Case Studies

A social enterprise member visit to Move On Works

Innovative waste management and upcycling solutions.

A Move On Wood Recycling sales tag attached to a rounded wooden candle holder on a wooden shelf.

Move On Works offer a waste wood collection service across Edinburgh and the Lothians, collecting from small businesses and residential properties, right up to large construction sites on behalf of national and multinational building companies. The wood collected is taken to the workshop to be cleaned up and sorted to be sold as timber, or upcycled into quality furniture. They also use reclaimed timber to build, supply and fit larger scale projects for residential, commercial, and third sector projects.

The Community Learning Exchange deepened participants appreciation for the role of social enterprises in building resilient, sustainable, and thriving communities.  It brought together community activists, academics, practitioners and professionals to coalesce around making Granton a thriving place where people want to come live, work and be engaged members of their community.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learn about the role of social enterprises in community regeneration.
  • Understand sustainable business practices.
  • Explore innovative waste management and upcycling solutions through Move On Works’ waste wood collection and transformation services, promoting environmental sustainability and skills development.

Community Organisation:
Social Enterprise Scotland members

Exchange Host Partners:
Move On Works

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Social Enterprise Scotland

"The hands-on experience at Move On was incredibly inspiring. Their upcycling model, which transforms waste wood into quality furniture and construction materials, highlighted how circular economy practices can generate employment opportunities and reduce environmental impact. The visit reinforced my understanding of how waste management can evolve into a profitable, skills-driven initiative that benefits both people and the planet."

Case Studies

G3 Growers and Glasgow Community Food Network exchange

G3 Growers mission to cultivate a community of gardeners who come together to share and learn from each other.

A group of adults and children chatting inside a polytunnel.

Glasgow Community Food Network brings together practitioners and organisations in the private, public and 3rd sector to develop a flourishing food system in Glasgow. The exchange allowed the exploration of their approach for the benefit of local food growing networks and climate.

Learning Outcomes

  • Sharing food growing techniques
  • Gardening foundations targeted for new members around seasonality and soil
  • How to make the most of produce, fermentation, pickling and cooking with food waste.

Community Organisation:
G3 Growers

Exchange Host Partners:
Glasgow Community Food Network

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Communities Climate Action Network

"The exchange gave us a chance to learn about food growing techniques with local community gardens and an opportunity to learn from others to discover new methods of growing food. It was great to work together with people from the community and share ideas about how to grow and cook nutritious, healthy food."

Case Studies

Green Hive Nairn exchange visit on sustainable fashion

Zero waste fashion solutions!

People watching a fashion show with models lined up on a flight of stairs.

The exchange supported shared urban and rural approaches to recycled fabric projects.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learning from others about their journey in creating sustainable enterprises
  • Which products and services can be factored into social enterprise business planning to support a move towards zero waste
  • A more cohesive group of volunteers with a shared vision on a future waste marketing strategy for growth out with Nairn
  • A space of inspiration to see what can be achieved through increased connections.

Community Organisation:
Green Hive Nairn

Exchange Host Partners:
Psychomoda & Edinburgh Remakery

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Communities Climate Action Network

"The exchange meant 4 volunteers and 2 staff were able to learn first hand the work that goes into developing sustainable fashion and build new connections with sustainable designers. Our volunteers left Edinburgh filed with ideas, future projects and fully inspired for the next chapter of fabrics at Green Hive."

Case Studies

Inter network community energy exchange

Exploring innovative practices in hydrogen and smart grids!

A banner tried to a fence with the town of Stromness depicted in children's drawings.

Learning from Trusts at a similar stage – Point and Sandwick, Urras, Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, Barra and Vatersay Community Ltd.

Learning Outcomes

  • Connections with the Trusts
  • Gaining knowledge about community income distribution and the challenges associated with this
  • Meeting charity regulations and ensuring current processes are in place.

Community Organisation:
Community Energy Scotland members

Exchange Host Partners:
Development Trust Association Scotland members

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Community Energy Scotland

"We couldn't praise this fund enough - it really does bring people together and help groups have the confidence to overcome whatever issues they may be facing"

Case Studies

Sustainable Kirriemuir visit to Lauriston Farm

Food growing, biodiversity, community – how does this work in practice at Lauriston farm?

A small group of people standing on a grassy hill with their backs to the camera and a view of the sea in the distance.

Spent time learning how both organisations are increasing access to fresh affordable food through the Market Garden and other enterprises on the farm(s) and how they aim to support these projects financially moving forward.

Learning Outcomes

  • Look at different governance models such as cooperatives, CIC etc
  • Food Growing, Biodiversity, Community – how does this work in practice at Lauriston?  Land-based enterprises and Community, how does this work in practice? Mixing income generation with volunteering.Gather Market Garden (Lauriston) – A Community Supported Agriculture Scheme –  a quick intro into the structure, inputs, outputs and equitable access scheme
  • Funding & long-term sustainability
  • Mushroom Farming – an introduction!
  • Infrastructure, inputs, outputs, costs, benefits.

Community Organisation:
Sustainable Kirriemuir

Exchange Host Partners:
Lauriston farm & Rhyze Mushroom Co-op

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Community Climate Action Network

“We wanted to get inspiration, meet other people, visit their sites and hear what works and what doesn't. We wanted to learn from others in order to explore different working models for setting up our community farm and we did!”

Case Studies

Composting for Lochaber Environmental Group

To explore the composting support MICT has provided across Mull.

Large compost machine

To gain hands on experience with various composting systems, both powered and manual. Seeing these systems in action, and examining the compost produced, allowed for deeper learning on suitable solutions suitable to the area.

Learning Outcomes

  • To learn about a range of different composting vessels that have been used by MICT
  • How to support local compost initiatives
  • Information about what type of composters can be used in different situations.

Community Organisation:
Lochaber Environmental Group

Exchange Host Partners:
Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT)

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Circular Communities Scotland

“It was inspiring to see the amount and range of work that had been achieved in setting up the composting scheme in Mull. I really hope we can apply some of this to our community in Knoydart. I’m really grateful to Lesley for organising this learning exchange. The exchange was really successful.”

Case Studies

Churches Action for the Homeless at R:evolve

The operation very much relies on volunteers, the exchange helped explore opportunities and ways new premises could support their involvement.

a person in front a shelves with a range of items from glassware, vases and

To gain a broader understanding of the history and ethos of R:evolve enterprise and its links with the community.

Learning Outcomes

  • How links are forged with the community that go beyond financial gain to open up opportunities, connections knowledge and goodwill
  • Making best use of social media and how increase capacity around this
  • Ideas for displays in our projects and ideas for potential funders.

Community Organisation:
Churches Action for the Homeless (CATH)

Exchange Host Partners:
R:evolve

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Circular Communities Scotland

"At CATH we have a very strong volunteer involvement, but this could be increased and improved upon. We are looking at new premises which would see more of our projects being together under one roof and this visit really demonstrated the advantages of this and some ideas about the layout.”

Case Studies

Zero waste for people and planet

Looking at how to increase social enterprise impact not for profit model through zero waste for people and planet- refill not landfill!

a close up of bottles of seeds, oats, flour, rice and other unidentifiabl food items

Learning Outcomes

  • Increasing customer footfall
  • Deciding whether setting up supply arrangements with local businesses should be a key focus
  • Where to target time and investment

Community Organisation:
Kintyre Weigh

Exchange Host Partners:
Handam Refill Shop

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Inspiralba

“Our average spend per customer is the same as Handam, but their footfall is greater. We realised that working on setting up supply arrangements with local businesses will not be a s worth our time as just getting more regular customers.”

People watching a fashion show with models lined up on a flight of stairs.
A large group of people sitting outside a community building
four people with hi vis jackets on sitting on a wall in front a sign Culduthel Community Woods
A birds eye view of a community garden, with raised beds and polytunnels for food growing,

Case Studies

Eigg Electric and off grid communities

Off grid communities had a lot to share on how energy systems are managed.

picure loooking out of a boat with two orange life rings on the side and water and hills in the background

This include site visits to both the Knoydart hydropower system and the village substation, Millbrun Filed and observing the transformer data collection. Eigg Electric were able to share learning on the unique microgrid of wind, sun and hydro – the opportunities and challenges of this system.

Learning Outcomes

  • Learnings on the sustainable management of microgrid energy systems
  • Opportunities around training programs for operations teams, sharing resourcing and knowledge
  • Importance of retaining essential skills within remote communities
  • Overcoming challenges around specialist equipment and system nuances

Community Organisation:
Eigg Electric

Exchange Host Partners:
Knoydart Renewables

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Circular Communities

“The community learning exchange visit showcased exciting opportunities for future collaboration between Eigg Electric, Knoydart Renewables and their broader communities, highlighting the potential advantages of a wider micro-grid support network- the benefits of which would go beyond these 2 remote communities.”

Case Studies

Repair cafes and tool libraries

To provide a dynamic opportunity for members to learn first hand about repair cafes and tool libraries and discuss how this could work in the context of a Men’s Shed.

a close up of a boat in a workshop

Learning Outcomes

  • To see a small scale sawmill in operation for plans to incorporate into the organisation.
  • Hearing what other Sheds support mental health such as Tai Chi, cycling groups and a lunch shed.
  • How tool libraries items are logged and maintained.

Community Organisation:
Inverclyde Shed

Exchange Host Partners:
Menof Leith, Men’s Shed, The Heart of Newhaven, Edinburgh Tool Library

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA)

“The outcome of these visits are that Inverclyde Shed plans to launch a repair café and sawmill- utilising local wind-felled timber. No such services currently exist in Inverclyde so we hope to be able to start them to help the local economy and strengthen our sheds activities for men in the area.”