Tag: governance

GovernanceWiki: A new resource for Scotland’s third sector

A new digital resource hub is now live to help Scotland’s voluntary sector navigate governance challenges.

The Governance Wiki, developed by Midlothian Community Action (MCA) in collaboration with third sector experts across Scotland, has officially launched during Small Charities Week 2025.

This free user-friendly platform offers accessible, up-to-date guidance for charities, community groups, and social enterprises on a range of governance topics—from legal obligations and board roles to compliance and risk management.

Backed by funding from the Tyne-Esk Community Led Local Development Fund, the Governance Wiki was created in response to increasing demand for governance support, particularly among smaller or volunteer-led organisations that often lack the capacity to access traditional training or keep pace with evolving regulations.

“We heard loud and clear from the sector that governance needs to be demystified and made accessible,” said Dr Lesley Kelly, MCA Chief Officer.

“The Governance Wiki brings together trusted resources curated from across the TSI Network, and also signposts users on to excellent existing resources from organisations such as SCVO and Evaluation Support Scotland.”

Collaborative and Community-Driven

The project was shaped through consultation with Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) and sector stakeholders, with content led by an independent consultant from IBSM Ltd and developed in partnership with Glasgow Social Enterprise Network, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, and CVS Inverclyde.

The platform itself was built by Volunteer Edinburgh, drawing on the infrastructure of its successful Volunteer Wiki. Designed for ease of use, the site features intuitive navigation, mobile accessibility, and powerful search functions.

Looking Ahead

MCA is now working with the wider TSI Network to keep the Wiki current and relevant, with plans to:

– Continuously update and expand the content
– Evaluate usage and gather feedback, beginning with an event at the TSI Conference in October
– Collaborate with sector bodies to ensure alignment with governance best practices.

For more information or to explore the Wikis, visit:

Governance Wiki GovernanceWiki

Volunteer Wiki VolunteerWiki – The go-to place for volunteer involving organisations

MSPs to look at role of parliament and governance in Scotland

The Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee is to hold hearings to examine how devolved structures and conventions are working in the post-EU landscape.

The evidence sessions will look at:

  • Legislative consent (sometimes known as the ‘Sewel Convention’);
  • Implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Co-Operation Agreement (TCA);
  • Intergovernmental relations;
  • Retained EU law; and
  • Implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol

The effects of the UK leaving the EU, including UK and GB-wide arrangements put in place to replace EU systems (such as Common Frameworks and the UK Internal Market Act), as well as disagreements between the UK and Scottish Governments over issues including legislative consent, have all impacted on how the Scottish Parliament and Government work. These changes will be examined in detail by the Committee.

These hearings follow on from inquiries by the Committee into the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 and the UK Internal Market Act (UKIMA), as well as the Committee’s role in the first meeting of the UK-wide Interparliamentary Forum.

The Committee previously concluded that UKIMA has created a tension in the devolution settlement, with more emphasis on open trade than regulatory autonomy, when compared to the EU Single Market.

It also identified a risk that the emphasis on managing regulatory divergence at an inter-governmental level may lead to less transparency and Ministerial accountability, and a tension in the balance of relations between the Executive and the Legislature.

Speaking ahead of today’s first roundtable looking at the issue of legislative consent, Committee Convener, Clare Adamson MSP, said: “Leaving the EU has meant a significant change in the UK’s constitutional arrangements. Of course, this has implications for Scotland and its Parliament.

“Though many of these changes are very technical, they can have important implications. We have already put on record our concerns around a number of potential risks including less regulatory autonomy for devolved Parliaments, reduced democratic oversight, and a less consultative policy making process.

“As MSPs, we now want to examine what other changes mean for devolution.”

So far, the following roundtables are scheduled for the following dates:

Thursday 19 May: Legislative Consent after Brexit

Thursday 26 May: Implementation of the Trade and Co-Operation Agreement

Thursday 9 June: Intergovernmental relations