘One Scotland’ approach to become more competitive and fairer country for current and future generations; where communities are empowered to drive change and deliver growth in the shared interest of the people of Scotland.
Further Reading
- Scotland’s Economic Strategy March 2015
- Scottish Government – Third Sector
- Third Sector Tender for Public Contracts
- Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership
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