Bruce is currently in South Africa, making me jealous by sending stunning photos of the elephants he has seen on his travels. But there is a bigger elephant in the room that we need to talk about. The finalists for the 2023 Charity Awards by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) are out, and something's not quite right. As I was looking at the list for Employee of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Trustee of the Year, I couldn’t help but notice a pattern. Where's the diversity? A male dominated list with only two women. 

Before I go any further, this isn't meant to take anything away from the folks who've been nominated. They're all hard-working, dedicated individuals who deserve recognition, no doubt about it. They've given their all to the sector and it's right that they get a nod for that However, I've got to ask, is this really the best representation of the folks working their wee socks off in our voluntary sector? The answer is a big fat no. Scotland's third sector is chock-full of people from all sorts of backgrounds, races, and genders. But looking at the SCVO's finalists, you wouldn't know it.

Representation is more than a buzzword or a box to tick. It's about bringing an array of thinking, experiences, and perspectives that can help organisations be more impactful and serve our communities better. It's about role models from different background who enrich our sector. Plus, it's about making everyone feel included, valued and giving a sense of belonging in our society. Surely, I should be preaching to the converted here? 

My gut instinct is the lack of diversity in these awards isn't just a one-off thing. It points to bigger issues in how we hire, recognise, and promote people in the sector. It's a sign that we've still have unconscious biases that we need to deal with.

SCVO, and all the organisations connected with it, need to step up and tackle this head-on. It's not enough to say, "yeah, we've got a diversity problem". We need to roll up our sleeves, dig into the root causes of the issue, dismantle the systems and do the work that will ensure our sector thrives in the future.

How can we make our sector more diverse and inclusive? Are our hiring practices fair? Are we giving everyone a chance to learn and grow in their roles? Are we recognising and celebrating everyone's hard work, no matter their gender, race, or background?

We've got to embrace diversity in all its forms to succeed. It's only through diversity that we can truly reflect the communities we serve, truly represent everyone, deliver the impact we want to have and meet the expectations of our funders, service users and future workforce.

The SCVO awards have shown us again a problem we know is there. It might be a bit uncomfortable to talk about but we can't ignore it. It's time for us to take a good, hard look at how we do things, face up to the issues, and work towards a more inclusive and representative third sector in Scotland.

We've got the power to change the story.