Social inclusion

The lead administrations for social inclusion are Scotland and Wales.

Social exclusion affects the quality of life of families and communities across all British-Irish Council Administrations. The Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government jointly take the lead in advancing work in the social inclusion work sector of the council.

Fourth ministerial meeting

The British-Irish Council (BIC) Social Inclusion group held its fourth ministerial meeting in Edinburgh on 26 March 2010. The meeting focused on the contribution of the third sector to social inclusion across all 8 member administrations. Arrangements for the meeting, including the opportunity to hear about innovative developments in the third sector, were made in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Community Enterprise in Scotland.

Ministers welcomed the report on the work carried out by BIC Social Inclusion group on the contribution of the third sector. The report noted that the third sector across all member administrations is complex and diverse, with a significant social and economic potential. They also acknowledged that the third sector has a reach to people and communities that statutory agencies sometimes find more difficult to engage. Ministers commended the excellent examples of investment and good practice across all member administrations reflected in the report, and  agreed that the theme has led a dynamic process of learning and co-operation, reflecting the original intention of BIC.

3 new tasks

The ministers agreed that there are major, immediate challenges facing the third sector and member administrations and set 3 new tasks:

• how the third sector working together can make communities more sustainable and socially cohesive
• how we can enable wider civil activity
• how we can enable the third sector to become part of the mainstream in service delivery

Building on the success of the meeting in March 2010 where ministers recognised the important role the third sector played in both organising and participating in the meeting, the third sector is being invited to have an even greater role in the work around the 3 new tasks.

Third sector involvement

At a meeting on 4 March 2011 senior representatives from the third sector from each of the administrations discussed with senior officials their top priorities in working with Government on the 3 themes. The meeting took place at a critical time in terms of the challenges facing the sector and its potential contribution. The outcomes of the discussion will help inform the final report to ministers as well as ongoing policy thinking within each of the administrations.