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Scotland’s new Humanitarian Emergency Fund

27 June 2017 / BTA
HomeNews & Views  / Scotland’s new Humanitarian Emergency Fund

Launched by Scottish Government

The Disasters Emergency Committee brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis. They launch appeals to raise money to help those impacted by disaster, making sure that funds reach those that need them most. Since their launch in 1963, they have run 69 appeals and raised more than £1.4 billion - saving millions of lives and rebuilding devastated communities.

In April 2017, The Scottish Government announced the launch of its new Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF), supported by the DEC. The HEF will work with selected aid agencies in Scotland to respond efficiently and effectively to international emergencies; build public awareness in Scotland of Humanitarian crises; and bring enhanced transparency and predictability to the Scottish Government’s emergency funding.

In addition, the fund will:
  • Help those who are in need on the basis of the humanitarian imperative, regardless of the emergency’s public profile;
  • Work with pre-selected organisations in Scotland to respond efficiently and effectively to international emergencies;
  • Build public awareness in Scotland of humanitarian crises in order to raise additional funding;
  • Demonstrate the Scottish Government’s role as a responsible global citizen with a vested interest in responding to global humanitarian challenges;
  • Bring enhanced transparency and predictability to the Scottish Government’s emergency funding.
The DEC has been contracted by the Scottish Government as the Fund Manager, working closely with the HEF Panel and the Scottish Government to support the technical appraisal, performance assessment and day-to-day administration of the Fund and they approached BTA to help them find the ideal candidate for the newly-created role of HEF Co-ordinator. 

The purpose of the role of the Co-ordinator was to provide Secretariat support to the HEF Panel, working closely with the HEF Chair, HEF Panel members and the Scottish Government to ensure the smooth operation of the HEF.

We were delighted to support the DEC in recruiting this first and pivotal role for the HEF.

The successful candidate was Annie Lewis who has more than 10 years’ experience within the international development sector, both as a fundraiser in a large international agency (Head of Fundraising in Scotland, Oxfam GB) and through her roles as a Board member of NIDOS including Treasurer, Chair and Acting Chief Executive Officer. 

She has extensive experience of funding for humanitarian emergency responses both as a fundraiser and as a Board member with NIDOS. With a wealth of experience and untold enthusiasm, Annie was the perfect candidate for this role. We wish Annie every success in her new role and look forward to following the progress of the HEF in the coming months and years!

“This was the first time we had worked with BTA – they successfully helped us to recruit for an important new part-time post on a tight timescale. BTA did an excellent job for us, both thorough and flexible – securing for us a brilliant shortlist of well-briefed candidates. Based on our experience, we’d warmly recommend BTA to others."
Richard Dye, Director of Finance and Business Development for the DEC

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