RenSEN Newsletter - 12 September

Social Enterprise News

Community Interest Companies / Complaints Process – The Regulator of Community Interest Companies has updated their complaints process regarding Community Interest Companies.  Click on the hyperlink for full details.

Unlocking Procurement – If you missed the recent information session regarding Scotland’s new procurement strategy you can watch the webinar again here.

Local Employability Partnership Event

On behalf of Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership, I am delighted to invite you to our 10^th annual employability conference to be held in the Tweedie Hall, Linwood on Wednesday 20 September 2023.
 
This year’s conference continues to focus on the area’s response to the Scottish Governments No One Left Behind (NOLB) strategy and the work of the Local Employability Partnership to identify, and respond to, those most in need.

Find out more and book here

Sharing Success

Want to share a good news story? Contact Iain Cunningham or Tania Morlan and we’ll include it in the next RenSEN e-bulletin!

RenSEN Network Meetings

30 November - Station Seve, Johnstone 6.30pm - 8.30pm. Festive edition!

Dates for your diary

• 19 September – CARES Conference 2023: Renewable Action on renewable energy (in-person / Glasgow)
• 26 September – What is sustainability? - When it comes to your social enterprise, how can you tell what is or what isn’t sustainable? This webinar will explain the jargon (online / Business Gateway)
• 27 September – Community Energy Scotland Conference 2023 (in-person / Edinburgh)
• 27 September – CDAS Annual Conference 2023 - Why Community Development? Exploring the Collective Impact (Community Development Alliance Scotland’s Annual Conference at the Maryhill Burgh Halls, Glasgow).
• 29 September – Community Woodlands Annual Conference 2023.  This year’s theme is woodland connections.  Venue for the event is Maryhill Burgh Halls, Glasgow).  Click here for full details.  Fees apply.
• 04 October - Democratic Finance – An online information webinar for organisations seeking finance, whether that is to buy land, renovate a building or expand an existing enterprise. For full details and booking link click here
• 26 October - Social Enterprise Policy and Practice Conference 2023 hosted by Social Enterprise Scotland.  Venue: Greyfriars Charteris Centre, Edinburgh.  More details can be found via the hyperlink above.

Social Enterprise Learning

Just Enterprise deliver training workshops specifically designed for start-up social enterprises.  To see the full list of webinars click here.

Steps to developing a marketing strategy for social enterprise start-ups (online / Just Enterprise).  Click on the link to register interest in this event.

E-learning for start-ups / Steps to Start-Up programme – This online Just Enterprise course is aimed at start-up social entrepreneurs There are eight modules for you to complete at your own pace (total time commitment is 8 hours).  Topics include how to: test your idea, design your business model, successfully launch your new social enterprise. Places on the course are fully funded (therefore no cost to participants).  There’s also a short video about the course on the Just Enterprise webpage.  Booking details can be found here.

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

Enhancing Digital Skills
13 September – Doing digital inclusion with limited resources – online / SCVO
20 September – Effective use of social media (in-person / Business Gateway Renfrewshire)
03 October – X for business (X formerly known as Twitter)  (online / Business Gateway)
05 October – Facebook for business (online / Business Gateway)
09 October – How AI can improve your business marketing (online / Business Gateway)
10 October – Instagram for business (online / Business Gateway)
12 October – Blogging for tourism businesses (online / Business Gateway)
23 October – Planning and scheduling your online content (online / Business Gateway)
23 October – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
25 October – How your business website performs (Google analytics) (online / Business Gateway)
30 October – An intro to business websites and what you need to consider (online / Business Gateway)
31 October – Blogging for business (online / Business Gateway)
14 November – Social media fundamentals (online / SCVO) Fees apply

Other links and resources
Social media for business (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Producing engaging digital content (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Digital marketing strategy (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Why don’t you share a digital marketing template? (online blog from SCVO)
Digital Check-Up – SCVO’s digital check-up tool for organisations

Governance & Leadership
21 September – Governance for Asset Transfer (online / Community Ownership Support Service)
21 September – Introduction to Safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
28 September – Meeting today’s volunteering challenges (online / SCVO) Fees apply
16 November – Introduction to people management (online / SCVO) Fees apply
06 October – Trustee roles and responsibilities with Gillespie Macandrew (online / SCVO)
05 December – Managing people in the modern world (online / SCVO) Fees apply

Other links and resources
Ongoing - Leadership coaching sessions (online / Social Enterprise Academy)
Employee wellbeing (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
How to be an effective trustee during a cost of living crisis (online article from SCVO)
What makes a good trustee (online article from SCVO)
Diversifying your board (online article from SCVO)
Leadership development for the voluntary sector (online article from SCVO)

Social Enterprise Essentials
13 September – Effective Minute Taking (online / SCVO) Fees apply
19 September – Workshop 2: Make to measure: Evaluation methods and plans (in-person / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
19 and 20 September – Developing a fundraising strategy (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
19 and 26 September - Introduction to Project Management (online / SCVO) Fees apply
27 September – Writing a successful funding application (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
27 September – HR: recruiting and training staff (online / Business Gateway)
10 October – Sprints: How to focus your efforts and learn lots in a week (online / SCVO)
14 November – How to quickly identify and learn from mistakes (online / SCVO)
07 December – Comms and marketing made easy (online / SCVO) Fees apply

Other links and resources
Contingency planning (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Bringing your idea to life (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Marketing (online tutorial / Business Gateway)
Renting business premises (online guide / Business Gateway)
Choosing business premises (online guide / Business Gateway)
Tips to get your stories in the media (online blog from SCVO)
Charity data breaches (online article from SCVO)
Should Trustees care about evaluation and reporting? (online article from SCVO)

Business Planning
25 September – How to write and develop your business plan (online / Business Gateway)
26 October – Asset and Facilities Management for Asset Transfer (online / Community Ownership Support Service)

Pre-recorded Tutorials
Business planning (online tutorial / Business Gateway)

Income Generation
26 September – How to generate and increase sales (online / Business Gateway)
02 October – Finding new customers and making more sales (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
Other links and resources
Trading online – What you need to know (online guide / Business Gateway)

Business Finance
19 September – Understanding charity accounts (online / SCVO)
10, 24 and 31 October – All things financial (3 workshops delivered online / SCVO) Fees apply
24 October – Integrating legacy giving into your funding programme (online / Culture & Business Scotland) Fees apply
15 November – Setting up an individual giving scheme (online / Culture & Business Scotland) Fees apply

Other links and resources
Increase your profitability - (online guide / Business Gateway)
How to escape the charity audit headache – (online blog from SCVO)