This week, Social Enterprise Network Scotland wrote to our First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and her 11 Cabinet Secretaries – sharing the findings of our recent SE Reset week – via this SE Reset Briefing Paper. Our letter seeks to begin an engagement with the Scottish Cabinet on how each of its respective ‘departments’ intends to support our social enterprise community in contributing towards our post-Covid recovery. It is generally accepted that the response within local communities has been one of the most striking elements to have emerged during this crisis – and has again demonstrated the true value of ‘localism in action’ – with community-based social enterprises providing crucial services and a lifeline within their respective communities. This contribution has also been acknowledged in this recent Scottish Govt Report – which highlighted our sector’s contribution to Scotland’s social capital and its critical importance in maintaining a level of community resilience at this time. It is our view that there has never been a more critical time to ensure that the central goal of economic recovery, and the various strategies that will deliver it, also delivers collective well-being and greater community resourcefulness. Such an approach will be essential in order to tackle the deep-rooted inequalities that this crisis has, if anything, exacerbated. We’ll keep you posted on our progress. 

Social Enterprise Network Scotland will be producing a weekly bulletin – SE Network News – going out each Thursday. As before, we will be seeking to cover news relevant to frontline social enterprises in Scotland; policy development; wider civil society matters; as well as observing development and news from other parts of the UK, Europe and further afield. For info on Social Enterprise Network Scotland, see overview of our proposed functions, aims and objectives – and organogram of our staffing structure. 

If you do not wish to continue to receive this weekly bulletin – please use link to unsubscribe. 

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Scottish Govt has announced that Neil McInroy, CEO of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) begins a part-time secondment with Scottish Government this week – to advance Community Wealth Building (CWB) in Scotland. This is encouraging news for communities across Scotland as our Govt appears to be acknowledging the critical role that communities have to play in local economic development. Many who attended our Conference in November 2019 will remember Neil as one of our keynote speakers. The CWB model is also currently being ‘piloted’ in North Ayrshire. We wish Neil well in his new role. 

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Another important role that will have a significant bearing on the social enterprise community in Scotland will be that of Director of Glasgow SEN – one of the longest established local SENs. The post is being advertised this week – following the departure of Elizabeth Docherty in March 2020. Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 28^th July 2020 at 5pm. See full application pack . 

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On the back of our own recent merger, this article by Alastair Keatings (Lindsays Solicitors), caught our attention. Not only does it anticipate mergers being a way for many organisations to survive post-Covid, he also suggests Scottish Govt will be under pressure to make the most effective use of public monies available. 

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Last week, a group of people engaged with our social enterprise community submitted this Open Letter to our First Minister. The group – made up of academics, business leaders, politicians and community leaders – calls for an economic stimulus in Scotland which genuinely places equality, community and wellness first. This means making a disproportionate investment in community, cooperative and social enterprises in redesigning Scotland’s economic stimulus as we all work together towards our post-Covid recovery. 

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Scottish Community Alliance’s (SCA) highly successful Community Learning Exchanges (CLEs) are available again – virtually. SCA has re-configured the programme to allow community groups to deliver their knowledge and expertise remotely to other community organisations without, they hope, losing the invaluable face-to-face element of the CLE. See further details including guidance and application form. 

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Glasgow Caley’s Yunus Centre is currently celebrating their 10^th anniversary – which includes a week-long series of events. This video (30 mins) – giving background and context – also looks at their plans for the future. We’d like to pass on our congratulations – as well as passing on our best wishes for the next 10 years. 

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Frontline News: A free school uniform service has been established in Glasgow to provide extra support during COVID19. The collaboration includes Glasgow SEN member, ApparelXchange and others: 

Cultural SEN members will be encouraged by the announcement of the forthcoming Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund (£10m) to help venues who cannot yet reopen to their audiences due to the ongoing crisis: 

Also, see latest Cultural SEN Newsletter:  

Employability SEN Newsletter is also now available – and includes details on up-and coming Thematic SEN meetings – plus the Employability SEN meeting itself on Tuesday 21st July (11am). All meetings via Zoom: 

‘Supporting staff mental health & wellbeing’  – a Joint Thematic SEN session – will take place next Friday 17^th July (1.30pm) Speakers include Jonny Kinross (Grassmarket Community Project) and Helena MacLeod (Bridge A Gap). See link for details and, to sign up, contact jude@senscot.net 

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SEN Spotlight:  Today, SEN Spotlight looks at our Sport SEN – made up of over 100 organisations delivering sport and physical activity within local communities across Scotland. Active since 2010, the Sport SEN seeks to facilitate peer support, networking and learning & development opportunities for organisations that are seeking to be both financially sustainable as well as using sport as the tool to address an identified social need – within their community. This approach is very much in line with the global Sport for Development approach where sport is used intentionally to bring about positive social change and the ‘Changing Lives Through Sport and Physical Activity‘ programme of funding and support in Scotland.   

Over the coming months, we intend to work towards growing and developing the Sport SEN whilst continuing to raise the profile of Sport Social Enterprises and highlighting the excellent work that they do.  Click here to see the list of existing members, a range of relevant documents, and current funding and support information.  See latest Sport SEN newsletter – and for more info – contact jude@senscot.net