The third sector is routinely referred to as the Cinderella sector, given its often neglected and lowly place in the priorities of government at all levels, but things are changing.
To describe it as such is, increasingly, to do a disservice to the plight of poor young Cinders who, in comparative terms, had it rather easy.
For a start, she was beholden to the whims of only three ugly sisters and an uncaring and absent parent, while the third sector is under pressure from a wide and growing number of agencies to provide an increasing range of services to a substantial number of people.
Secondly, she was provided at least with bed and board in return for her labours, without having to fund herself, unlike many charitable providers who are having to dip into reserves to continue offering a minimum level of service.
And lastly, let us not forget, that Cinderella ended up going to the ball. Sadly, there will be no such fairy-tale ending for the third sector, unless we see meaningful change in the ways it is structured and funded.
The damaging impact upon the sector of a series of generational catastrophes - including the 2008 financial crash, the Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis - coupled with nearly two decades of austerity, has been well rehearsed.
In the past couple of years alone, a succession of reports by respected and influential organisations has chronicled the woeful pattern of decline and hardship experienced by struggling organisations.
Despite The Third Sector’s scale and reach, many people within it feel used, like an unfunded and unacknowledged branch of the welfare state.
Anyone who has an ageing relative, a disabled child, or who has been to their GP with mental health issues recently, will know the feeling of being seamlessly passed from the public into the third sector without a pause or a by-your-leave.
We take for granted the counsellors, therapists, home visitors, support workers, specialist nurses, education volunteers and many more who work in the sector, without giving a second thought to who employs them, how they are paid or what would happen to us if they stopped doing what they do.
However, when it comes to organising, arranging, and legislating on health and social care services, it’s as if the third sector doesn’t exist.
Funders rightly demand a clear financial strategy, showcasing diverse income streams and reliable projections. We scrutinise ours at least biannually. But the reality is, a single funding rejection can send shockwaves through the entire organisation, jeopardising essential services and people's livelihoods.
The constant uncertainty takes a toll. Balancing a sustainable financial model with the need to retain a dedicated, skilled workforce is a constant challenge. Reassuring your team about their future while navigating an unpredictable funding landscape is a difficult tightrope walk.
Alex Fleming is Chief Officer of Livingston-based Spark, a social enterprise that provides a range of work and social based services to the local community
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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