Seeking Transparency: Our Inquiry to Homeless Project Scotland

2024/04/06

Alex Garth-Dòmhnallach

At Nexus Link Trust, we are committed to fostering transparency and accountability within the charitable sector. As part of our ongoing efforts to promote best practices in governance, we recently reached out to Homeless Project Scotland to request access to key documents essential for understanding their operations and governance structure.

Homeless Project Scotland (HPS) is a charity dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness across our communities. While we commend their invaluable work in addressing such a pressing social issue, we believe that transparency in governance is paramount for building trust and ensuring effective stewardship of charitable resources.

In accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, we formally requested two crucial documents from HPS:

  • Copy of Constitution: The constitution outlines the fundamental principles and rules governing the operations and decision-making processes of a charity. We requested a copy of HPS’s constitution to gain insight into its organizational structure, objectives, and governance mechanisms.
  • List of Trustees: Trustees play a pivotal role in guiding and overseeing the activities of a charity. We also sought a list of HPS’s current trustees to better understand the individuals responsible for its strategic direction and decision-making.

Our request stems from our observation that HPS does not currently make these essential governance documents readily accessible to the public. As advocates for transparency and accountability, we firmly believe that all charities, including HPS, should proactively disclose such information to promote trust, accountability, and informed public engagement.

Access to the constitution and trustee list empowers stakeholders, including donors, volunteers, service users, and the general public, to make informed decisions about supporting and engaging with charitable organizations. By ensuring transparency in governance, charities can enhance their credibility, foster trust, and demonstrate their commitment to responsible stewardship of charitable resources.

In conclusion, our request to HPS is not just about compliance with legal requirements; it is about upholding the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance that are essential for building trust and driving positive social impact. We urge HPS to embrace transparency and make its governance documents readily accessible to the public, thereby strengthening its credibility and impact in the fight against homelessness.

In line with our steadfast commitment to transparency, we have published the letter we sent to Homeless Project Scotland below. As part of our standard procedure, we believe in openly sharing our communications and actions with our stakeholders. However, it’s important to note that we will not disclose any information obtained from HPS unless expressly permitted by them. We respect HPS’s autonomy and acknowledge that it is ultimately their prerogative to decide whether they wish to make such information publicly available. Our intention behind sharing the letter is to uphold our values of transparency and accountability, while also respecting the confidentiality and privacy of organizations with whom we engage.