The GCVS Policy Team ensures that the views of Glasgow's voluntary sector are heard in policy development processes at both local and national levels.

We communicate the concerns of the sector to elected officials, statutory agencies and other relevant stakeholders following regular consultation with our members and partnership organisations. We have a number of networks whose members ensure that we are updated with information from across the sector.

Likewise, we update the sector through  newsletters, our website and briefings, on the latest citywide and national policy developments.

GCVS represents the sector on several citywide partnerships and participates in a range of policy-making forums. We believe that a well connected sector is key to ensuring that the views of local organisations and community groups are represented effectively to citywide and national stakeholders.

To achieve this we facilitate the Citywide Voluntary Sector Network, a group comprised of representatives from local area voluntary sector networks in the city, who also sit on the boards of local community planning partnerships.

Over recent years the sector has played an increasingly important role in the delivery of public services and as a result, policy developments at all levels of government have the potential to impact positively, or negatively, on voluntary sector organisations and service users. In recognition of this Third Sector Interfaces were created across Scotland.

The sector is acknowledged at national level as key to identifying emerging trends and responds to changing circumstances through direct contact with service users and the innovative approaches often pioneered by third sector organisations. The challenge for GCVS is to find ways to ensure the sector's expertise and contribution can be maximised in Glasgow.