Just last week, Challenge Poverty Week once again demonstrated the potential power of collective action. Across Scotland, organisations and individuals came together to challenge the injustice of poverty and show that coordinated effort can strengthen awareness and drive real change.
Scotland Demands Better, also organised by Poverty Alliance, will help to build on this momentum later this month. Providing a focal point to unite organisations and individuals around shared priorities, thousands of attendees will march from the Scottish Parliament to the Meadows on Saturday, 25th October, to demand:
- Better jobs with fair pay and conditions
- Better investment in essentials – homes, transport, environment, and services
- Better social security to provide a foundation for the future
Both the march and rally have been planned as hopeful, vibrant and family friendly events, with attendance coming from, among others, community and voluntary organisations, campaign groups, youth groups, faith groups, trade unions, trades councils and charities.
Supporting the Campaign
Change takes trust. Like our partners, we believe that despite the storm being driven by rising costs, inadequate incomes, and deepening poverty, social change is possible. That’s why we are committed to amplifying the voices of our partners and recognise that collective, sector-wide action is essential if we are to create the more equal Scotland we all want to see.
Our recent Programme Award to support Scotland Demands Better helps cover some of the running costs of the event and contributes to the travel bursary scheme, enabling as many grassroots organisations as possible to participate. Alongside other funders, we are pleased to play a role in making this inclusive participation possible.
Scotland Demands Better also marks just over six months to go until the Scottish Parliament elections in May. They will be crucial in setting Scotland on a route to delivering against a range of targets and ambitions for 2030, not least the child poverty targets that received unanimous support in parliament. That’s what also makes them a crucial staging post for The Robertson Trust, and our work, too.
As set out in our strategy, we are committed to supporting work which has the power to change policy, practice, attitudes and behaviours and recognise the power of campaigning within this to prevent and reduce poverty and trauma in Scotland. Over the past year, we’ve shared insights and set out challenges from grant holders of all sizes through our Voices series, meanwhile our Programme Awards continue to support a range of advocacy projects across the country. Most recently, we announced the recipients of our Briefing and Analysis Fund, which supports organisations working to inform policy and public debate on the financial wellbeing of people on low-to-middle incomes ahead of May’s Scottish Parliament elections.
This all matters because real change happens when campaigners, communities and organisations come together with a shared voice and shared purpose. By prioritising collaboration and uniting around clear priorties, Scotland Demands Better provides a platform that can build collective strength and confidence and will deliver not just the commitments we need to hear, but also the change we need to feel, to deliver the Scotland we all want to see.
