After 11 years of dedicated support to the communities of Edinburgh and the Lothians, it was with deep sadness that local charity People Know How closed its doors. Amy Watters writes about its impact.
For over a decade, our charity has been committed to bridging social divides and empowering individuals through our work in digital inclusion and school transitions.
Unfortunately, we are not the first and we won’t be the last charity to face this fate due to current funding cuts across the third sector.
The closure not only signifies an end to an essential community resource but also impacts those who have supported our work and service delivery through volunteering.
People Know How’s VIP program was designed to support volunteers, interns and placement students (VIPs), bringing meaningful support to those who use our services while creating a supportive environment to learn, develop, and grow their skills and experience.
Our VIP Strategy was about more than filling roles—it was a pathway to personal and professional development, offering training, mentorship, and valuable experience in voluntary roles that allowed individuals to gain what they needed for their own progression.
We envisioned a thriving, sustainable system that would allow VIPs to gain as much from their experience as we gained from their efforts. With a model that employed two dedicated staff members to support VIPs and develop the work in line with the Scottish Government’s Volunteering for All Framework and the subsequent Volunteering Action Plan, we were hopeful that funding and resources were on the agenda to support third sector organisations in delivering these plans.
However, let’s not pretend that funding for volunteer management and resources directly aligns with the current funding crisis in the third sector.
As a volunteer manager for five years with People Know How, I can honestly say that in that time I’ve only met a couple of organisations that have the means to employ a full-time staff member to support volunteers. Volunteer managers—or, more often than not, coordinators—are generally part-time positions, often tagged onto other staff roles.
My question is this: we wouldn’t expect someone to manage 150 staff members - each with their own development paths, support needs, schedules, and administrative tasks - in a part-time, underfunded role. So why do we continue to expect third sector staff to support volunteers with minimal resources?
The impact of charity closures on volunteers will be significant. Volunteers not only form strong bonds with the communities and individuals they support but often find a sense of purpose and stability in these roles, which can be lifelines for many.
For example, these roles help build confidence, self-esteem, and create opportunities for social connection. Many of our volunteers are retired individuals who rely on volunteering to stay engaged with their communities. Each volunteer brings a unique story, and these closures affect them as deeply as they do the service users and staff.
People Know How’s story echoes the challenges faced by numerous organisations fighting to survive in an increasingly uncertain environment. We call on decision-makers to recognise the long-term impact of these funding cuts on Scotland’s communities and to consider sustainable solutions that can support third sector organisations in their mission.
As we close our doors, we want to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of People Know How - from our volunteers, interns, placement students and staff to our supporters and partners. It is our hope that Scotland’s third sector can find a more secure and supportive future.
Amy Watters has been VIP manager at People Know How.
This article originally appeared on the Volunteer Scotland website.
