Our principles and ambitions
More about Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway

A strong third sector

  • Supporting the sector by being alongside, offering advice and making connections for peer support and working together for shared outcomes.
  • Enabling the sector through a range of resources, training and subject matter forums that help build positive impact and sustainability.
  • Inspiring the sector through sharing of regional and national stories and experiences, creating spaces to share and collaborate and opportunities to innovate.
  • Representing the sector through listening to experiences, understanding barriers and needs, jointly shaping asks and speaking out about the need for a strong and sustainable sector.
  • Investing in our own organisation, our colleagues and in developing our potential.

Equal partnership and impact

  • Our work with partners will be based on our shared ambitions, skills, experience and insights.
  • Promoting the positive use of, sharing, transfer and relinquishing of power in different circumstances.
  • Building confidence so that others invest in us to participate, contribute and lead on behalf of our sector.
  • Maximising our impact together by making use of collective insights, resources and expertise that cross organisational boundaries to do the right things, the right way.
  • Increasing focus on impact, evidence-led practice and decision-making where data, voices and lived experiences hold equal value.

Equity, dignity, belonging and justice

  • Understanding how we can directly and indirectly tackle poverty in our communities.
  • Knowing about and eliminating inequity – in our systems, policies, places, opportunities and resources.
  • Promoting dignity as a key value in service design and decision making.
  • Working together to ensure systems, practices and decision making are fair and just.
  • Recognising our influence and impact on our environment and our role in creating a healthier planet.
  • Making locality/community the driver of developments and service design/delivery.
  • Encouraging people to shape their communities together by supporting participation and involvement.

We are a membership organisation with charitable status. Membership is free and open to all third sector organisations with services operating in the region.

A Board of Trustees is elected by members and is entrusted with our governance; setting our strategy; ensuring that we are well managed and inclusive; and that we communicate effectively with our stakeholders.

Our services are delivered by a Staff team with bases in Dumfries and Stranraer. Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway and its staff work to a set of Core Values.

Find out more about membership.

Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway also welcomes applications for Affiliate Membership from organisations that share our vision and mission, such as Community Councils. These statutory bodies of government are made up of unpaid members of the local community who give their time voluntarily and are an important conduit for community development.