Happy Holidays!

It's that time of year again, SCVO's Scottish Charity Awards are back for 2026! The awards are free to enter and there are multiple award categories to showcase your achievements, including Volunteer of the Year. Get your nominations in now! Who can enter? All types of Scottish voluntary organisations and groups, including registered charities, social enterprises, campaigning groups, community interest companies and people involved in those spaces can apply. Award categories: We have a range of nine award categories celebrating projects and campaigns, individuals, climate action, and more. Please note that applications are limited to one per organisation across all categories. We'd encourage you to contact your colleagues to ensure that only one application is submitted on behalf of your organisation. Closing date: Applications will close at 12 noon on Tuesday 17 March. Every finalist will also be gifted two complimentary tickets to attend our celebratory awards ceremony on Thursday 11 June at the Radisson Blu, Glasgow. Last year, Perth and Kinross boasted shortlisted charities such as Letham4all, Perthshire Women's Aid and YMCA Tayside. Who knows what could be achieved this year!

As it is the International Year of Volunteering for Sustainable Development, we thought we would help you out with new tags for activities and organisations to let you know which Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) you are supporting by volunteering with them! Volunteers can filter for particular SDGs with the search tool. Organisations can add SDGs to new activities and add SDGs to existing activities by clicking 'edit' and scrolling to the bottom of the page. Organisations can also edit their profile to now include SDGs. Don't forget that you can link your Saltire Awards with SDGs aswell. Want to know more about the Sustainable Development Goals? Follow this link: Overcoming the World's Challenges - The Global Goals Visit the Deedmob Knowledge Hub page to help you get started with your SDG's on Be the Change: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as filters 

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2026 the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development. This milestone—achieved through the collaboration of Member States of the General Assembly—offers an opportunity to celebrate volunteers and their contributions on a global stage. "As we look ahead to the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development in 2026, let's acknowledge the vital role of volunteers as change-makers who weave through the fabric of the 2030 Agenda, helping to accelerate action in the second half of our journey. Their commitment shapes a world where sustainable development is not merely a goal but a shared reality we create together,” said Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed. Key Messages Volunteerism is a driving force for sustainable development. The designation of 2026 as the International Volunteer Year underscores the vital role volunteers play in advancing the global goals. By fostering community engagement and collective action, volunteering contributes meaningfully to humanitarian efforts and long-term development. Volunteerism is a powerful enabler of humanitarian action. Volunteers play a vital role in responding to humanitarian emergencies and driving progress toward a more resilient world. Everyone has a role to play in the International Volunteer Year 2026. Governments, UN entities, other regional and international organizations, academia, and civil society and private sector are invited to actively participate in the year by recognizing the value of volunteers, integrating volunteering into policies and plans, ensuring safe and fair volunteering environments, and promoting knowledge-sharing to develop new forms of volunteering. The International Volunteer Year 2026 strengthens the connection between volunteering and global progress. It aims to deepen global understanding of volunteerism through research, information-sharing, and education and to address emerging challenges that new models of volunteering are facing. Valuing volunteers is vital. There is a need to recognize and measure the contribution of all volunteers, whether they’re part of an organization or helping informally. Stay tuned to explore what Member States, United Nations organizations and other stakeholders, including civil society, private sector and academia are going to do to observe IVY 2026 → International Volunteer Year | Knowledge Portal on Volunteerism