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Specialist Volunteer Network - Inspiring Scotland -

Specialist Volunteer Network

Specialist Volunteer Network

Our Specialist Volunteer Network – connecting over 500 professional volunteers with Scotland’s charities to build capacity and strengthen the sector – is a key part of the Inspiring Scotland model.

A network of lawyers, accountants, marketing and communications experts, HR professionals and more, all ready and waiting to hear from charities needing free professional support. Inspiring Scotland creates the match and can make sure the support, which could be otherwise out of reach financially, or would divert much needed funding away from delivery, is parachuted in at exactly the point a charity needs it.

500+

Specialist volunteers

213

Charities supported in 23/24

£399k

Worth of support delivered in 23/24

20+

A range of expertise, from HR and legal to marketing and IT

An introduction to Specialist Volunteering

A film about SVN

Elaine Crichton, explains what Specialist Volunteering is, its benefits and how charities across Scotland can get involved.

Bring your skills to a charity

Latest board opportunities

with over 25,000 charities in Scotland, becoming a charity trustee is a fantastic way to contribute your expertise and be involved in making social change happen.

Current vacancies

Discover how Specialist Volunteers can help your charity

Does your charity need the support of a professional? We have specialists in a wide range of sectors from HR, and employment law to marketing, all waiting to help you - for free.

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Get involved

Get involved with our network of over 500 professionals who each want to make a difference, giving their time and expertise to a range of charities. Whether you want to become a board member or offer time in your area of expertise, get in touch.

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Stay up to date

Check out our regularly updated resource for all of the latest Specialist Volunteer news, events and support offers from trusted partners.

Read our latest mailout

Resources

Catalysts for Change: Understanding the motivations of volunteers in Scotland
12.05.2025

Catalysts for Change: Understanding the motivations of volunteers in Scotland

Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the work of charities across Scotland. Their contribution, big or small, can make a huge difference to individual lives and the reach and impact of organisations. Given the importance of volunteers to Inspiring Scotland’s vision and mission, we commissioned research to capture the latest insights on volunteering and

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Annual Report 2023/24
03.12.2024

Annual Report 2023/24

Inspiring Scotland’s Annual Report for 2023-2024 provides an overview of the work we have undertaken to deliver on our strategic priorities and mission to improve the lives of people across Scotland. Last year we managed over £46m of funding as fund owner, delivery partner or fund manager for Scottish Government and private investors for social

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Demystifying trusteeship with our Specialist Volunteer Network
19.08.2024

Demystifying trusteeship with our Specialist Volunteer Network

There is often an idea that to be a trustee you need to be a certain type of person – have a significant amount of experience in your field along with a wealth of knowledge and that you are well networked within your profession to back it up. But the truth is, with over 180,000

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Our news

Catalysts for Change: Understanding the motivations of volunteers in Scotland (new report published) 
12.05.2025

Catalysts for Change: Understanding the motivations of volunteers in Scotland (new report published) 

Volunteers play a vital role in supporting the work of charities across Scotland. Their contribution, big or small, can make a huge difference to individual lives and the reach and impact of organisations.   Two of Inspiring Scotland’s programmes would not exist without the support of volunteers: our Specialist Volunteer Network (SVN) connecting professional volunteers with

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Insight story: Tackling the climate crisis with spreadsheets and Earth in Common
01.04.2025

Insight story: Tackling the climate crisis with spreadsheets and Earth in Common

Tackling climate change sometimes still involves spreadsheets! Our Specialist Volunteer Network (SVN) is home to a whole range of expertise and changemakers who stand ready to help Scotland’s charities. Our team are no stranger to quickly matching a charity with the right professional to get a problem solved. So recently, when Earth in Common, an

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Supporting the sector with Good Governance  
17.02.2025

Supporting the sector with Good Governance  

If Elaine Crichton has a specialist topic, it would be diversifying Scotland’s Boards through recruitment and bespoke training of Trustees. It’s an area she is not just enthusiastic about but also well placed to offer guidance and training, having provided 46 organisations in-depth governance and board development support in the last year. She also walks

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Contact us

We work with experts from the voluntary, public, private and academic sectors. Get in touch if you want to help us build a better Scotland.

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