Alison’s work straddles the university, the church and civil society. Formerly a lecturer in psychology, she is an Honorary Fellow at New College, University of Edinburgh, and Associate Director of its Centre for Theology and Public Issues. In 2004 she was the first woman to be appointed Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. As Convenor of the Kirk’s Church and Nation Committee from 1996-2000 she was involved in political advocacy and campaigning for a Scottish Parliament. She chairs the Lay Advisory Group for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and has taken part in working groups on health, criminal justice, asylum policy, constitutional matters and land reform. She is a Trustee of Community Service Volunteers and the Scottish Malawi Foundation and chairs Scottish Churches World Exchange.

Professor Osborne holds the chair of International Public Management in Edinburgh University. He is a qualified social worker and has experience of working with voluntary organisations. More significantly, his research area is the third sector and he is particularly interested in risk analysis.

Aidan has been involved in the field of employment and training for disadvantaged people for some 30 years having worked for the Manpower Services Commission Training Agency and Scottish Enterprise prior to taking up his current position as Director of Corporate Development with Apex Scotland.  He is very active in terms of encouraging the removal of barriers faced by individuals who have been marginalised by society and as he is registered as blind, is acutely aware of the issues faced by many people with disabilities.

Alex Cole-Hamilton is Head of Policy at Aberlour Child Care Trust. He currently sits on the management board of the Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights and is on the Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People’s Advisory Committee and the policy forum of Youthlink Scotland. Before entering the voluntary sector, Alex was employed by the Liberal Democrat group in the Scottish Parliament where he was responsible for researching and articulating policy, particularly pertaining to education and young people.

Andrew has been involved with the voluntary sector in Scotland since 1995. He began as a volunteer youth worker and has subsequently worked or volunteered in the fields of drugs education, homelessness, learning difficulty, advocacy, home-school linking, community development and physical disability. He worked for SCVO from 2002-2007 before moving to WRVS as Media and Public Affairs Manager for Scotland.

Andrew came to Britain in 2005.  He currently volunteers as a Company Advisor for the Polish Family Support Centre which offers psychological, educational, legal, social and spiritual advice to anyone in Scotland, but specialises in supporting and advising Poles in Scotland.  Andrew is also studying Business Management at Napier University.

Andy is the Parliamentary Officer of Scottish Environment Link, the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment organisations. Prior to this he was Head of Advocacy and Media for RSPB Scotland between 1997-2005.  His CV includes nine years as a mental health services manager in the NHS, five years as Chief Executive of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and two years as Special Adviser to the Lib Dem Ministers in the last Scottish administration. Andy currently volunteers as a political and media adviser to the Indian Vulture Recovery Project.

Callum is the senior Policy and Parliamentary Officer for Age Scotland, a new charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people.   Previously he was Policy and Communications Officer for the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition. He is a graduate of Glasgow University, receiving a joint honours degree in Politics and Economics in 2004. In 2006 he joined the Scottish Liberal Democrats as a policy researcher and helped develop their 2007 manifesto with a particular focus on criminal justice and housing issues. Callum stood for parliament on 2 occasions, once in Falkirk at the 2005 General Election and then again in 2007 Scottish Parliamentary election in the corresponding Falkirk West constituency. Callum ran the Edinburgh marathon in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Carole is the Deputy Manager at CVS Fife where she has responsibility for leading on Information/Communications and is very involved in representing the interests of the voluntary sector within Fife’s Community Planning Partnership. Carole also carries out one-to-one development work with local organisations, particularly with Boards, and has a good understanding of the range of issues facing Third Sector organisations regardless of the size and nature of their activities.

David Griffiths is Chief Executive of ECAS, an Edinburgh charity working with people with a physical disability providing classes and activities, grants, befriending, research and campaigning. He also has professional and voluntary experience at local and national level with the Sea Cadets and is a former Trustee of Edinburgh Young Carers Project. David is keen to ensure that the voluntary sector not only provides quality services to those who need its support, but that it is also respected and understood in its role of social conscience.

Currently Business Development Manager Scotland, for Marie Curie Cancer Care, Diane works in close partnership with the NHS to develop new and existing services, delivered by trained clinical staff and volunteers, to improve end of life care for patients and carers. Marie Curie Cancer Care also work closely with the Scottish Government to promote patient choice. Diane previouslt held roles that included Capital Appeal Manager for the new Marie Curie Hospice, Red Cross Community Fundraising Manager Scotland, and international development for VSO in Nigeria. Diane is Founder and Trustee of Chukwu Trust, supporting education and micro credit in Africa.

Eliane Reid is Head of Client Services for Volunteer Development Scotland. She plays a national role in volunteering including recent work in health, young people and the environment. Eliane is passionate about recognising the value of people who give their time voluntarily. She has 16 years of public policy experience and offers skills and expertise about working with Government and public bodies, research and partnership work. Eliane has a track record in organisational development, including the voluntary sector and seeks to understand organisational needs and assist in meeting the challenges facing the sector.

Elizabeth is the Policy, Information and Parliamentary Officer with the Scottish Disability Equality Forum. She has lengthy professional experience in the voluntary sector, including with VOCAL and the Stirling Health and Well-Being Alliance. She has volunteered with the Princess Royal Trust, MS Society, Shelter, PDSA and a holiday home for children with special needs. She has also worked as Assistant Editor with Reuters and at the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre.

Executive Officer of Voluntary Arts Scotland, Fiona has been involved in cultural activities for many years in Scotland and New Zealand. Previous roles include Press & Marketing Officer for the National Association of Youth Orchestras and Project Administrator for Scottish Education and Action for Development. She has completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Cultural Policy & Management. Fiona is the Treasurer and Edinburgh & Lothians branch Convener – Traditional Music & Song Association, a board member of SEAD and NEO productions.

Gillian Wilson is Coordinator of NIDOS (Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland) where she has worked for the last four years. Her key focus in this job is in helping raise standards of effectiveness of international development organisations in Scotland and ensuring NIDOS supports members engagement with other key stakeholders in Scotland. Gillian’s interest in global justice issues and environmental issues has seen her working previously at Friends of the Earth Scotland and VETAID alongside jobs in community development work with Vietnamese Refugees in the North West of England.  She started off her career as a VSO volunteer in Nigeria and milking cows in Leicestershire.

Jim has worked with Alzheimer Scotland for over 10 years as Welfare Rights Manager, focusing on public policy in relation to rights and eligibility issues, supporting Alzheimer Scotlandís Public Policy Committee and leading consultation road-shows. Jim’s experience and knowledge enable him to make a significant contribution to the development of the National Dementia Strategy, Dementia Care Standards and Charter of Rights and as a member of various Scottish Government and COSLA working groups.

Julie has worked within the Scottish voluntary sector for over ten years through a combination of paid posts, volunteering, and board membership. She took up her current post as Director of Partners in Advocacy in April 2008. Julie previously worked for Project Scotland, Age Concern Scotland, Shelter and also had the privilege of working for the Big Lottery Fund for 10 years. Julie is passionately committed to inclusion and voluntary sector sustainability and growth in these challenging times.

Katherine leads Oxfam’s Humankind Index, a measure of Scotland’s real prosperity developed through wide ranging community consultation. She manages Oxfam’s Whose Economy? Project which asks why, despite decades of economic growth, Scotland’s poverty has not been addressed and inequalities have deepened. Katherine has a PhD in political science and has experience of social audit, corporate community involvement, community efforts to shape the behaviour of companies, economic regeneration and employment and criminal justice projects.

Keith was appointed SYHA’s Chief Executive Officer in 2004, and has been the driving force behind the charity’s most radical period of modernisation in its 80 year history. After retiring from 20 years of service with The Gordon Highlanders in 1994, Keith studied Business Management and took a new role as Bursar at Strathallan School, where he introduced a range of successful development initiatives. He is passionate about advancing the values of charitable organisations.

Kim has recently taken over from Chris Robison as Policy Director of the Scottish Sports Association (SSA) – the voice of Scottish Governing Bodies (SGBs) of sport, representing 55 sports, 12000 sports clubs and 150,000 volunteers.  A key element of the work of the SSA and SGBs is supporting, developing and recognising volunteers.  I’d be delighted to serve on SCVO’s Policy Committee.  I’m very keen to maintain and enhance sporting links with the wider voluntary sector and to ensure that this significant part of the voluntary sector continues to be represented.

Kirsten Hogg is Facilitator at Camphill Scotland, the association of Camphill communities in Scotland.  Prior to joining Camphill, she was Policy and Development Manager at CCPS.  A Policy Committee member since 2008, Kirsten was also a member of SCVO’s Management Board from 2009-2011, and has been a board member at Evaluation Support Scotland since 2009.  She has a particular interest in the involvement of voluntary organisations in the policy process, having researched this topic for her MSc dissertation.

Linda joined the Association of Chief Officers of Voluntary Sector Organisations (ACOSVO) in June 2009 as Head of Leadership Development and Policy.  Within ACOSVO her role is to inform the development of policy for the third sector to take account of issues of leadership and governance, to identify policies as they are developed and to consider the impact of Government and local policy on ACOSVO members and organisations  they represent.   Prior to joining ACOSVO Linda worked for eight years in a public policy think tank where she developed her understanding of Scottish and UK political systems.  She has experience of international policy from countries such as Denmark, Canada, Australia and the USA.

Liz has worked at Changeworks since 2001.  Starting as the Information and Education Manager, she went on to manage the LEEP Recycling Team then became Head of Waste Prevention.  Taking on the remit of energy as well as waste in 2007 she managed the establishment of the Energy Saving Scotland advice centre in the south east.  In 2009 she became Head of Organisational Development with responsibility for HR, facilities, marketing and communications, business development, and management and staff support.  Liz has an MSc in Development and Environment from the London School of Economics.

Mairi has worked in the housing association movement since 1979. She has been a Development Manager in Govan, has 24 years experience as a Director in Greenock and East Kilbride and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing. She has been a Board Member of SFHA since 2001 and chaired the Federation’s Sectoral Change Group. She also chairs the Lanarkshire Voluntary Housing Forum and is a member of South Lanarkshire Council’s Local Housing Strategy Implementation Group.  Mairi remains committed to the inclusion of the voluntary housing movement.  She has particular interests in the areas of governance and accountability, community involvement, sustainability and the role of planning in future social housing provision.

Moving from a career in nursing to the voluntary sector in 2002, Michelle has been advocating for older people all her working life. Having led the successful region-wide growth of Food Train, an innovative charitable social enterprise that supports older people to live more independently via grocery shopping, household support and befriending services, she is now expanding the work of Food Train to benefit older people right across Scotland.

Rebecca has 16 years experience of working with children and youths between 0 and 20 years of age in both Ghana and the UK.  Whilst studying for her Masters in Educational Leadership and School Improvement at Manchester University, she was deeply involved in voluntary and community development work and through her active participation was selected to serve on Trinity and Ancoats Local News Board.  Rebecca is also the Founder of CISERA (Centre for International Students Education & Religious Affairs) which promotes the welfare of international students by working closely in partnership with universities and colleges and other stakeholders in providing advice and mentoring.

Peter Kelly has been Director of The Poverty Alliance since 2004. He previously worked as a researcher with a number of organisations including the Scottish Low Pay Unit and Strathclyde Regional Council. His main policy interests are income inequality, employment and poverty, and civic participation in policy development. Peter is also actively involved in a range of UK and European anti-poverty networks, is currently a board member of the End Child Poverty Campaign and is the UK representative on the Executive Committee of the European Anti-Poverty Network.

Richard has almost 20 years experience in the Scottish voluntary sector, in fields including foreign aid, regeneration, health and housing. Disability has been a strong theme throughout these roles, and his experience in this area resulted in him joining Capability in 2008. He has been instrumental in several changes in Scottish and Westminster legislation covering equalities, housing and, most recently, licensing.

Richard has a well established background in Policy. A former President of the University of Aberdeen, Executive member of National Union of Students and a board member of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, Richard has contributed to developing policy for over 5 years. Currently working with drug users as a person-centred practitioner with Crew 2000, Richard can make a solid contribution towards the ongoing work of SCVO bringing both a youthful perspective and experience.

Simon Jaquet is Chair of the Edinburgh Consortium for Youth Work. He is Vice-Chair of the Rock Trust and a Board member of Fischy Music. He has 30 years experience of the voluntary sector, having worked with young people in Scotland, France and Botswana. From 2001 to 2004 he was Chief Executive of Youthlink Scotland, the national body for youth work. Prior to this he worked for fourteen years as Director of Fast Forward. He currently runs his own consultancy business and also works as a consultant with the Charities Aid Foundation.

Susan is Director of External Affairs and Head of Social Policy at Citizens Advice Scotland. A former lawyer in private practice, she has been working for CAS for 20 years, carrying out a range of social policy work. In recent years, she has produced a range of briefing materials and evidence reports in relation to debt, was a member of the Scottish Parliament Working Group on a replacement for poindings and warrant sales, the Scottish Executive Debt Relief Working Group, the Scottish Government Debt Action Forum, the Scottish Government Protected Trust Deed Working Group and is a current member of the Cross Party Cross Parliamentary Group on Tackling Debt. Her current remit covers CAS’s external relations strategy, including parliamentary and media liaison as well as national social policy work. In addition she is a Board member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Tony is Head of Policy for the Scottish Wildlife Trust. His professional background is in ecology and environmental management and he has extensive experience of public affairs and the Scottish Parliament. Tony is keen to raise the profile of nature conservation as a delivery mechanism for a number of key social policy objectives. He is a Fellow of the Linnean Society, an International Union for the Conservation of Nature Commissioner on ecosystem management and is a former chairperson of the New Edinburgh Orchestra.