About us
Outside the Box provides development support to groups and people across Scotland who want to make a difference in their communities.
We began in 2004. We are a small, independent charity and aim to work as a social enterprise.
We give practical support and enable people to learn the types of skills that are important both for establishing new ventures and for sustaining them.
We assist people to contribute on issues that are about how their community or how society works. For example, we support people to share their skills and experiences, work with others to develop community-based solutions to challenges they experience, and have their voices heard in policy.
We encourage people to think of themselves and other people as citizens, rather than as recipients of services or as people who are restricted by a particular description or label.
Over the years have learned about the issues that affect the thousands of people and hundreds of groups with whom we’ve worked, and about what kinds of community development support work best in different situations. Watch our short video sharing what we do:
Values
The starting point for Outside the Box’s work is our belief that in Scotland too many people are marginalised and disadvantaged or because of their age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability, or because they live in poverty or in an area which has few resources.
As a consequence, individual people do not have the same opportunities and choices that other people enjoy, and the community as a whole is poorer for the loss of those potential contributions.
We believe that people who are marginalised are part of the solution to these problems.
- Everyone can contribute to their community and to society if they have the right encouragement and support. One of the contributions we all make is our presence.
- Everyone’s experience and ideas matter.
- The labels society puts on people do not change the contributions we are all able to make.
- There are benefits both to individual people, and to our communities, when all people are welcomed and included.
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Everyone has the right to have access to services and other supports that are relevant to their circumstances and choices, which are delivered to high standards, and which treat them and others with respect.
- Organisations are better at what they do when they listen to, act on and learn from the views and experiences of the people whom they are there to serve, and when they work in partnership with their communities.
- Action to make real, sustainable change happen starts from where people are, and works with their strengths, enthusiasms and priorities.
- We can all get ideas from what other people have done and what has been tried in other places. We can also share what we have learned with other people.
- Society is stronger when we celebrate each other’s contributions and value our own.
Themes
We work under the following key themes:
Having Different Conversations
Creating Inclusive Communities
People Having More Choice in their Lives
Building Strong Sustainable Organisations
Our diverse range of projects have impacts for individuals, groups and communities, and in society more widely. Watch our short video on the difference Outside the Box’s approach makes:
Partnerships
Some of our work is delivered in partnership with the National Development Team for Inclusion.
All of our work involves partnerships with other people and organisations. Making positive change possible always involves teamwork, and we would like to thank everyone we have worked with across organisations, areas and communities.
Our Workplace
Annual Reports
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Outside The Box 2019 Annual Report
[2.2MB]Creating Inclusive Communities Topic: Annual Report | Format: Report
Our Team
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Chief Executive
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Community Development Advisor
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Community Development Advisor
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Community Development Advisor
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Community Development Advisor
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Community Worker
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Community Worker
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Development Worker (Food Buddies Borders)
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Development Worker
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P/T Communications Coordinator
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P/T Project Worker - Dunkeld Office
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Community Worker - Community Connections, Eaglesham & Waterfoot
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Community Worker - Community Connections, Brechin & Edzell
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Community Worker - Rural Wisdom, Moray
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Project Worker
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P/T
Our Board
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Heather Calvo
Board Member
Heather has 24 years experience in the Social Care Field. For 13 years she has worked with Neighbourhood Networks to develop peer support networks across Scotland for Vulnerable Adults. Her interests are community development and self-management. -
Donald Macaskill
Board Member
Until April 2016 Donald ran a human rights and equality consultancy working across the health and social care sectors in the United Kingdom. He is now the Chief Executive of Scottish Care, the membership organisation for older people care providers. -
Rosie McIntosh
Board Member
Rosie has a decade of experience in charity communications; with ENABLE Scotland, Oxfam & the Mental Welfare Commission. She works with Third Sector Lab & is the Project Manager for Mind Waves: a citizen journalism project about mental health. -
Pat Scrutton
Board Member
With a background in community development; Pat has worked with people with learning disabilities & more recently with older people. She has a particular interest in intergenerational practice & co-ordinates the Intergenerational National Network. -
Mike Conway
Board Member
Mike has over 40 years experience in international organisations. He was a Director of Shell UK and is a specialist in Human Resources and Organisation. Heis former trustee of United Way in Anchorage Alaska and the Temple Theatre in Saginaw Michigan. -
Rhonda Leith
Board Member