Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway is urging organisations to submit views on a consultation by Disclosure Scotland on fees and proposals for discounting in the PVG scheme, having submitted its own response.
Disclosure Scotland is consulting on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme fee waivers, discounting and accredited body fees.
One of the proposals is to introduce fees for volunteering, removing the current waiver for volunteers in Qualifying Voluntary Organisations and applying a reduced fee. There are other proposals to apply a fee reduction in other circumstances.
The consultation is open now and closes on Tuesday 28 May.
Alan Webb, Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Given the challenges facing volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs) and the focus on delivering a Volunteering Action Plan for Scotland, we believe the proposals to increase costs for volunteers and VIOs will serve to block much needed progress and are opposed to those proposals.
“At a time when we want to encourage more people to participate and volunteer, develop more inclusive volunteering opportunities and remove barriers to volunteering, the proposals are more likely to stifle progress.
“We have made submissions to the consultation, and also with Volunteer Scotland who hold a similar position. We encourage all VIOs to consider responding to the consultation.”
Alan Stevenson, Volunteer Scotland CEO, agreed that it was important that views were reflected in the consultation in full.
“Based on the comments we’ve received already, we see this consultation as a great opportunity to have your say, stimulate debate, re-evaluate (and perhaps double down on) long-held positions and reinforce our shared values,” he added. “For us that’s around reducing (not increasing) barriers to volunteering at this time.”
Staff from TSDG attended a session with Disclosure Scotland this week as part of the Third Sector Interface network.
You can access the consultation at: consult.gov.scot/disclosure-scotland/fees-discounting-waivers-and-accredited-bodies/