Challenge Poverty Week 2025: Standing Together
3rd October 2025
As we enter Challenge Poverty Week 2025, we’re reflecting on how GCVS and the wider third sector in Glasgow are driving change. Our values align closely with this year’s campaign themes: social security, better jobs, investment in life essentials, investment in communities, and climate justice.
Since its launch in 2013 by the Poverty Alliance, Challenge Poverty Week has shone a spotlight on the injustice of poverty in Scotland and called for collective action rooted in justice and compassion. This week, we’ll be sharing our work across these themes, and later this month, some of our team will be joining the Scotland Demands Better march. Together, we’ll demand the changes needed for every household to thrive.
Supporting Families and Communities
The pandemic demonstrated how quickly the third sector can respond to emergencies. One of our key contributions was GlasgowHelps.org, a resource connecting people with vital third-sector services. Today, it continues to guide residents towards food support, advice, and community services.
Our Policy & Engagement team works across many agendas to ensure fairness and equality are at the heart of Glasgow’s policies. A significant focus is Glasgow’s Child Poverty Programme, where we bring the voices of families and the third sector into public service reform.
Families tell us regularly about the strain of financial insecurity, as they rely on food pantries, crisis support, and charities for essentials. One parent recently shared:
“I have received crisis support and household energy support. I am really struggling to cope financially, and the cost-of-living crisis has impacted this. My housing and financial situation have taken their toll on my mental health.”
This is why we’re embedding lived experience at the heart of decision-making. Through our Engagement and Design programme, we’re building third-sector capacity to involve citizens meaningfully in shaping services. Even small gestures, like offering vouchers as recognition, have made participants feel valued: “This will get my messages tonight,” one parent told us.
Amplifying the Voices of the Third Sector
Third-sector organisations are often the first point of support for families and children. They understand that poverty is not just about income, but about the networks of care, resilience, and community around people.
As Saima Tariq, Development Officer, Children’s Services, explains:
“Ensuring the third sector’s voice shapes policy means lived experiences, not just statistics, influence the decisions that affect people’s lives.”
Recently, Saima worked with children’s services organisations to gather insights directly from families, ensuring these voices will shape the next Children’s Services Plan.
Better Jobs: Creating Opportunities
Good jobs are central to tackling poverty. Through the Paid Work Placements Initiative, we’re supporting organisations to work with individuals in Glasgow who face barriers to employment. These placements are paid at least the Real Living Wage and come with training, a dedicated key worker, and wraparound support to move into longer-term work or education.
Since 2023, the programme has supported 107 employers and created 149 paid placements, providing real opportunities for people to build skills, confidence, and brighter futures.
Climate Justice in Action
Poverty and climate change are deeply connected. That’s why we are proud to be lead partner for Glasgow’s Climate Action Hub, bringing together 10 partners to support community-led climate action. From training and advice to connecting organisations with local resources, the Hub is helping the third sector adopt climate-friendly practices and ensure communities are part of the response to climate justice.
Living Our Values
We also look inward at how we support our own people. As the lead partner for the nationwide Third Sector Human Rights & Equalities project (THRE), we’re proud to be an inclusive employer with a workforce that reflects the city we serve. The THRE team work with organisations across Scotland to embed a human rights and equalities-first approach in the sector.
Standing Together
Challenge Poverty Week reminds us that ending poverty requires courage, compassion, and collaboration across communities, the third sector, public services, and policymakers. At GCVS, we’re committed to amplifying lived experience, supporting organisations on the ground, and working towards a Glasgow where every individual has the resources, opportunities, and dignity they deserve.
This week and every week, we stand together to challenge poverty and build a fairer, more resilient city for all.
Join the conversation on our social channels throughout Challenge Poverty Week, and if you’re able, stand with us on Saturday at the Scotland Demands Better march. Together, we can demand change.