Volunteers and the state

Volunteers contribute an estimated £5.5 billion to the Scottish economy each year with over 2 million people giving their time freely. Are volunteers vital for the delivery of public services in Scotland or is there a concern in the current financial climate that volunteers are contributing to the erosion of the state by enabling cuts to services and undercutting paid jobs?

Chair: Jeremy Balfour MSP, Co-convener, Cross-Party Group on Volunteering

Panellists:

Alan Stevenson is CEO of Volunteer Scotland. Alan has worked in senior management positions within Volunteer Scotland for more than 8 years and represents the interests of volunteers and persuades third sector and public sector leaders of the value and their role in delivering 'volunteering for all'. With over 20 years of experience as a management consultant and a management educator, Alan led more than 100 sector stakeholders, including colleagues in Scottish Government, in the development and successful launch of Scotland’s 10-year Volunteering Action Plan.  

Sara Redmond is Chief Officer of Development with the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, the ALLIANCE. Her work involves working closely with ALLIANCE members, developing innovative partnerships that show how change can be achieved, and promoting the role of the third sector as a key innovator and partner in realising Scotland’s national health and wellbeing outcomes. Previously Sara worked at Scottish Government as a researcher in the equalities and tackling poverty division and has worked in several frontline roles supporting people who have claimed asylum, survivors of sexual violence, and with people experiencing homelessness.   

Alan Sherry is Chair with CLD Standards Council. Now retired, Alan has a long career working in Scottish colleges. He was an original member of staff when John Wheatley College was established in 1989 and rose to become its Principal. He retired as founding Principal of Glasgow Kelvin College and from April 2022 to March 2023 was Acting Principal at South Lanarkshire College. Alan is a board member of Jobs and Business Glasgow, Fuse Youth Cafe in Glasgow’s East End and White Ribbon Scotland.