Throughout Scotland, the community sector is critical to addressing today’s challenges by delivering essential services that build stronger communities. Too often they operate in circumstances that are under resourced and overly bureaucratic – distant from decision making structures that impact their ability to deliver vital public service reform.

We call for:

• a modern and responsive system of local democracy built to meet today’s needs
• local democratic structures to recognise, and include the lived experience and expertise in our communities
• new forms of local democracy to be consolidated through legislation
• sustained investment in community organisations and intermediaries through secure, long-term funding

Download the full 2025/26 Manifesto and read our Vision for Scotland and Manifesto for Action for more detail on our vision for a sustainable Scotland.

The Discussion Paper is the next step in the development of the proposed Bill. It is intended to support everyone with an interest in the Bill to have more informed discussions.

The paper sets out Scottish Government’s current policy proposals and consolidates work to date. Its proposals build on the 2023 public consultation, as well as the extensive engagement over a number of years with rights-holders, civil society, and public bodies. The paper reflects the progress made as well as the challenges encountered in developing legislation to incorporate further human rights treaties into Scots law.

The Discussion Paper and Easy Read version can be found in the below links:

• A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Discussion Paper https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836916031
• A Human Rights Bill for Scotland: Easy Read version https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836917601

The Social Justice and Social Security Committee is seeking views on a Bill which will promote consideration by public bodies of sustainable development and the wellbeing of future generations.

Responses to this call for views will help to inform the Committee’s scrutiny of the Bill, including the selection of witnesses to be invited to give oral evidence on the Bill.

More information is availabel from the link below:

Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill – Scottish Parliament – Citizen Space

The closing date for responses is 24^th August.

Between the 19th and 22nd June, the Royal Highland Show (RHS) returned to Ingleston, bringing together over 210,000 people in a celebration of rural and island life. The RHS is 202 years old and one of the most important events in Scotland’s rural calendar.

⭐It is a family-friendly showcase of rural and island businesses and industries.

⭐It is a marketplace for rural produce and services.

⭐It is a platform for every politician and policy maker from the Scottish Government and the UK Government to meet with rural and island interest groups.

BUT….it is dominated by the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food & drink and energy sectors – sectors which tend to define ‘rural’ in decision makers’ minds.

…until recently….

Led by organisations like Scottish Rural Action, InspirAlba, Community Enterprise, SRITC, SCOTO and the Scottish Community Alliance, a radical revolution is taking place designed to shake up the institutional foundations of the RHS…and it is everything our organisations stand for – empowerment, vision, inclusivity, creativity, diversity and drive.

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy generation and food & drink are core to our rural and island areas…but like everything, they rely on COMMUNITIES, and we are putting COMMUNITY at the heart of the RHS.

Supported by Scottish Rural Network and the Scottish Government, we are creating a vibrant space for a host of partner organisations – the Aberdeenshire Youth Forum; Ceidlith Caleerie; Climate Café®; Fife Youth Local Action Group; Forth Environment Link; Forth Valley and Lomond Youth Local Action Group; Greenpower; GrowBiz Scotland; Imagine If… Space CIC; Open Aye; Scottish Islands Federation; Scottish Men’s Sheds Association; Sealladh Folk Band; Social Enterprise Scotland, the Walking Theatre Company, and Youth Scotland.

Please consider joining next year! In the meantime, our 2025 RHS blog can be found here

This paper presents the Scottish Food Coalition’s six manifesto asks for the 2026 Scottish Election and relate directly to the outcomes of the new National Good Food Nation Plan as laid before Parliament on 30 June 2025. Each ask is underpinned by robust research and evidence which is referenced at the end of the document.

The Public Service Reform Strategy sets out Scottish Government commitments to change the system of public services – to be preventative, to better join up and to be efficient – in order to better deliver for people. It sets out how to tackle systemic barriers to change.

More than 80 actions are set out to drive change and make Scotland’s public services fit for the future.

Read more on the Scottish Government Website at Scotland’s Public Service Reform Strategy: Delivering for Scotland – gov.scot

What is Scotland Demands Better?

Scotland Demands Better is a campaign led by civil society organisations in Scotland which aims to highlight the practical ideas to overcome the injustice of poverty – and the resources needed to make change.

Civil society organisations across Scotland are at the heart of communities, knowing intimately the strengths and challenges those communities face. Scotland Demands Better is a campaign for civil society organisations to come together in a way we rarely do, building towards a national march and rally on the 25^th of October in Edinburgh. It’s time to show strength and to unify calls for change.

Scotland Demands Better is a chance to come together and demand that politicians make the changes we need for a society where every household can thrive and prosper:

• #WeDemandBetter jobs for everyone who needs one, with fair conditions and wages that pay the bills.
• #WeDemandBetter investment for life’s essentials – like affordable homes, good public transport, a thriving natural environment, and strong public services.
• #WeDemandBetter social security so that all of us have a foundation for the future.

How you can support

The Scotland Demands Better campaign launched today.  Here’s THREE actions you can take to show your support:

1. Sign up as a supporter: Organisations should add their logo.
2. Share on your networks: highlight your support, use the social media graphics and suggested messages to add Scotland Demands Better to your regular social media schedule.
3. Share with your networks, communities and friends: Can you share this campaign with 5 contacts? Let’s grow the movement.

The SURF Awards are delivered each year by SURF, a regeneration forum with over 300 cross-sector member organisations across Scotland, in partnership with the Scottish Government. The purpose is to highlight, celebrate and share the achievements of initiatives that address physical, social and economic challenges in communities across Scotland.

This year’s five thematic categories include; Removing Barriers to Employability, Creative Regeneration, Community Led Regeneration, Improving Scotland’s Places, and Housing and Regeneration.

Closing date for applications is 1st September – find out more and how to apply via SURF.

To date Scottish Government’s policy and investment focus has been on recycling and waste management. On behalf of their membership, Circular Communities Scotland is calling for this focus to shift to reuse and repair.

Reuse brings numerous circular benefits including:

Social: Reuse tackles the cost-of-living crisis by offering affordable pre-loved goods and helps overcome employment barriers by creating work and training placements.
Environmental: Reuse addresses the climate crisis and the challenges of achieving net zero by dealing directly with the issue of over-consumption and material use.
Economic: Reuse creates opportunities for green skills, local and Scottish based jobs and supports economic growth.

Read the full Circular Communities Scotland Reuse First Manifesto.

We recently responded to the Economy and Fair Work Committee’s Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill Call for Views.   We continue to support the Government’s previous consultation assertion that “CWB is focused on growing the influence communities have on the economy and ensuring communities receive more of the benefits from the wealth they help to generate.”

We also continue to agree that the transition to a wellbeing economy requires a “whole system transformation”, of which CWB needs to be a core component.

However, we maintain that to truly ‘tackle long-standing economic challenges and transform local and regional economies’, the legislation must clearly recognise that CWB encompasses more than just economic growth – it also includes social, cultural and environmental wealth.  Acknowledging this broader definition would better position Scotland to achieve sustainable and equitable wealth for the benefit of everyone.

We consider this Bill – in tandem with non-legislative policy initiatives – offers an opportunity to permanently embed and mainstream CWB principles within and across the wide range of public policy spheres is crucial to achieving the fairer, wealthier, and greener wellbeing economy to which we all collectively aspire.  The requirement to produce a CWB Statement, Guidance and Actions Plans offers an opportunity to ensure consistency across Scotland.

However, a fundamental element missing is the inclusion of community-led intermediaries and community organisations. The community sector has long been a driving force behind CWB and without meaningful involvement of communities, there is a risk this legislation could default to a top down public sector led approach – which we understand is not the intention. To prevent this, we urge that the Bill, Statement, Guidance and Action Plans recognise the vital role, experience and expertise of communities; utilise existing learning and good practice; and embed communities as critical partners in delivering CWB.

Read our full submission on our website.  You can also read a number of our members’ submissions on the Scottish Parliament website.