RenSEN Newsletter - 20 August

Social Enterprise News

• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (Just Enterprise)  – Commencing 02 October, this learning opportunity will be delivered over online 4 half-day sessions ‘with a different expert guest contributor at each session to ensure that you hear from a diverse range of perspectives, the programme aims to build awareness, confidence, knowledge, curiosity and peer support’.  Full details can be found here. 
• Circular Economy – Take a look at these online resources developed by Scotland’s Towns Partnership and Zero Waste Scotland: Kickstart your circular community  / 20 Ways to kickstart your circular community.  Read the findings from Zero Waste Scotland’s Circularity Living Tracker, and annual study to track shifts in attitudes, behaviours and barriers in all lifestyle areas relating to a circular economy.
• Promoting Your Events and Activities – Here’s a watch-again webinar from Third Sector Lab on how to promote your events and activities.

2024 Social Enterprise Census

Please complete the survey before Friday 6 September to get your voice heard.

The Social Enterprise Census is the Scottish Government's regular and comprehensive account of social enterprise activity in Scotland, including the scale, reach and contribution of the sector.

If your organisation has social or environmental goals and generates income through contracts or fees of any kind, then we want to hear from you. This could include things like running a business in your community generating energy, providing arts activities, running a hotel which provides housing, or delivering social care services.

Join thousands of others contributing to this important source of knowledge about the sector. Just click below to get started:

Social Enterprise Census 2024 Survey (research.net)

Dates for your diary 

• 28 August - Unlocking Procurement – Introduction to the Scottish Construction Sector – online information session hosted by Social Enterprise Scotland.  The session is designed ‘to help social enterprises explore procurement opportunities within Scotland’s Construction Sector (locally and nationally), and learn how to effectively integrate into construction supply chains’.
• 28 August - Application Workshop on for those interested in applying to this year’s Scottish EDGE Awards.  Full details can be found here and here (Social Enterprise EDGE award).
• 29 August – RenSEN In-person Network meeting commencing at 6:30pm (till 8:30pm) Venue - Students Union UWS, Storie Street, Paisley, PA1 2HB.
• 30 August – Introduction to maintaining traditional buildings (Scottish Lime Centre Trust / Fees apply) ‘This course is a must for anyone who owns or is responsible for a traditional building. Also suitable for homeowners’
• 19 September – Decision Science Masterclass (Edinburgh / Arts and Business Scotland / Fees apply) – ‘A powerful combination of behavioural economics, neuroscience and evolutionary psychology, decision science is a way of scientifically shaping your ideas and improving interactions with supporters, donors and customers for social good.’ 
• 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
22 August – Digital Marketing (online / Just Enterprise)
22 August – TikTok and Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
27 August – EVENING Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
27 August – Creating with CANVA for non-profits (Third Sector Lab)
28 August – How to develop a social media strategy – Designed for organisations using social media to promote Scottish history, heritage, archaeology, museums or archives
29 August – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
29 August – Social Media Essentials: Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
02 September – Why Your Business Needs a Blog (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)
03 September – Social Media Strategy for Impact and Engagement (Third Sector Lab)
05 September – Effective use of social media (online / Business Gateway)
06 September – What is Microsoft 365 and Are We Using Everything We Can? (Third Sector Lab)
09 September – How to Cultivate a Digital Culture (Third Sector Lab)
16 September – How to build a digital marketing plan (online / Business Gateway)
16 September – Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
17 September – AI for Business (online / Business Gateway)
18 September – Online selling (online / Just Enterprise)
19 September – Effective use of PR (online / Business Gateway)
20 September – Leadership Skills to Build a Digital Culture (Third Sector Lab)
27 September – Managing Tasks with Microsoft Planner (Third Sector Lab)
02 October – How Trustees can improve their organisation’s cyber resilience (online / SCVO)
31 October – AI for your social enterprise (online / Just Enterprise)
26 November – Digital Marketing (online / Just Enterprise)
13 February 2025 – Digital Marketing (online / Just Enterprise)

 
Governance & Leadership
22 August – How to identify and learn from mistakes (online / SCVO)
Commencing September – Aspiring and New Leaders (online and in-person (Glasgow) / Just Enterprise
02 September – Roles and responsibilities of Directors and Trustees (online / Just Enterprise)
12 September – Board Matters (online / Arts and Business Scotland / fees apply) webinar aimed at cultural sector organisations
17 September – Aspiring or New Leaders (in-person / Just Enterprise)
17 September – EVENING An Introduction to Business Strategy (online / Business Gateway)
24 September EVENING Strategic Planning for Social Enterprises (online 6pm-7:30pm / 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
19 November – Recruiting New Board Members (online / Just Enterprise)
17 December Strategic Planning for Social Enterprises (online / Just Enterprise) 
16 January 2025 – Aspiring or New Leaders (in-person / Just Enterprise)
27 January 2025 – Developing a coaching approach to leadership (online / Just Enterprise)


Social Enterprise Essentials
21 August – How To: Low Cost High Impact Marketing (online / Business Gateway)
09 September – Introduction to safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
11 September – Writing successful funding applications (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
11 September – EVENING How to Start a Business: The Basics (online / Business Gateway)
18 September – Social Business Modelling and Scaling (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
19 September – Effective Use of PR (online / Business Gateway Renfrewshire)
23 September – Bookkeeping Essentials (online / Business Gateway)
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
26 September – EVENING How To: Low Cost High Impact Marketing (online / Business Gateway)
27 September – EVENING How to Start a Business: The Basics (online / Business Gateway)
30 September – How to Build Your Brand (online / Business Gateway)
03 October – Disability Equality Training (Online / Arts and Business Scotland / 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
23 October – Writing successful funding applications (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
05 December – Comms and marketing made easy (online / SCVO) Fees apply


Premises and Facilities
30 August – Introduction to maintaining traditional buildings (Scottish Lime Centre Trust / Fees apply) ‘This course is a must for anyone who owns or is responsible for a traditional building. Also suitable for homeowners’


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
22 August – Building Your Business Plan: Step by Step (online / Business Gateway)
12 September – Business Planning (online / Business Gateway)
18 September – Social Business Modelling and Scaling (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs) Fees apply
19 September – Building Your Business Plan: Step by Step (online / Business Gateway)
08 October – Introduction to Business Planning (online / Just Enterprise)
16 January - Introduction to Business Planning (online / Just Enterprise)



Monitoring and Evaluation
05 September - Getting Started: Outcomes and Indicators (In-person, Glasgow / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
Commencing 17 September – Measuring Social Impact (online / Just Enterprise)
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

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 – 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)
18 September – Online selling (online / Just Enterprise)
25 September – Unlocking social investment (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs)
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)
05 November – Charitable Trading (online / Just Enterprise)
07 November - Unlocking social investment (online / School for Social Entrepreneurs)
21 November – Develop your fundraising skills (online / SCVO) Fees apply
03 December – Investment Readiness (online / Just Enterprise)
28 January 2025 – Charitable Trading (online / Just Enterprise)
04 February 2025 Introduction to social investment (online / Just Enterprise)
11 February 2025 – Establishing a trading subsidiary (online / Just Enterprise)
18 March 2025 – Funding business growth (online / Just Enterprise)