Dear ,

SENScot’s Community Wellbeing Exchange (CWE) has received additional funding from Scottish Community Alliance and will now provide 20 community organisations with £1000 each to buy in mental health & wellbeing activities and services from social enterprises from across Scotland. A Supplier Call Out has now been circulated for organisations who may be interested in providing such services and activities. The participating Sport SEN members are: Eat Sleep Ride CIC, Outfit Moray, Projekt42, Kanzen Karate, Coach My Sport and Newmilns Snow & Sports Complex. The remaining participating organisations will be selected by our partners, CHEX and Scottish Communities for Health & Wellbeing. Last year, over 50 organisations provided a range of services and activities to the 15 participating community organisations. At its heart, CWE is about communities helping other communities. If you would like to be added to the list of suppliers – please, email mary@senscot.net. NB: All activity will have to take place by the end of May 2022.

The Rural SE Hub, hosted by InspirAlba, has been part of a three-year collaboration with colleagues from Estonia, Finland, Germany and Romania. This collaboration – ViSEnet - aims to support the creation and development of community-based social enterprises in rural areas through designing a range of learning materials specifically targeted at these areas. The project partners have now jointly produced The Rural Social Enterprise Guidebook of Good Practice which focuses on three main elements: Community Involvement; Networking and Partnerships; and Social Enterprise Solutions. Together, the Guidebook offers practical guidelines and methods of establishing community-based social enterprises as well as tips on how to avoid some of the main pitfalls. See Press Release:

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In the autumn of 2020, SENScot initiated a ‘Community Tourism Pilot’, working with the communities of Brechin, in Angus, and Girvan, in South Ayrshire. Both communities would be supported in their work by Creetown Initiative Ltd – with the purpose of the pilot being to encourage local communities to take ownership of tourism in their area and explore better how it can be used as a tool for regeneration. Work is now well underway – with case studies to be published shortly. A further case study is also being produced about Creetown Initiative Ltd, telling the story of how they have supported the two areas. One example of the work that is ongoing has been Brechin’s investment in the Pictish Trail – with national media picking up on the creation of their new Pictish stones.

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Community Enterprise has been supporting social enterprises, community groups and other third sector organisations for over 30 years - working with hundreds, if not thousands, of organisations across the length and breadth of Scotland. They are now looking to commission an external review of their impact over the years. NB: it is not a review of internal systems, efficiency, admin or governance. They are keen to know how they are regarded externally and understand better the difference they have made over the years to clients and beneficiaries – including the key ingredients of any success as well as any other learning points. Closing date for tender submissions is Tuesday, 22^nd February 2022 – with final report to be completed by mid-June 2022. See Invitation to Tender document.

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‘Social investment’(SI) can divide opinion. It’s either seen as an integral part of growing our sector, or mainly a tool that benefits a very small number of organisations with the capacity to absorb significant investment and the ‘investors’ themselves. The Commission on Social Investment was established last year to investigate the current state of the SI market and how it could better serve social enterprises. Last week, they published their report – Reclaiming the Future - which calls for ‘comprehensive structural reform’ to the SI market. The report centres on 6 key findings – including the need to reform existing SI institutions; putting social enterprise at the heart of SI and moving away from expensive, secured, asset-based investment. All measures that most folk would welcome – with the approach in Scotland being singled out in the Report as something to learn from.

Tuesday – 1^st February – saw Glasgow Wood launch of its new website, including a new ‘identity’ and retail space. The new space - the re-modelled ‘Bay F’- now features all their indoor and outdoor stock products. As part of the launch week, a series of special promotions are available. You can see the latest updates via their social media channels – Facebook Instagram Twitter:

Edinburgh Community Food (ECF) runs a range of initiatives that seek to tackle health inequalities in low-income communities across the city. One of these is the Edinburgh Community Café Network whose members provide safe and inclusive local settings for vulnerable communities, offering ways to engage with and support those most in need. As part of this work, ECF will be running its Take 5 Access Programme over the coming months. The programme aims to reduce the risk of food insecurity, increase opportunities for healthier food, provide skills and resources to make use of healthier food and support people through signposting processes. If you are involved with a Community Café in Edinburgh and would like to know more, please contact Jo Howie at jo.howie@edinburghcommunityfood.org.uk :

Scotland’s Towns Partnership last week launched a new Town Toolkit resource that is aimed at helping town centres - including recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The Toolkit covers different topics which together can all contribute to Scotland’s big future challenges – the climate emergency, health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, inequalities and community empowerment.

Scottish Govt is running its Analytical Exchange Programme again this year. First run in 2012, the programme invites bids from third sector organisations for short, sharp projects (anything from an afternoon up to 10 person days) where statistical or analytical skills could make a difference to your organisation. The way this would work is individuals or small groups of analysts (one or two people) act as an analytical consultancy to solve problems in your organisation and would be delivered at no cost to you. If interested, Application Forms have to be submitted by email to chiefstatistician@gov.scot by Friday 4^th March 2022:

DTA Scotland (DTAS) is now advertising for a new Chief Executive. This key role will lead one of Scotland’s foremost community sector organisations – overseeing the promotion, support and representation of its ever-growing network of community-led organisations. Closing date is Friday, 25^th February 2022:

With various SEN meetings scheduled over the coming weeks, we’ll be listing core details – dates, times, guest speakers etc – to keep people up to date with what’s on and when

Thursday, 10^th February 2022 (2pm) – Social Investment Scotland (SIS) is hosting a webinar that will go into more detail on two new Funds at the end of the year: The Recovery & Resilience Fund – targeted at larger charities and social enterprises looking for low-cost, long-term capital to shore up their reserves; and the Social Enterprise Net Zero Transition Fund, which aims to help social sector organisations take their first step, or continue, their journey to net zero. See Registration Form:

Wednesday 23^rd February (10.30am) - Fair Work in Practice. This session, jointly hosted by SENScot and SCVO, is designed to learn about and share Fair Work practices that social enterprises and the wider third sector have implemented within their organisation.  Speakers will talk through the Fair Work practices they have embraced. Scottish Govt will also provide an update on the Fair Work Nation consultation, and the upcoming refresh of the Fair Work Action Plan. See link for more details and to book your place: