RenSEN Newsletter - 25 March

Social Enterprise News

• Trustee / Director Responsibilities – This watch-again webinar from Just Enterprise covers key points of director/trustee responsibilities.
• My Community – Take a look at this watch again webinar on hiring out your community facility - Renting your space for the benefit of your community - MyCommunity
• Free social impact training / Thrive – ‘The Thrive Learning Programme helps practitioners understand more about how to use physical activity or sport to achieve a range of outcomes. All aspects of the programme are currently FREE to those in Scotland.  Click on the link to find out more.
• Firstport Step Up – This programme offers 0% loans of between £5k to £30k, repayable within two to five years. The programme is aimed at social enterprises that want to repeat or scale activities that are helping their businesses grow.  Find out more via the link.

RenSEN Spotlight - AI 

Last week’s RenSEN meeting highlighted an interest in how AI can improve organisational efficiency. Want learn more? Check out these (free) upcoming workshops:

• 31 March – Implementing AI in your workplace (online / Just Enterprise)
• 03 April – Introduction to AI for small business (online / Business Gateway)
• 01 May – Getting started with AI (online / Third Sector Lab)
• 13 May – AI in the workplace (online / Just Enterprise)

Dates for your Diary 

• Firstport Grant / Build It – Online info sessions are scheduled for:  15 April 2025 / 22 April 2025
• Firstport Grant / Start It – Online surgeries to answer your questions about Firstport’s Start It programme.  Surgery date:  08 April 2025
• Research Conference: Perspectives on Scotland’s third sector impact 11 June 2025/University of Glasgow - A free interactive facilitated event promoting dialogue between academics and voluntary sector practitioners, policy makers and other stakeholders from a broad range of third sector organisations.

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

 All courses are free unless stated otherwise

Enhancing Digital Skills
27 March – How to build your brand (online / Business Gateway)
28 March – Tiktok and Instagram Reels (online / Business Gateway)
31 March – Implementing AI in your workplace (online / Just Enterprise)
01 April – Introduction to business websites (online / Business Gateway)
03 April – Introduction to AI for small business (online / Business Gateway)
04 April – Must-knows about websites (online / Third Sector Lab)
14 April – How to create engaging content (online / Business Gateway)
18 April – Introduction to CANVA (online / Business Gateway
24 April – Social media essentials: Instagram (online / Business Gateway)
28 April – Social media essentials: Facebook (online / Business Gateway)
29 April – Digital Marketing (online / Just Enterprise)
01 May – Getting started with AI (online / Third Sector Lab)
13 May – AI in the workplace (online / Just Enterprise)
03 June – Digital wellbeing in the workplace (online / SCVO)
10 June – Making online meetings better (online / SCVO)
17 June – Managing digital change (online / SCVO)
 
Governance & Leadership
08 April – Introduction to business strategy (online / Business Gateway)
24 April – Introduction to GDPR (online / SCVO) Fees apply
24 April – Women in Business Renfrewshire (in-person / Business Gateway)
24 April – Strategic Planning for Social Enterprise (online / Just Enterprise)
13 May – Running effective board meetings (online / SCVO) Fees apply
20 May – Good governance: Defining strategy, culture and values (online / SCVO) Fees apply
27 May – Board and staff relationships (online / SCVO) Fees apply
29 May – Women in Business Renfrewshire (online / Business Gateway)
03 June – Strategic Planning for Social Enterprise (online / Just Enterprise)
05 June – Introduction to safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
19 June – Women in Business Renfrewshire (online / Business Gateway)
 
Facilities Management
Community Ownership Support Service – online resources for Facilities Management, including The Community Hub Handbook  

Social Enterprise Essentials
26 March – Low cost high impact marketing (online /Business Gateway)
27 March – How to build your brand (online / Business Gateway)
31 March – Budgeting for your organisation (online / Just Enterprise)
01 April – Digital Marketing Plans (online / Business Gateway)
02 April – How to build your brand (online / Business Gateway)
09 April – Charting your organisation’s journey to net zero (online / SCVO)
22 April – How to plan and schedule online content (online / Business Gateway)
24 April – How to write funding applications (online / Business Gateway)
30 April – Effective minute taking (online / SCVO) Fees apply
07 May – Plan, measure and report social impact (online / SCVO) Fees apply
08 May – Annual accounting governance and reporting (online / SCVO) Fees apply
05 June – Introduction to safeguarding (online / SCVO) Fees apply
17 June – Funding business growth (online / Just Enterprise)
Watch-again webinar – Start up social enterprises: What policies do you need?
 
Volunteering
Volunteer Scotland - Find links to online training here
 
Business Planning
09 April – Business Planning Renfrewshire (online / Business Gateway)
16 April – Business Planning step by step (online / Business Gateway)
15 May – Introduction to business planning (online / Just Enterprise)
 
Monitoring and Evaluation
30 April – Let’s Evaluate Workshop#1 (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
14 May – Let’s Evaluate Workshop#2 (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
28 May – Let’s Evaluate (Workshop#3 (online / Evaluation Support Scotland) Fees apply
 
Income Generation / Procurement
17 April – Working with the public sector all you need to know (online / Supplier Development Programme)
22 April – Charitable Trading (online / Just Enterprise)
24 April – Using PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) and finding opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)
29 April – Getting tender ready (online / Supplier Development Scotland)
30 April – Delivering profit to drive growth (online / Business Gateway)
08 May – Planning your bid (online / Supplier Development Scotland)
25 June – Using PCS (Public Contracts Scotland) and finding opportunities (online / Supplier Development Programme)

 

Community Benefit Offer

Don’t miss this opportunity for your organisation to benefit from Proludic financial community benefit of £1500.00
 
Please complete the attached application form, and return it by; close of play, Friday 28 March.  By email to: icunningham@engagerenfrewshire.com 
 
I will forward the first 12 completed applications to Proludic, who will then make a decision regarding who they wish to support.