I have said before that trust in the abilities and potential of the people of Scotland lies at the core of this Government's philosophy. This trust is echoed in our strong commitment to people in Scotland having a greater say in how services are planned and delivered.
I am very pleased therefore to be able to introduce these new user friendly pages which take you to the National Standards for Community Engagement. The Standards for Community Engagement may have been originally launched back in 2005 but they are as relevant now as they were then.
Since their launch, the national standards have been endorsed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), Association of Chief Police Officers, Scottish Health Council and the Poverty Alliance. They are also recommended by Audit Scotland as good practice.
The standards are not new; they are still the same ten pillars which underpin good quality community engagement. There was no need to change something that is working well.
To help practitioners meet the Standards we have also funded the development of a database to assist with recording and monitoring community engagement activity. This tool is VOiCE (Visioning Outcomes in Community Engagement) and links have been included in these web pages.
This Government fully supports the National Standards for Community Engagement and I wish you well with your continued work with and for our communities.
Alex Neil
Minister for Housing and Communities