My week - 2-6 September 2024

This week I've been

• Monitoring parliamentary statements on Scotland's finances and the Programme for Government. My general mood is very similar to this great blog by Anna Fowlie which starts with the line "it all feels a bit grim"
• Sharing SCVO's Fair Funding work at the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance conference
• Watching the Social Justice and Social Security Committee's first evidence session on third sector funding principles, and enjoying the unanimity and strength of voice from everyone who so ably represented the sector. When we started our Fair Funding campaign, one of the key things I hoped we were doing by codifying the sector's priorities was giving people something to unify behind, and it is fantastic seeing that play out

I've been thinking about

• Accountability, and in particular the importance of making clear statements about what you intend to do, so that others can hold your feet to the fire if your actions don't live up to your words, or open up a dialogue about what has changed. That holds for all of us, but I've been thoughtful about it this this week in relation to government in particular, watching charities and others hold the Scottish Government to account for not bringing forward planned human rights legislation, and hearing my colleague remind the SJSS Committee how difficult it is to hold Scottish Government to account on its commitment to fairer funding for the sector by 2026 when we don't yet have a clear sense of what that means to them

I've been inspired by

• Talking to people! I've had a bit of an insular period for a while, where I've not had as much chance to get out and meet folk - being out and about at a couple of events this week has been just the shot in the arm I needed

Outside of work I've been

• Helping my son navigate life with a fractured ankle (which he is quite literally taking in his stride); and creating a family anecdote for the future about 'that time Mum thought she was getting lentil soup out of the freezer for her tea and actually ended up with a bowl of gravy'!