The review, organised by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, will report at the end of August, and mirrors a similar exercise south of the border. Its aim is to establish whether the self-regulation regime for public fundraising in Scotland is meeting public expectations on integrity and trust, and will inform future ministerial decisions on possible reforms.
John Downie, SCVO director of public affairs, said that charities in Scotland have earned high levels of public trust but high-profile media reports of poor fundraising practice in England were damaging the strong reputation which charities rely on to attract donations and volunteers.
“It’s vitally important that we do everything in our power to maintain high levels of trust of charities, otherwise thousands of people across Scotland could miss out on life-changing help and support,” he added.
The review will take soundings from across the third sector in Scotland through a SCVO survey, and will back up its recommendations with research, focus group consultations, and interviews.
It was welcomed by David Robb, chief executive of the Scottish Charity Regulator: “Fundraising is a key contact between charities and the public,” he said. “Our interest is in ensuring the continued trust and support of the public for charities and their work.”
Fraser Hudghton, who heads the Institute of Fundraising of Scotland, expressed confidence in the robust nature of the present system and in public faith in it: “We have a fantastic and supportive environment for self-regulation and we very much want to see that continue,” he said.
