Scotland’s Charities are Running on Empty – Who Will Step In?
A mental health charity in Fife has a six-month waiting list. They aren’t short of demand. They’re short of people.
Crisis in Numbers:
Two in three charities say they can’t find or keep staff.
Seven in ten are in financial difficulty.
Demand for core services is up 63% since 2021.
This is a workforce emergency hiding in plain sight.
Why It’s Happening:
Stagnant pay and overstretched staff.
Recruitment pipelines drying up – only one in three organisations hiring.
Volunteers drifting away post-pandemic.
Who’s Coping Better:
The charities that are holding on have three things in common:
Flexibility – remote, hybrid, or condensed weeks.
Wellbeing – real investment in burnout prevention.
Employer brand – treating purpose as a career asset, not a consolation prize.
What Needs to Change:
Charity leaders must share what’s working. Funders must back workforce development as seriously as programme delivery. And policymakers must recognise that without people, there is no third sector.
Closing challenge:
If you lead, fund, or work with charities: what’s the one change you’d make tomorrow to keep staff in post? Scotland’s communities are waiting.