The skills bank is a searchable web-based database used by voluntary organisations that are members of the bank. Access to the database is restricted to skills bank members.

The skills bank is part of the Building Blocks Skills Bank Project which aims to both share and develop skills in voluntary sector organisations.  The project is funded through the ESF Objective 3 Programme and the Big Lottery and it is implemented by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) in partnership with the 16 Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) that are members of the West of Scotland Regional Network of CVS. SCVO acts as the skills broker in the system and as system administrator.

Members of the Skillsbank are SCVO, the West of Scotland Regional Network of Councils for Voluntary Service, member organisations of the CVS Network, and other national voluntary sector infrastructure organisations.  Membership will be expanded to include other social economy organisations in Scotland, as resources become available to do so.

Member organisations requests to use the skills of another member are made through contacting the senior officer or other designated officer (change champion), who has responsibility for human resources in the organisation to which the request is being made.

The “currency” used in the skills bank project, as the name suggests, is not money but the skill that exists among member organisations’ staff and committee members. There is no hierarchy of skills, all skills are valuable resources and are treated equally.

In this bank credits are measured in time spent by staff and committee members on providing training, shadowing, mentoring etc and is “banked” in the central database. These credits can then be used to “purchase” skills from another member of the bank at a later date.  Members can accumulate up to 35 hours of debits by using the training services of other members. Reports on the balances in members’ accounts and overall turnover are made at CVS network and skills bank members meetings.

The skills bank operates on the principles of partnership working, best value and sharing skills and other resources in a way that will benefit the sector as a whole and the communities we serve.

The skills bank will help develop the skills of staff and management committee members in voluntary organisations to enable them to provide first class services for their members and the communities we serve.