This event took place on 24 June 2021 and all registered delegates were sent direct access details for the recordings. Please only book your place here if you missed the event the first time round.
If you are a CharityComms member, you can watch this event for free by clicking ‘attend event’ above and registering your details. You will automatically be sent the link to the video and the password. Contact us if you have any problems accessing the video.
If you are a non-member, you can access the presentation by clicking ‘attend event’ above, registering your details and paying by credit card. You will automatically be sent the link to the video and the password. Contact us if you have any problems accessing the video.
The last year has shown that Scotland’s charity sector is never more needed. The third sector has delivered vital services during the pandemic often with squeezed resources. There’s some big asks of the Scottish Parliament from charities in 2021 and beyond – how can we make them a reality?
This session will explore what’s in store for the Scottish political scene, what influencing Scottish government policy looks like in reality and how you can get the most out of your policy & campaigning work. There will also be a chance for some structured networking with peers, so come ready to share your plans and challenges.
Our guest speakers:
Kezia Dugdale is Director of the John Smith Centre. Based at the University of Glasgow, the non partisan centre exists to make the positive case for politics and public service through the promotion of civilised debate and high quality research. It also seeks to support people with talent, but not the means, to access politics and public life.
Prior to joining the John Smith Centre, Kezia was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region for eight years during which she led her party through four national elections and the EU referendum. Beyond her working life, Kezia is on the board of the social transformation charity Sistema and the housing charity Shelter.
We’ll also be joined by Richard Baker, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research at Sight Scotland. Richard Baker is Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research for Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, Scotland’s biggest third sector visual impairment organisation. His first involvement in Policy and Communications was as President of NUS Scotland, before joining Help the Aged in 2000 as the charity’s first Scottish Press Officer.
In 2003 he was elected to the Scottish Parliament as an MSP for North East Scotland. He stood down from Holyrood in 2015 to return to the third sector as Team Leader for Age Scotland’s Early Stage Dementia Project. In 2016 he took over the role of Policy and Communications Manager for Age Scotland and joined Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans in November 2017.
About the Scotland networking group
The Scotland networking group is a network for comms professionals working in Scotland-based charities.
You’ll be given the opportunity to meet your peers, compare notes on workplace practices and share successes, ideas, challenges and inspiration. The group is designed to encourage networking and peer-to-peer support, sharing issues in a ‘safe’ and relaxed environment.
Each event will focus on a topic which delegates will discuss in small groups before feeding back to the group as a whole. There’ll also be plenty of time for networking.
If there’s a topic you’d like to discuss or if you’d be interested in speaking at a future event, please contact Vanessa.
If you’d like to be one of the first to hear about these events, please email events@charitycomms.org.uk to be added to the mailing list.