Engage Update - 10 August

Newsletters

Trading Standards Scotland Bulletin 6 August

Have your say

We would like to understand staff experiences of supporting people who smoke cigarettes. This questionnaire is specifically about cigarette smoking and referrals to Quit Your Way, the free stop smoking service available to everyone in Scotland. Your feedback will help us identify any barriers that may prevent staff from referring people to Quit Your Way and understand what information, training or resources could make it easier for you to support people who smoke cigarettes to access the service. This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and we are very grateful for your time and responses.

Have Your Say: Supporting People to Stop Smoking – Fill out form

West College Scotland

Our new programme for August 2026 is starting soon and I have attached a copy of the leaflet.  All our courses are for adults 16+ and not in education, they are free of charge and people can take part in up to 3 courses.  There are 10 to choose from and each will run for 2.5 hours per week for approx. 14 weeks.  (Please note some classes are filling up quickly).
 
We are holding Information and Enrolment Days on 11, 12, 13 and 18, 19 and 20 August, 10am to 2pm for anyone wishing to pop in for a chat with our team or to enrol.
 
I would be grateful you could pass this information on to your team, clients or volunteers. 

Ferguslie Learning Centre Programme

Renfrewshire HSCP

I’m pleased to share my latest Vlog with you below.
 
In this week’s Vlog, I talk about: 

• Some reflection time spent with the Senior Management Team - and completing our iMatter action plans.
• My meeting with the University of the West of Scotland.
• My regular acknowledgement of feedback on our services. 

If you have any feedback on this video or ideas for future topics, I’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch or email: HSCPcommunications@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

I hope you enjoy this week’s update…


 

2026 Surf Awards

2026 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration are open for applications.  You can read the press release here: https://surf.scot/2026-surf-awards-open-for-applications/
 
The SURF Awards are delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government, with additional support from Creative Scotland, ng homes, Scottish Procurement Alliance, South of Scotland Enterprise, and Scotland's Towns Partnership.
 
The purpose is to highlight, celebrate and share the achievements of initiatives that address physical, social and economic challenges in communities across Scotland.
 
​The 5 categories this year are:

• Community Led Regeneration
• Creative Regeneration
• Improving Scotland's Places 
• Removing Barriers to Employability 
• Housing and Regeneration

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 07 September. 
 
You may be interested in applying for an Award or you may know a project who might be interested in applying or who deserves an Award. 
 
You can download all of the application materials and find out more about the Awards here: https://surf.scot/surf-awards/surf-awards-2026/  
 
We ask that you download and read the Information Paper with the full criteria and read the helpful hints box on the website.  A recording of the Launch Event and a short film from previous winners are also available. 
 

Status of Young Women in Scotland 2026 - Digital Violence and Tech-enabled Harms

Community Spaces, Brighter Futures: Community-Led Solutions to Child Poverty and Childcare

Communities across Scotland are developing innovative, place-based solutions to support children and families in areas where access to childcare and family services can be limited. This session will explore how village halls, community hubs and other local spaces can become trusted centres for affordable childcare and family support, helping parents access employment while strengthening community resilience, particularly in rural and low-population areas.

Drawing on innovative examples such as the ‘Work and Play Club’, we'll learn how community ownership, strong local partnerships and the flexible use of shared spaces can challenge traditional approaches and overcome barriers to access. We will also learn about pilot projects adopting the Single Care Model, where adult and childcare are brought together to create intergenerational opportunities, reduce social isolation, and deliver wider benefits for individuals, families and communities.

Speakers:
Jaci Douglas - Chief Executive, Care and Learning Alliance (CALA)
Louise White – Development Officer, Urram Development Trust
Other speaker TBC

This session will get us to think differently about what’s possible in our own communities; as always there will be an opportunity for questions, discussion, and sharing of ideas and experiences!      

You can register via this link - https://events.humanitix.com/community-spaces-brighter-futures-community-led-solutions-to-child-poverty-and-childcare

Winter Vaccine Programme

Public Health Scotland (PHS) would like to invite you to hear more about this year’s winter vaccine programme and how we can support you to raise awareness and encourage uptake amongst those most at risk. 
 
As a trusted voice, you can support communities to access reliable vaccination information, helping to build confidence in vaccines and increase uptake. This is especially important for communities who may face barriers and/or where uptake of vaccination can be low. 
 
This webinar is aimed at professionals and organisations (particularly those in community, third and voluntary sectors) who work with and support those who are eligible for the flu and/or COVID-19 vaccines.
 
Tuesday 18th August 2026
11:35am -12:30pm
Online via Teams
 
Please register here and feel free to share this invite with relevant colleagues and networks.
 
We will record the webinar for those who are unable to attend.
 
Please contact the PHS Vaccine Confidence & Equity team (PHS.svipconfidenceandequity@phs.scot) asap if you have any accessibility or communication support needs so we can accommodate these.

Nature Towns and Cities, a UK-wide programme helping more people access green space close to home. As part of it, the Pont Collective are running a short survey to understand what would help community organisations create, improve and care for nature in their neighbourhoods.
 
They want to hear from a wide range of groups: community organisations, greening groups, and the umbrella bodies that support them. Your experience of what works and what gets in the way will directly shape the co-design that follows, and it helps make sure this is built around what organisations on the ground actually need.
 
Here is the form (QR code attached), and it takes about 20 minutes to complete:
Nature Towns and Cities - Digital Participation – Fill in form
 
As a thank you, everyone who completes it by 31/08/2026 will go into a prize draw to win £300 in B&Q vouchers. The will be one winner, picked at random once the survey closes.