SLCVO Blog 31July

After a short break for the summer holidays, we're taking the opportunity to look back at SLCVO's first quarter. Between April and June 2026, we continued to support community groups, charities and social enterprises across Skye and Lochalsh, while representing the interests of the third sector through local planning, partnership and strategic forums.

Quarter 1 (April to June 2026) headline figures

• 48 organisations provided with one-to-one support.

• 110 recorded support cases

• 27 strategic meetings attended

• 8 networking and partnership events

• 3 Community Outreach Hubs delivered

Supporting Stronger Organisations Across Skye and Lochalsh

Between April and June 2026, SLCVO continued to support community groups, charities and voluntary organisations across Skye and Lochalsh, helping them strengthen their governance, secure funding, develop projects and navigate challenges.

We provided direct one-to-one support to 48 voluntary and community organisations, delivering a total of 110 support cases. This reflects both the breadth of organisations seeking assistance and the ongoing commitment required to help groups build resilience, deliver services and respond to community needs.

Governance remained the most significant area of support this quarter (23 cases). Strong governance is essential for ensuring organisations are well managed, compliant and able to make effective decisions.

Funding and project development continue to be important areas of demand. Combined, these topics accounted for 30 support cases, demonstrating the determination of local organisations to develop new initiatives and secure resources that benefit their communities.

Support relating to public and Scottish Government funding programmes, alongside partnership working with statutory agencies, also featured strongly. This reflects the increasingly collaborative environment in which many organisations now operate, with community groups working alongside public sector partners to address local priorities and needs.

In addition to direct advice and guidance, we made 18 signposting referrals during the quarter, helping organisations access specialist information, funding opportunities and external support services.

Support Themes Delivered Through 1-1 Support

• Governance - 23

• Project Development - 18

• Signposting Referrals - 18

• Public Sector / Scottish Government Support - 16

• Funding - 12

• Statutory Partnerships - 5

• Volunteering - 5

• Trading - 4

• Start Up Support - 3

• HR - 3

• Crisis Support - 1

• Finance Management - 1

• Winding Up - 1

Measuring the Difference Our Support Makes

As part of our new funder monitoring and reporting requirements, SLCVO has introduced a Third Sector Support Feedback Survey. The survey helps us better understand the impact of our one-to-one support, ensuring that we not only record the number of organisations we assist but also capture the difference that support is making for groups across Skye and Lochalsh.

Feedback on the quality of support provided was particularly encouraging.

• 80% of respondents rated the support received as 5-star

• 20% rated the support as 3-star

• No respondents rated the service below 3 stars

The most valuable part of the survey is hearing directly from the groups we support.

One organisation highlighted the responsiveness and flexibility of the service:

"Speedy response, excellent information supplied, staff willing to come and visit offering flexibility of dates. We are at early stages but hugely impressed so far. Thank you!"

Another respondent emphasised how the support helped them move forward with their plans:

"Provided all the information I requested and needed. We are now progressing this onto its final stages."

This is the first quarter that SLCVO has gathered structured outcome and satisfaction data in this way, and while the response numbers are currently small, the feedback provides a valuable baseline for measuring impact over time.

As we continue to develop our monitoring and evaluation processes, feedback will help us:

• Better understand the outcomes being achieved by supported organisations.

• Demonstrate the value and impact of third sector support services.

• Identify areas where additional support may be needed.

• Ensure services continue to meet the evolving needs of community organisations.

Building Connections That Strengthen Communities

One of the key outcomes of SLCVO's Third Sector support service is helping organisations build the relationships, networks and partnerships that enable them to achieve more together. While one-to-one support remains important, we know that many of the most effective solutions to local challenges emerge when organisations have opportunities to connect, share learning and collaborate.

Throughout Quarter 1, SLCVO continued to play an active convening role, bringing together voluntary organisations, community groups, public sector partners and local services through a range of forums and networking opportunities designed to strengthen relationships and encourage collaborative working.

Between April and June 2026, SLCVO facilitated:

• 3 Community Outreach Hubs

• 3 Social Care Forums

• 2 Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) Working Group meetings

These events provided valuable opportunities for organisations to exchange information, identify common challenges, explore partnership opportunities and contribute to discussions that influence local services and priorities.

Community Outreach Hubs

Our Community Outreach Hubs bring together a wide range of organisations and services in community settings, making it easier for both residents and organisations to connect and access support. Partners attending the hubs included organisations providing:

• Mental health support

• Counselling services

• Wellbeing activities

• Befriending services

• Carer support

• Welfare advice and guidance

The hubs not only helped local people access support closer to home, but also enabled organisations to learn more about each other's services, identify opportunities for referrals and develop stronger working relationships.

Feedback and intelligence gathered through the hubs is helping to identify gaps in provision, understand emerging community needs and shape future services.

Strengthening Social Care Networks

During the quarter, SLCVO facilitated three Social Care Forums, including the Adult Services Forum and Children and Young People's Forum. These meetings provided important opportunities for organisations to share experiences and discuss emerging issues affecting communities, including:

• Mental health and wellbeing

• Support for unpaid carers

• Youth wellbeing

• Volunteer recruitment challenges

• Access to services in rural areas

The forums enabled organisations to exchange information, learn from one another and gain a clearer understanding of local priorities and available support. Importantly, these networks also helped ensure that third sector voices were represented within wider strategic discussions, including engagement around the review of the Highland Adult Social Care Strategic Plan.

The relationships built through these networks are already leading to tangible outcomes.

Partners have agreed a range of actions aimed at:

• Increasing awareness of local mental health support pathways

• Improving support available to unpaid carers

• Strengthening coordination between children's services

• Exploring solutions to volunteer recruitment challenges

• Enhancing communication between service providers

Discussions have also led to plans for a multi-agency Children and Young People's Workshop, bringing organisations together to map existing services, identify gaps and improve coordination across the sector.

Building Environmental Partnerships

A significant achievement during the quarter has been the development of the Skye and Raasay Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) Collaboration.

SLCVO facilitated community organisations, social enterprises and public sector partners coming together around shared environmental and community resilience goals.

The collaboration is helping organisations build stronger relationships, explore joint funding opportunities and develop shared projects.

By facilitating a space for partners to work together around shared ambitions, the RRR Collaboration is helping build a more coordinated and sustainable approach to environmental action across the area.

Strengthening the Third Sector Voice in Strategic Decision-Making

A key outcome of SLCVO's Third Sector Interface role is ensuring that community organisations have a strong and influential voice within local planning structures and national conversations. By supporting meaningful engagement in policy development, service planning and strategic decision-making, we help ensure that the experiences, expertise and priorities of the third sector are reflected in decisions that affect our communities.

One of the most significant examples of this work during the quarter was SLCVO's involvement in the review of the Highland Adult Social Care Strategic Plan.

When the Highland Health and Social Care Partnership began reviewing its Joint Strategic Plan for Adult Social Care, engagement was initially focused through District Partnership Groups.

Through our established relationships with local organisations and our involvement in the Skye and Lochalsh Health, Wellbeing, Welfare and Social Care (HWWS) Collaboration, SLCVO quickly identified a concern. Many third sector organisations delivering frontline support services across Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross were either underrepresented or unaware of the opportunity to contribute to a consultation that would shape future adult social care provision.

Recognising the importance of ensuring local knowledge and lived experience informed the review, SLCVO stepped in to advocate for broader and more meaningful participation.

SLCVO worked with NHS Highland to highlight gaps in third sector representation within the Highland Adult Social Care Strategic Plan review and successfully secured agreement to widen participation beyond the original stakeholder group. We then used our networks to promote the consultation to organisations involved in adult social care, carers support, mental health, community wellbeing, community transport and community-led services.

To support participation, SLCVO shared consultation materials, background information and planning documents, and provided additional support to organisations that wanted to contribute but faced barriers to engagement. We also promoted the consultation throughout the review period and facilitated further discussion opportunities.

As a result, a broader range of third sector organisations and community interests from across Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross were able to take part in the review of adult social care services. Organisations that may not otherwise have been aware of the consultation had the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and experience, helping to ensure that future planning is informed by a wider range of local perspectives.

SLCVO’s Annual Work Plan

Each year, SLCVO develops a detailed work plan that sets out how we will deliver Third Sector Interface (TSI) services across Skye and Lochalsh. Funded by the Scottish Government through the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI) network, this work plan provides a framework for supporting community groups, charities, social enterprises and volunteers, while also ensuring accountability for the outcomes we achieve.

The work plan is more than a list of activities. It outlines the challenges facing the local third sector, the actions we will take to address them, and the difference we expect those actions to make for organisations and communities.

This year, the TSI Network introduced a new approach to monitoring and reporting through its "Telling Our Story” Framework. The framework aims to create a clearer picture of the value and impact of Third Sector Interfaces across Scotland by focusing not only on what TSIs do, but also on the outcomes achieved for organisations, communities and partners.

The framework is built around four core delivery outcomes:

• Central Source of Knowledge - Ensuring local organisations have access to information, intelligence, policy updates, opportunities and data that help them thrive.

• Voice - Ensuring a strong third sector voice within local planning structures and strategic decision-making processes, enabling organisations to influence policy and develop shared agendas.

• Capacity Building - Supporting organisations to strengthen governance, sustainability, skills, leadership, resilience and effectiveness.

• Connect - Bringing organisations together to build relationships, share learning, collaborate and respond collectively to local priorities.

How SLCVO Has Adapted

To ensure our reporting aligns with the new framework, SLCVO has made significant improvements to how we monitor, evaluate and evidence our impact. We have:

• Introduced a new feedback process for organisations receiving support.

• Commenced quarterly case studies that demonstrate the difference our support makes in practice.

• Updated our internal recording systems to improve data accuracy, reduce duplication and strengthen annual reporting

What We Are Doing to Deliver the Outcomes

Being the Central Source of Knowledge

We know that the impact and contribution of the third sector is not always fully recognised. To address this, we are continuing to gather evidence, produce reports, share intelligence and represent the sector within local planning structures. We also continue to share information about funding opportunities, consultations, policy developments and sector news to help organisations stay informed and engaged.

Strengthening the Sector's Voice

A key part of our role is ensuring that the experiences and expertise of local organisations influence the decisions that affect our communities. This includes facilitating and supporting participation in local forums, community planning structures and strategic partnerships. We work closely with community groups and statutory partners to ensure local voices are represented and heard, particularly those that may otherwise be excluded from decision-making processes.

Building Capacity and Resilience

With more than 340 third sector organisations identified across Skye and Lochalsh, demand for organisational support remains high. Our work includes one-to-one support on governance, funding, organisational development, strategic planning, group development and sustainability. We also help organisations access training, learning opportunities and practical guidance that strengthens their ability to deliver services and achieve positive outcomes for their communities.

Connecting People and Organisations

Strong communities need strong networks. Through thematic forums, partnerships, working groups and leadership networks, SLCVO provides opportunities for organisations to connect, share ideas and develop joint approaches to local challenges.

From social care and wellbeing collaborations to environmental partnerships and community outreach hubs, our focus is on creating the relationships that enable organisations to work more effectively together.

Looking Ahead

The introduction of the new TSI Network framework represents an important shift towards demonstrating impact rather than simply reporting activity. By strengthening our monitoring processes, gathering better evidence and focusing on outcomes, SLCVO is better placed than ever to show the difference that third sector support makes across Skye and Lochalsh.

Find out more about SLCVO’s support here Third Sector Support

Find out more about our Forums here Skye and Lochalsh Community Wellbeing and Support Forum

Blog produced with the support of Microsoft Copilot