RenSEN Newsletter - 14 May

Calling all Scottish Social Enterprises. The 2024 Social Enterprise Census has launched! Take part in the survey and contribute to this vital source of knowledge about our sector.

Get involved here 

Social Enterprise News

• Renfrewshire Connect 2024 – Renfrewshire’s annual Business2Business event is taking place in Paisley Lagoon on 16 May.  Here’s the link for more information
• Just Enterprise will be delivering an online information session on Investment Readiness (11 June).  Click on the link for full details.

RenSEN In person Events

Come along for an evening of networking with other RenSEN members…don’t forget, Save The Date!

• Thursday 20 June – Venue TBC
• Thursday 29 August – Venue TBC
• Thursday 28 November – Venue TBC

Each RenSEN session commences at 6:30pm and concludes by 8:30pm.  RenSEN networking sessions are a great opportunity to connect with like-minded founders and leaders from social enterprises across Renfrewshire to share knowledge, experiences and learn more about support available to develop and grow your organisation.

Community Asset Transfer Information Session 

Want to learn more about Renfrewshire’s Community Asset Transfer Process? Engage Renfrewshire is hosting two information sessions on 15 May:

• Session 1 - Date : 15 May / Time: 2:00-4:00pm / Venue: Engage Renfrewshire offices, 10 Falcon Crescent Ferguslie Park Paisley PA3 1NS.  Email Iain Cunningham to book your place on the afternoon session
• Session 2 - Date: 15 May / Time: 6:30-8:30pm / Venue: The Wynd Centre, 6 School Wynd Paisley PA1 2DB – Email Iain Cunningham to book your place on the evening session

Sharing Success

Ferguslie Community Development Trust (FCDT) has reached another milestone.  The organisation’s bid to become a member of DTAS (Development Trusts Association Scotland) has now received approval. 

DTAS membership will enable FCDT to access further funding and development support, as the Board continues with its Community Asset Transfer bid for St Ninian’s Hall.

Dates for your Diary 

• 13 – 19 May - Mental Health Awareness Week The theme set by the Mental Health Foundation is “Movement: moving for our mental health.”
• 16 May – Feasibility (for Community Asset Transfer) – This free information webinar aims to provide community groups with the knowledge and practical skills required to explore the feasibility of engaging in Community Asset Transfer (delivered by Community Ownership Support Service (COSS)).
• 16 May – All-Energy 2024 – This two-day event at the SEC provides an opportunity to meet, network and make connections with the renewable energy community with two days of uninterrupted business. As part of the event there will be a ‘Community and Local Energy Show’ which is free to attend and will cover topics including community owned projects, decarbonising community buildings, and community owned generation.
• 23 May – Women Leaders’ Network event – for women leaders in the voluntary sector (ACOSVO)
• 28 May – SCVO are hosting a meet the funder session with The Bank of Scotland Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund
• 18 June – Funding for Business Growth Webinar- Just Enterprise and Impact Hub are co-hosting an online session to discuss funding for business growth
• 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 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’.

Social Enterprise Learning

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

Enhancing Digital Skills
21 May – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
21 May – Social media essentials: Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
29 May – Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
04 June – How to create engaging content (online / Business Gateway)
06 June – Unleash the power of ChatGP (online / Business Gateway)
10 June – AI for small business (online / Business Gateway)
18 June – Social Media Fundamentals (online / SCVO)
20 June – Comms and marketing made easy (online / SCVO)
24 June – Social media essentials: Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
24 June – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)

Governance & Leadership
15 May – Guide to good governance: Defining strategy (online / SCVO) Fees apply
22 May – Guide to good governance: Board and Staff Relationships (online / SCVO)  Fees apply
28 May – Introduction to being a Board member (online / Culture and Business Scotland) Fees apply
11 June - Strategic planning for social enterprises (online / Just Enterprise)
12 June – An introduction to business strategy (online / Business Gateway)

Social Enterprise Essentials
Commencing 21 May – Winning grants from trusts and foundations (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
29 May – Introduction to Safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
30 May – Climate Emergency Training (online / Keep Scotland Beautiful) Fees apply
Commencing 04 June – Introduction to project management (online / SCVO) Fess apply
Commencing 04 June – Developing a fundraising strategy (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
Commencing 04June – Creating a theory of change (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
Commencing 11 June – Introduction to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within charities (online / SCVO) Fees apply
Commencing 17 July – Creating a theory of change (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
Commencing 24 September – Winning grants from trusts and foundations (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
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

Volunteering
06 June – Meeting today’s volunteering challenges (online / SCVO) Fees apply

Business Planning
16 May – Introduction to business planning (online / Just Enterprise)
13 June - Introduction to business planning (online / Just Enterprise)
27 June – A step by step to building your business plan (online / Business Gateway)

Monitoring and Evaluation
21 and 28 May – Getting Started: Outcomes and Indicators (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
Commencing 23 May – Plan, measure and report social impact (online / SCVO) Fees apply
04 and 11 June – Evaluation Methods (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
10 June – Measuring Social Impact (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
11 June – Evaluating and demonstrating policy influence (online / SCVO) Fees apply
18 and 25 June – Reporting on Outcomes (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
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

Income Generation/Procurement
15 May – Government contracts revealed: Your introduction to government tenders (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs)
16 May – How to find and bid for contractors (online / Supplier Development Programme)
21 May – Getting your business tender ready (online / Supplier Development Programme)
29 May – Fundraising Matters: Getting Data Protection Right (online / Culture and Business Scotland) Fees apply
Commencing 04 June – Fundraising: Making Your Case (online / Culture and Business Scotland) Fees apply
Commencing 06 June – Sponsorship: Securing Corporate Partnerships (online / Culture and Business Scotland)  Fees apply
Commencing 10 June – Fundraising in difficult times (online / SCVO)
11 June – How to find and bid for opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)
Commencing 18 June – Legacy Giving (online / Culture and Business Scotland) Fees apply
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)
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)

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:

Carbon Reduction/Net Zero

• Approaches to carbon measurement – a learning spotlight / The National Lottery Community Fund
• Jargon buster – a useful glossary of terms originally developed for the Climate Action Fund
• Environmental Policy templates – Create your policy using this tool from Growing Climate Confident or visit Engage Renfrewshire’s toolkit here
• Generating evidence of socio-economic impact resulting from climate action – A learning spotlight / The National Lottery Community Fund
• Growing Climate Confident – Environmental policy template

Greenspaces

• A guide to monitoring health and wellbeing for community growing programmes – A learning insight from The National Lottery Community Fund

Working with Communities

• Community Ownership Hub – provides support to local communities interested in ownership of land and buildings