In this section we advise on:

• Key arguments for developing your staff
• New support for skills utilisation
• Resources available for identifying your organisation’s development needs

Key arguments for developing your staff

Voluntary organisations are often judged by how well they fulfil the needs of their users whether they are homeless people, families who need access to loans and savings, or people with drug and alcohol addictions. With scarce resources and ever-tightening budgets, the only way to continue delivering a quality service is by getting smarter at what you already do. You can only sustain this if employees and volunteers are constantly re-focused on the needs of clients and the future of the organisation.

People are your most precious and most expensive resource, yet many organisations across the world invest in new systems and equipment while failing to make the relatively small investment needed to make their people more effective.

It’s well known that the most successful organisations continually train and develop their staff in line with their strategic or business plan and as a result are more able to meet their objectives effectively. A recent research study carried out by Cranfield School of Management found evidence that this was the case. See information here .  For more discussion on why organisations should train staff and a link to further support see Skills Development Scotland information here.

New support for skills utilisation

As well as training and developing your staff, it’s also important to try to make the best use of the existing skills of your staff, for example by following advice in “Skills for Scotland – a lifelong skills strategy” the Scottish Government’s skills strategy to:

• encourage better management and leadership and improve human resource practices (including recruitment);

• support job design that encourages autonomy, makes better use of employees and stimulates enterprise and innovation in the workplace;
  
  improve links between skills and the other drivers of productivity, such as investment in technology and infrastructure; and

• ensure that individuals can use the skills they have acquired through learning in a way that immediately benefits their employer.

To help the sector with this, SCVO has agreed to be a partner in a new cross-sectoral Skills Utilisation Communications and Learning Network which aims to help employers make the best use of the skills in the workforce. The first meeting of the group will take place in September . We will provide updated information about this on these pages and in the monthly Skills and Workforce E-briefing in due course.

More information about the Government’s Skills Utilisation Action Plan is here

Resources available for identifying your organisation’s development needs

Many of the sector skills councils are also able to support third sector organisations and can help you to identify your training needs. You can find out which is the most appropriate one for your occupational area here

Other resources which can help you to identify the training needs in your organisation are available below:

PUTTING PEOPLE IN THE PICTURE

click here for the "Putting People in the Picture" Guide on how to assess learning needs - designed specifically for use within voluntary and not-for-profit organisations of all sizes.

LEARNING IN REGENERATION SKILLS PACK (can be used in any organisation)

Based on a skills and competency framework, Creating a Learning Landscape was developed by the Scottish Centre for Regeneration. It is flexible enough for general use by third sector organisations. You can use the pack to identify the skills you have and those you may need to develop as well as developing a learning culture in your organisation.

Guide to the Skills Pack is here