The starting point for Outside the Box’s work is our belief that Scotland has too many people who 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 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.
Outside the Box provides development support to groups and people across Scotland who want to make a difference in their communities.
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 – such as when older people want to offer their skills and experience to families and young people – as well as on matters that are specific to their own circumstances.
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 sorts of community development support work best in different situations.
