Third Force News

Girlguiding bans trans women and girls from joining - TFN The organisation confirmed the decision would be enforced in Scotland.

Trans women and girls will be banned from joining the Girl Guides. The decision, taken at a UK level, will be enforced in Scotland, Girlguiding Scotland confirmed to TFN on Friday.

Full story:

If we want a better NHS, we need to start acting like it now - TFN Time for action, says Jane-Claire Judson

"If we want a better NHS, we need to start acting like it now" - time for action, says Jane-Claire Judson CEO of @chsscotland.bsky.social

More good news on the effort to help people in Council Tax debt   - TFN A positive update from Myles Fitt

More good news on the effort to help people in Council Tax debt - a positive update from Myles Fitt of @citizensadvicescot.bsky.social

New appeal launched to honour Scotland’s mining communities - TFN Plans to power a national museum’s next chapter.

New appeal launched to honour Scotland’s mining communities.

UK Government told it must support sector to cover increasing costs after budget announcements - TFN Rising wage levels and changes to salary sacrifice schemes will have an effect on third sector.

UK Government told it must support sector to cover increasing costs after budget announcements.

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, SCVO and others Surged the Chancellor to ensure further burdens were not placed on the voluntary sector.

Full story: buff.ly/5dcy3uo

CEO of Gordon Brown's charity steps down after just four months in role - TFN Katharine Sacks-Jones is leaving The Multibank.

CEO of Gordon Brown's charity steps down after just four months in role.

Scotland must ditch ‘unfair and damaging’ social care charges - TFN Report warns disabled people are being let down in their right to help with basic needs.

Scotland’s social care charges are “unfair and damaging” and should be scrapped, a new report has found.

Trustees: how the Scottish audit shake-up affects you - TFN Keith Macpherson on the 2026 Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)

Trustees: how the Scottish audit shake-up affects you

Keith Macpherson of Henderson Loggie on the 2026 Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)

buff.ly/0lc5iqo

#SORP

From advice to action: improving access to disability payments in Scotland   - TFN Erica Young on the importance of easy access to Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

From advice to action: improving access to disability payments in Scotland

Erica Young of Citizens Advice Scotland writes in TFN on the importance of easy access to Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

buff.ly/SK3LVnN

@citizensadvicescot.bsky.social

Organisations call for meeting with Finance Secretary over vital social housing cash - TFN Charities and housing bodies have joined forces.

Organisations call for meeting with Finance Secretary over vital social housing cash.

World Children’s Day: standing up for children’s rights means taking action now - TFN World Children’s Day is Thursday, 20 November - Mary Glasgow talks about what this means for Scotland’s children

To mark #WorldChildrensDay - which is today - Mary Glasgow of Children First writes powerfully in TFN about what we must do to make Scotland a beacon of children’s rights:

buff.ly/epgDXGg

@margl24.bsky.social
@childrenfirst.bsky.social

Edinburgh charity sets out to train a new generation of environmental leaders. - TFN The Green Team is aiming for a big impact after securing funding

Edinburgh charity sets out to train a new generation of environmental leaders.

tfn.scot/news/edinbur...

Charity calls for action with half of Scotland’s unpaid carers cutting back on food and heating - TFN 30% said their physical health and 39% their mental health is poor because of their caring role.

Unpaid carers in Scotland are experiencing a deepening crisis, with too many facing a financial and personal cost of caring that is far too high, a new report warns.

TFN's annual Guide to Running a Charity or Social Enterprise is out now, with a focus on the workplace.

It is available to all at buff.ly/JS2pQBH and features expert input from:
@ethicalproperty.co.uk
@cfgsocial.bsky.social
@advicedirectscot.bsky.social
... and many, many more!

Agricultural suicide prevention project gets underway - TFN Collaboration between RSABI and University of Glasgow starts.

A major new research initiative focused on suicide prevention in agriculture has got underway.

TFN is @scvo.scot's magazine for the #VoluntarySector

This month Ross Ahlfeld of @the-trust.bsky.social has written for us about how community organising at a grassroots level can overcome division.

@rossahlfeld.bsky.social

Available for all to read and share here: buff.ly/aWVaf4z

Pilot projects to prevent homelessness get underway across Scotland - TFN Half of Scotland’s local authorities are covered.

Pilot projects to prevent homelessness get underway across Scotland.

TFN is @scvo.scot's magazine for the #VoluntarySector

This month we visit @homelessnetwork.scot's conference to hear about sector efforts to combat the #HousingEmergency; input from: Maggie Brünjes, @floellabenjamin.bsky.social @salvationarmyuk.bsky.social and more

Read it here: buff.ly/aWVaf4z

TFN is @scvot.scot's magazine for the #VoluntarySector

Powerful words this month from Sara Redmond of @alliancescot.bsky.social: “What we need is a shift in thinking; multi-year investment, real commitment to social infrastructure...”

Read it all here: buff.ly/aWVaf4z

TFN is @scvotweet's magazine for the #VoluntarySector

This month, Ewan Aitken of @cyrenians.bsky.social on listening to the voices of lived experience: "I am seeing signs that we are understanding what it takes to ‘do prevention’ and doing it"

Available for all to read here: buff.ly/aWVaf4z

Peer support brings suicide prevention initiative to Shetland - TFN Work will be done by Scottish Recovery Network, Voluntary Action Shetland, NHS Shetland, and local organisations.

Scottish Recovery Network is partnering with Voluntary Action Shetland, NHS Shetland, and others to bring Creating Hope with Peer Support to communities in Shetland.

tfn.scot/news/peer-su...

ICAS welcomes Scottish charity audit threshold increase - TFN The accountants body described it as a “significant and positive step”.

Accountants in Scotland have welcomed a move which will see the Scottish charity audit threshold increase.

Organisations call on the next government to keep a promise to Scotland’s children - TFN Over 30 groups have joined forces ahead of May’s election.

More than 30 organisations have called on the next Scottish Government and Parliament to commit to keeping a promise made to Scotland’s children.

Community groups urged not to be caught out by costs in building ownership deals - TFN Lawyers say charities and community organisations need to look closer at bigger picture costs and financial planning to keep projects on track

As a Scottish Government consultation on Community Right to Buy closes, lawyers say charities and community organisations need to look closer at bigger picture costs and financial planning to keep projects on track.

TFN is @scvo.scot's magazine for the #VoluntarySector

This month, recent UK #AI100 winner John Fitzgerald of SCVO gives his insight on developing an AI policy for your organisation.

Available for all to read and share here: buff.ly/aWVaf4z

@johnfitzg.bsky.social

Ofgem’s plans on energy debt don’t go nearly far enough  - TFN David Hilferty on the inevitable winter fuel crisis

"Ofgem’s plans on energy debt don’t go nearly far enough"

David Hilferty of Citizens Advice Scotland on the inevitable winter fuel crisis:

buff.ly/eWdG080

@citizensadvicescot.bsky.social
#WinterFuelCrisis

Housing charity leader warns crisis “being weaponised” to stoke division - TFN Alison Watson of Shelter Scotland said the housing crisis is being used to demonise refugees and asylum seekers.

A Scottish charity leader has warned Scotland’s housing crisis is “being weaponised” to breed division among Scots and stoke concerns towards refugees and asylum seekers.

Edinburgh charity cleared of wrongdoing after regulator investigation - TFN Complaints had first been raised in April 2024.

Edinburgh charity cleared of wrongdoing after regulator investigation.

Do we value our trustees enough? - TFN As the role of trustees is celebrated through Trustees' Week, Helen Kidd asks: “do charities do enough to help them do their jobs effectively?”

In TFN today: as the role of trustees is celebrated through #TrusteesWeek Helen Kidd of Lindsays asks: “do charities do enough to help them do their jobs effectively?”

Aid cuts and poor value for money means UK aid may not reach those most in need, MPs find in new report - TFN Analysis of the FCDO’s approach to value for money in Official Development Assistance.

Aid cuts and poor value for money means UK aid may not reach those most in need, MPs find in new report.