In this progress update, the University of Edinburgh describes how it has made a difference to people and communities through its 2019 Social Impact Pledge, which made commitments around homelessness, poverty, art and providing meeting spaces.

One of the issues community organisations most fequently raise with Communities Channel Scotland is how to go about finding some space in which to operate from. Public bodies can help by letting community organisations use rooms, buildings and outdoor spaces. Some have already been doing this through the Social Impact Pledge.

The University of Edinburgh has provided a really helpful progress update on its 2018 Social Impact Pledge.

In this case study, South Lanarkshire Council describe the impact their recent Social Impact Pledge has already had in the community.

HIE’s first Social Impact Pledge included placing graduate volunteers in a local social enterprise to support young people. In this short case study, HIE describes how the initiative has led to benefits for the volunteers as well as wider social impact for young people.

In this case study, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) describes how it has arranged Foundation Apprenticeships for school pupils in North Lanarkshire, giving young people the chance to develop skills such as software development. Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) were part of SEPA's 2016 and 2018 Social Impact Pledges.

The University of Edinburgh shows how it has made progress towards achieving its 2016/17 Social Impact Pledge, which included commitments to children, students and older people.

The Scottish Government's Social Impact Pledge asks public sector organisations to commit to doing things differently in order to increase the positive impact they make on their local communities. Cairngorm National Park Authority (CNPA) published the following news item about how, as part of its pledge, local school pupils have attended monthly CNPA planning meetings.

George Thomson, CEO at Volunteer Scotland highlights the benefits of employer supported volunteering as promoted by Volunteer Scotland, and invites public sector organisations to consider employee volunteering as one way of contributing positively to communities as part of the Social Impact Pledge initiative.