RenSEN Newsletter - 09 July

Social Enterprise News

• 2024 Social Enterprise Scotland Awards – Nominations for this year’s Social Enterprise Scotland Awards close at 10am on Monday 15 July.  To find out more about the award categories and apply click here.
• What is Social Enterprise? – If you’re looking for a way to explain the values and behaviours of social enterprise to new Board members and volunteers, then take a look at these short animations produced by Scottish Enterprise.
• Volunteer Scotland - The Online Result Service is now ‘live’ and replaces the previous Certificate Process.  Read more about it here.
• Are you an aspiring social entrepreneur? – Book now for this Firstport information session designed to provide an insight into Firstport funding.  The webinar is taking place on 30 July (12:00 noon).  Booking is required – here’s the link
• Plugged-In Community Grants Fund – This fund opened on Monday 08 July.  Click on the hyperlink to find out more.
• GSK Community Health Programme – This fund aims to support registered charities that are at least a year old, located and working in the UK with a total annual income between £20k-£150k.  Click on the link to find out more.

Follow up from RenSEN Netwrok Event on 27 June 

Many thanks to all who attended the RenSEN network meeting on Thursday 27 June.  In case you missed it, here’s a few take-aways from the session:

• Community Benefits – Remember to check the RenSEN e-bulletin for current opportunities - Don’t miss out!
• Accelerate Programme – Would your organisation benefit from support through the Accelerate Programme? Find out more here and apply on line  
• Social Media – We’re now using www.facebook.com/IRCommunities to post news and alerts for RenSEN members so follow our posts
• Inclusive Business Models – Take a look at these three short videos on Inclusive Business Models about Platform Cooperatives, Consortium Cooperatives and Community Cooperatives.  These videos have been produced by Cooperative Development Scotland (CDS).  Want to know more? CDS will be delivering an information session about Consortium Cooperatives on 28 August.  Here’s the link – Consortium model for bidding for bigger contracts

Date of next meeting - Don’t forget to Save-the-Date for the next in-person RenSEN meeting on 29 August 2024.

Inclusive Business Models - Webinar

Want to know more about Inclusive Business Models? Cooperative Development Scotland in conjunction with Supplier Development Scotland will be delivering an information session about Consortium Cooperatives on 28  August.  See extract about the event and booking link below:
 
‘Collaborating with other businesses can bring a number of benefits…a consortium cooperative is one of the options open to businesses considering collaboration’.
 
For more information click here: Consortium model for bidding for bigger contracts

 

Member News

• Friends of Howwood Park – Following a successful Community Asset Transfer, Friends of Howwood Park has now transformed the onsite Pavilion into a well-equipped and welcoming community space which is available for hire to local residents and community groups.  To book the space contact Friends of Howwood Park via their Facebook page. 

My Student Years - Was delighted to receive funding from ‘Field and Lawn’ through the Renfrewshire Council Community Benefits. This enabled the organisation to commission a Duncan of Jordanstone student, to create a fabulous Animation film.  The organisation also secured a PHD student to research the challenges and issues impacting today’s school leavers as they start college and university.  The findings of which were presented to the European First Year Experience Conference in Copenhagen this year (May 2024).  If you are interested in finding out more please get in touch sally@mystudentyears.com

Dates for your diary 

• 15 July - Social Enterprise Scotland Awards 2024 –  There are nine categories to enter including: One to Watch; Environmental Social Enterprise; Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Justice; Health and Social Care; Social Enterprise Employee; and Social Enterprise Volunteer Champion.  To find out more visit the Award webpage here
• 26 July – 04 August – Love Parks 2024 is a week long celebration to highlight ‘the vital role green spaces play in boosting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities’.  Click on the link to find out how you can participate and request a resource pack.
• 28 August.  Consortium model for bidding for bigger contracts – ‘Collaborating with other businesses can bring a number of benefits…a consortium cooperative is one of the options open to businesses considering collaboration’. Information session delivered by Cooperative Development Scotland.
• 29 August – RenSEN In-person Network meeting commencing at 6:30pm (till 8:30pm) Venue TBC.
• 29 September – 01 October 2024 Heritage Trust Network Conference (Dunfermline) ‘a relaxed and friendly mix of inspirational speakers, lively discussions and fascinating tours and visits to historic sites and community projects locally’.
• 04 / 05 October – Community Woodlands Association (CWA) Conference in Merkinch Community Centre, Inverness.
• 18 – 22 November – Co-production Week Scotland sharing ideas, learning and stories about how co-production put people and communities at the heart of support and services.

Social Enterprise Learning Webinars (for social enterprises at all stages)

Enhancing Digital Skills
17 July – Introduction to AI for small business (online / Business Gateway)
22 July – Why your business needs a blog (online / Business Gateway)
23 July – Effective use of social media (online / Business Gateway)
24 July – Free webinar How can you protect your organisation from cyber threats (online / SCVO)
29 July – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
30 July – Social media essentials: Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
01 August – Introduction to business websites (online / Business Gateway)
15 August – AI for your social enterprise (online / Just Enterprise)
22 August – Digital Marketing (online / Just Enterprise)
27 August – Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
29 August – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
02 September – How to plan and schedule your online content (online / Business Gateway)
03 September – AI for small business (online / Business Gateway)
05 September – Effective use of social media (online / Business Gateway)
16 September – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
16 September – Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
19 September – Effective use of PR (online / Business Gateway)
02 October – How Trustees can improve their organisation’s cyber resilience (online / SCVO)

 
Governance & Leadership
26 July – An introduction to business strategy (online / Business Gateway)
15 August – Agile Management: How to incremental tests can lead to big impact (online / SCVO)
22 August – How to identify and learn from mistakes (online / SCVO)
17 September – Aspiring or New Leaders (in-person / Just Enterprise)
Commencing 26 September – CEOs (online / Just Enterprise) Fees apply
Commencing 26 September – Senior Leaders (online / Just Enterprise)
03 October – Guide to good governance.  Defining strategy, culture and values (online / SCVO) Fees apply
10 October – Guide to good governance.  Board and staff relationships (online / SCVO) Fees apply
29 October – Annual accounting, governance and reporting (online / SCVO) Fees apply
12 November – Social Media Fundamentals (online / SCVO) Fees apply
27 January 2025 – Developing a coaching approach to leadership (online / Just Enterprise)


Social Enterprise Essentials
Commencing 17 July – Creating a theory of change (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
25 July – Bookkeeping essentials (online / Business Gateway)
31 July – How to deliver low cost high impact marketing (online / Business Gateway)
09 September – Introduction to safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
Commencing 24 September – Winning grants from trusts and foundations (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
24 September – Advertising and Promotion (online / Business Gateway)
25 September – Introduction to data management and GDPR (online / SCVO) Fees apply
Commencing 08 October - Developing a fundraising strategy (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
09 – 10 October – Introduction to equity, diversity and inclusion within charities (online / SCVO) Fees apply
05 December – Comms and marketing made easy (online / SCVO) Fees apply


Volunteering
26 September – Quality Standards in Volunteering (online / Volunteer Scotland)
19 December – Quality Standards in Volunteering (online / Volunteer Scotland)
25 February – Meeting today’s volunteering challenges (online / SCVO) Fees apply



Business Planning
11 July – Business Planning (online / Business Gateway Renfrewshire)
18 July – Step by step guide to building your business plan (online / Business Gateway)
08 August – Business planning (online / Business Gateway Renfrewshire)
13 August – Strategy for Growth (online / Business Gateway)
12 September – Business Planning (online / Business Gateway)



Monitoring and Evaluation
05 September - Getting Started: Outcomes and Indicators (In-person, Glasgow / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
19 September – Evaluation Methods (In-person, Glasgow / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
03 October – Analysing and Reporting (In-person, Glasgow / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
07 November – Plan, Measure and Report Social Impact (online / SCVO) Fees apply



Income Generation/Procurement
10 July – How to find and bid for opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)
01 August – Working with the public sector: All you need to know (online / Supplier Development Programme)
06 August – How to find and bid for opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)
13 August – Getting your business tender ready (online / Supplier Development Programme)
20 August – Charitable Trading (online / Just Enterprise)
29 August – Know Your Numbers (understanding Accounts) (online / Just Enterprise)
03 September – Introduction to social investment (online / Just Enterprise)
17 September – How to find and bid for opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)
Commencing 19 September – How to win contracts and service level agreements (online / SCVO) Fees apply
23 October – Working with the public sector: All you need to know (online / Supplier Development Programme)
03 December – Investment Readiness (online / Just Enterprise)
04 February 2025 Introduction to social investment (online / Just Enterprise)

Online Resources

See our webpage for all online resources including funding, HR, online webinars and much more.

RenSEN - online resources

We will highlight new online resources that we think will be of interest here.

Volunteer Scotland - Find links to online training here

Community Benefit Award

Field and Lawn have selected Brick Lane Music Academy for their financial CB award of £1000.