Borders TSI Reimagined Project -Update
The TSI partners are delighted to let you know that we have reached an important stage in the Borders TSI Reimagined Project. A report has now been submitted to the Scottish Government by Beverley Francis, Kirkmillan Consulting Ltd, who has been helping us think about how we reshape ourselves to become the TSI that is needed. The report is comprehensive and tells the story of our journey, which at times has been difficult. We are proposing to Scottish Government that a new legal entity is created which will become a distinct Third Sector Interface for the Borders. It will have its own Board comprising some existing partners, but importantly, several independent members. Beverley Francis has agreed to continue to support us on a pro bono basis as an Independent Chair in the short term. Once the Scottish Government have digested the report, we hope they will endorse our plans. Thereafter, we will begin to give life to our plans, and bring them into reality in time for 1 April 2023 when our funding is under review. We are also pleased to announce that we have entered arrangements with the Scottish Borders Social Enterprise Chamber to continue to deliver support to social enterprises until 30th March 2023. It will be for the new TSI organisation to decide what arrangements it enters to support delivery, and what services it will deliver for itself.
We are grateful to those of you that have offered views on our draft strategy, and we will continue to engage on that over the coming months before it is confirmed as the strategy for the new organisation when formed. We are also grateful to our strategic partners who have shared their enthusiasm and support for the work we are engaged in. Some of you may have noticed that we are more active on social media just now, and we know that regular communication is a vital part of what you do. We look forward to you liking and sharing our posts and continuing to support us on the next stage of our journey.
In submitting the report to Scottish Government, Beverley Francis, Kirkmillan Consulting Ltd said “ I am delighted to have been involved in this work with the partners to Borders TSI. I am grateful to them for their honesty, and their commitment to change and make things better. Their strategy makes clear that their vision is to Make the Borders Better through a thriving TSI, and I am confident that with the continued support of partners, this vision can be realised. I am delighted to have been asked to support the work going forward as Independent Chair of the new entity when formed, but I am clear that I do so in transition, and until a new Chair can be appointed to take the work forward.”