Who we are - Third Sector Dumfries & Galloway

Who we are

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway exists to promote, support, and develop a strong third sector; develop social enterprise; develop volunteers and volunteering; and connect the third sector to community planning.

As the Third Sector Interface (TSI) for the region, we are passionate and ambitious for the role of our sector, for what we might achieve together with our partners and communities.

Our plan until 2027 has been published in our Prospectus for 2024-2027.

Our vision for our place in Scotland – A Dumfries and Galloway built on community, connection and opportunity, where everyone can feel they belong.

Our ambition – People and communities in Dumfries and Galloway can thrive through a strong third sector, our collective impact and securing equity, dignity, belonging and justice for all.

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway is the operating name of Dumfries and Galloway Third Sector Interface, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation SC043832, funded with support from the Scottish Government, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership.

Our work is aligned to the National Performance Framework, the Social Enterprise Strategy and Volunteering Outcomes Framework.

People are more involved in their community.

Improved cross sector collaboration.

Key decision making includes third sector input.

Third sector organisations are better able to respond to local need.

Third sector organisations are better able to lead and develop shared agendas.

Third sector organisations are better able to contribute to a strong and inclusive local social economy.

We also promote the Third Sector Fair Funding Charter, developed by the TSI Scotland Network and SCVO, to set out fair funding principles for our sector with the aim of supporting improvements in the funding our sector receives from the public and independent sectors.

Our principles and ambitions

More about Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway

A strong third sector

Supporting our sector by being alongside with advice, making connections for peer support and working together for shared outcomes.
Enabling the sector through a range of resources, training and subject matter forums that help build positive impact and sustainability.
Inspiring the sector through evidence and storytelling, creating spaces to collaborate, lead and innovate.
Learning from sector experiences, understanding barriers and needs, jointly shaping asks and speaking out about the need for a strong and sustainable sector.
Investing in our own organisation, our capacity, leadership and in developing our potential.

Collective impact

Working with partners on the basis of our shared ambitions, skills, experience and insights.
Promoting the positive use of, sharing, and transfer and relinquishing of power.
Building confidence so that others invest in us to participate, contribute and lead on behalf of our sector.
Maximising our impact together by making use of collective insights, resources and expertise that cross organisational boundaries to do the right things, the right way.
Increasing focus on outcomes and impact, evidence-led practice and decision-making where data, voices and lived experiences hold equal value.

Equity, dignity, belonging and justice

Understanding the part we can play in tackling poverty in our communities.
Encouraging people to shape their communities together by supporting participation, involvement and volunteering.
Knowing about and eliminating inequity in our systems, policies, places, opportunities and resources.
Promoting dignity as a key value in discussion, design and decision making.
Working together to ensure systems, practices and decision making are fair and just.
Understanding our influence and impact on our environment and our role in creating a healthier planet.
Making community (people and place) the driver for developments, service design and delivery.
Supporting local economies, investment and Community Wealth Building.

We are a membership organisation with charitable status. Membership is free and open to all third sector organisations with services operating in the region.

A Board of Trustees is elected by members and is entrusted with our governance; setting our strategy; ensuring that we are well managed and inclusive; and that we communicate effectively with our stakeholders.

Our services are delivered by a Staff team with bases in Dumfries and Stranraer. Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway and its staff work to a set of Core Values.

Find out more about membership.

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway also welcomes applications for Affiliate Membership from organisations that share our vision and mission, such as Community Councils. These statutory bodies of government are made up of unpaid members of the local community who give their time voluntarily and are an important conduit for community development.