The Radical Tradition

The long established tradition of radicalism in Scotland has led amongst other things to Scotland being a world leader in the development of participation, empowerment and genuine social partnerships.  The commitment to promoting these values has been incorporated in a single policy of the Scottish Parliament on social inclusion “Social Justice for All”.  Targets have been set to reduce poverty and to promote the inclusion of all vulnerable groups in the population through the development of Social Inclusion Partnerships which bring together national and local government, public and private sectors. The promotion of policies for the reduction of poverty is linked with a recognition of the importance of social capital and a commitment to community ownership.

Scottish Overseas Development Projects has drawn on the Scottish experience in the implementation of projects in Eastern Europe designed to promote the growth of local democracy and community development.  It has also built on the long expertise developed in Scotland through the initiatives supported by Scottish Enterprise to assist the adaptation of the Scottish economy from its traditional base of dependence on heavy industries and to assist the movement from a traditional, craft-dominated  industrial base  to a modern high-skilled economy.

We have a rich experience of implementing projects in Eastern  Europe and devising programmes and initiatives based on the Scottish experience to be employed in difficult environments and different cultures. Our consultants  can therefore bring to their  work in Scotland flexibility, an innovative approach and an almost unmatched breadth of experience and understanding of delivering projects to suit the needs of widely differing clients and recipients.