A £1.2m Unity loan allowed Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations to part purchase Hayweight House in Edinburgh. This space will act as a workplace hub for a number of charities. This new space allows the charities to work closely together, share resources and save money by pooling together on day-to-day running costs. The offices are bright open work spaces with a cafe, meeting and training rooms, fibre optic broadband and full disabled access. This means smaller charities can get on with their work without worrying about technology or maintenance issues.

“We are seeing collaborative working happening all the time. Commonly, partners will let each other know if they’re running training that might be relevant but they’re also finding mutual ground on project delivery. By working near each other, they get to know what one another does and can then see ways to collaborate. They support each other, lend experience and guidance and sometimes co-produce work,” says John Ferguson, director of development at SCVO.