Duncan Thorp looks for antidotes to the seemingly never-ending cycle of bad news
When we look over the events of the past year and to the months ahead, we have a choice about how we perceive what’s happening in the world.
On the one hand, social enterprises, charities and community groups are working 24/7 to support people and local communities, while facing real, significant challenges.
We must fully recognise their operational and financial realities, respond appropriately and find practical policy solutions.
At the same time if we allow ourselves to be dragged down by doom and gloom and default to false political and economic narratives, then we’re destined to fail.
2025 poses a range of huge opportunities and there are many antidotes to the seemingly never-ending cycle of bad news.
In Scotland we now have, perhaps, a more balanced parliament with more necessary consensus.
This is likely to get more interesting after the upcoming, unpredictable Holyrood election. There’s an opportunity to get more out of our cross-party engagement.
The power and potential of AI, while tackling its ethics and environmental impact, holds much promise. Alongside other technologies and automation, our social enterprise community and the people we serve could really benefit.
Community Wealth Building, the Minimum Income Guarantee, the next stage of land reform plus the report to triple the number of social enterprises, cooperatives and employee owned businesses are all big steps in the right direction.
Certainly the challenge of practical policy implementation and real-world policy impacts is an ongoing issue for politicians, civil servants and for all of civic Scotland.
Placing our trust in local, grassroots organisations and those with lived experience, getting them directly involved in policy-making, is essential.
This is one of our key challenges but with a bit of fresh thinking, including the local Democracy Matters reforms, people's panels and citizens’ assemblies we can do it.
We could really unleash some new, exciting, imaginative and practical policy actions.
Let’s work to make 2025 a year of transformation that makes Scotland a better place for all of us.
Duncan Thorp is policy and public affairs manager at Social Enterprise Scotland.
