Insight and latest updates from our team

There is a difference between theory and practice - despite some problems, Welfare Reform is a social good. Ian James Parsley writes exclusively for Scope.

South Antrim - the Jewel of the Six Mile – joins Scope’s list of constituencies to receive a sober and sombre social media probe.

New Health Minister Simon Hamilton is making some good noises about reform – but changes need to be rapid and neither the financial capability or political will are guaranteed.

Scope analyses the controversy surrounding the Stroke Association’s shocking claims about stroke rates amongst people of working age and asks if great advocacy can become bad science. 

Earlier this month the Office of First Minister deputy First Minister released information that it was ordered to by the  Information Commissioner revealing the salaries paid to the special advisors working for the First Minister.

Now that the dust has settled on the General Election and the victory champagne has gone flat, Scope looks at the section of the electorate nobody is talking about: the people who did not vote. 

Dealing with the past is difficult – especially when its two common ideals work against each other. Scope looks at whether the Stormont House Agreement can untangle truth and justice and allow progress to run rather than shuffle.

The Joint Forum met for the second time this year on Friday 15th May.

DWP says sanctions are a "last resort" and encouragement to work - but some reported examples make that description look laughable, and could make them the biggest danger to Welfare Reform. Scope takes a look.

On Monday 18th May, UUP MLAs Robin Swann, Roy Beggs and Sandra Overend tabled a motion calling for the Assembly to recognise the important work of the voluntary and community sector and the impact of the cuts.

The third in a series of articles looking at different ways to fundraise. This month Deirdre Murphy, Fundraising Advice Officer at NICVA looks at Online Fundraising as an opportunity to raise funds.

The general election result means Welfare Reform will come to Northern Ireland, one way or another. Scope looks at two reports examining its impact in Scotland - both on the public and the third sector.

As cuts deepen should the sector lie down and take it, disappear into silos, with everyone fighting everyone else for scraps, or is there a better way? 

As technology becomes more and more a part of everyday life, people become accustomed to accessing information freely and easily.

On the 18th May the NI Assembly will debate the recent cuts to the voluntary and community sector. We are encouraging all voluntary and community organisations to contact MLAs and ask them to support this important motion.

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In the latest in our series on abortion Scope examines the impending court case which could force the Assembly's hand on reform. 

Just imagine the uproar if the education department withdrew a school’s funding two months before the  end of term leaving A Level and GSCE students without teachers, and the rest of the pupils scrambling for places elsewhere. 

Professor Peter McBride chief executive of the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health (Niamh)  argues the Third Sector must act now to stave off a mental health crisis amongst employees following cuts. 

Scope meets Paul Mullan, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Northern Ireland.