Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI) Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 12 November 2025
Back to Oban Lorn & the Isles Area Community Planning Group — 12 November 2025 and its agenda
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1. Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund (years 5 and 6) The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund (year 5 and 6) reference panel met on 12th October to make final decisions on who to fund. All successful applicants applied for two-year funding. In summary, 19 organisations have been fully funded for 2 years with 44 out of 71 receiving funding at some level for both Year 1 and Year 2. The panel was chaired by ABTSI’s CEO as fund administrator and as well as representatives from the National Lottery, the council and the NHS we were joined by two lived experience representatives. This year’s funding round forms part of the government’s multi-year fairer funding evaluation pilot programme. 2. Strategy review 2026-2031 – now known as Community Voices Consultants SKS have been working hard on devising and distributing the survey that will provide the lead in questions to more detailed focus group work on a sector and TSI strategy and state of the sector report. This can be accessed here:- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/argyllbute Please distribute across your networks including friends and family as many of us use community services at some level. Some groups have also offered to host focus groups for which they will be paid. Full details of the programme as a reminder accessible from our website:- https://www.argylltsi.org/community-voices-speaking-up-for-argyll-and-the-isles/ We are planning to hold three meetings of the strategic advisory group and some board members have expressed an interest in supporting this work. Dates to come. 3. HR advice and building sustainable back-office services Last quarter it was reported that we were in discussions about strengthening our HR freelancer offer for TSOs and this quarter there has been further call for such services from more organisations. In parallel discussions have been ongoing with others in the sector (EDAS, Community Enterprise, Social Enterprise Scotland and others) about whether we could collectively deliver a combined value for money service and a development day is planned for 12th November. Report Oban, Lorn and the Isles Partner Update Paper Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface Date 3rd November 2025 Prepared by Petra Pearce, Third Sector Support Adviser, OLI For Period 21st July 2025 to 17th October 2025
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4. Scottish Government, Parliament, the TSI landscape and policy activity TSI Scotland Network has now published a summary manifesto which has been sent to all the main political parties ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2026. This work was derived from the seven third sector relevant policy papers as reported last quarter and this is being formatted ahead of publication hopefully next week. ABTSI’s CEO worked on two groups – Rural issues and Public Service Reform. Following on from TSI meetings in May and June 2025 with Jenni Minto MSP in her capacity as Public Health Minister, Labour leader Anas Sarwar MSP and the SNP’s head of policy ABTSI’s CEO along with other third sector representatives met with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley Anne Somerville MSP in August. It was a high-level meeting but all parties were able to impress upon the Cabinet Secretary that TSO resilience was fragile because of the unstable and unpredictable funding environment combined with high demand. The TSI national two-day conference took place on 28th and 29th October 2025 at the SECC in Glasgow with over 120 TSI staff attending each day from around the country. Day one focused on practice and operational improvement issues and day two focused on policy and engagement with key change makers and stakeholders at local and national levels. For day one the Head of Regulation at OSCR was the keynote speaker and for day two the government minister for public service reform, Ivan Mckee MSP, was speaking. ABTSI was one of three TSIs helping to organise the event, with the CEO drafting the agenda, Janis helping on conference delivery and Lauren helping on conference booking. On day two of the TSI conference A&B TSO representatives led a workshop on Prevention in Action. The Living Well Physical Activity Programme and Lorn & Oban Healthy Options are two collaboratively designed and delivered health and wellbeing prevention programmes within Argyll & Bute. The workshop invited attendees to explore the challenges, successes and hopes for the future of health and wellbeing within Argyll & Bute and for the rest of Scotland with Emma King-Venables: Falls, Frailty & Prevention Lead for Argyll & Bute HSCP. Gill Bruce: Development Manager & Clinical Lead, Lorn & Oban Healthy Options. Alex Edmonstone: Commercial Operations Manager, liveArgyll. It was great to see local organisations in the spotlight at a national level. Finally, ABTSI work with the Poverty Alliance project, Taking Action on Rural Poverty, is doing really well. As well as working together on facilitating the voice of lived experience in local policy design work we have also worked together on a presentation to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs in about challenges in rural Scotland. Any groups that would like an in-person or on-line meeting to discuss the support available from TSI or would like the TSI to attend an event please get in touch with petrapearce@argylltsi.org.uk Sources of funding for Third Sector Groups can also be accessed via https://argylltsi- funding.org.uk/
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