Before I started in my role as Communications and Membership Officer at Voluntary Health Scotland (VHS) in October last year, it had been 5 years since I’d last worked in the voluntary sector. It has felt great to come back to the sector, it’s like receiving a lovely warm hug from an old friend! The VHS team couldn’t have been more welcoming to me. My first year at VHS has gone so quickly and for me, personally, it has been such an exciting time to join the organisation during its 20th anniversary year. In my first 12 months, I have attended some great events, witnessed some significant organisational changes including welcoming Tejesh Mistry, our new Chief Executive, and I’ve met people from some truly inspirational organisations (one of the perks of being the Membership Officer!)
Since I started at VHS, I have been struck by the breadth and influence of VHS’s work in supporting the voluntary health sector in Scotland. This is something I have seen for myself and heard from many others across the third and statutory sectors. A key focus of my role over the last year has been to shine a light on the work that VHS and its members has done over the last 20 years.
I’ve been so impressed by the number of influential reports that VHS has produced during that period, from The Zubairi Report in 2018 to the Essential Connections Report in 2023. While our reports have always had a focus on ways of tackling health inequalities in Scotland, they have also drawn attention to some of the less understood issues impacting people’s health, such as social isolation and loneliness. They also ensure that our members’ voices are heard when it comes to influencing Scottish Government policies.
I couldn’t have picked a better time to join VHS. In my first month I got to see for myself some of the great events that VHS hosts for our members and networks across Scotland. At our 2023 Annual Conference at Dynamic Earth, I witnessed some truly inspiring speakers, including Lord Nigel Crisp, Independent member of the House of Lords who spoke passionately about the importance of health creation and Angiolina Foster, Chair of Public Health Scotland who shared a sobering presentation on the current state of health inequalities in Scotland. I also attended my first Scottish Community Link Worker Network Conference in May of this year – what a privilege to hear from so many great speakers about the vital work community link workers do in their communities across Scotland.
A substantial part of my job is to manage VHS’s membership. We have a diverse membership base from across Scotland and we even share an office building with some members including Relationships Scotland, Art in Healthcare and Parenting Across Scotland. These are just 3 of our members who are doing vital work to tackle health inequalities across Scotland. Recently, I visited The Health Agency’s Sunflower Pantry project. This project is so crucial to tackling food insecurity and health inequalities.
I am looking forward to our 2024 Annual Conference next week and seeing how VHS’s work on health inequalities progresses over the coming year. It will also be great to meet with more VHS’ members and continue to shine a light on their good work. It’s certainly a challenging environment for everyone working in the voluntary sector right now, however I have seen in my first year at VHS how important the sector is to tackling Scotland’s health inequalities. I look forward to my next 12 months in the role. There is still lots to do; however, I am really excited about how I can ensure that our members’ work is visible, valued and seen for what it really is – VITAL! If you’d like to become a VHS member or are a member with news to share, please get in touch.
Kellie Thomson is the Communications & Membership Officer at Voluntary Health Scotland
