Case Studies

FEL Scotland Climate Action community group exchange

Sharing climate mitigation and adaptation practices

The banks of the River Goil on a bright day.

This exchange explored how to build and create habitats to replicate in other areas of work. It highlighted the need for adaptation practices such as river revetments along banks to help with bank erosion, including native tree planting and green revetments methods, which has led to an increase in the salmon and trout population over the last few years.

Learning Outcomes

  • Identification of local areas that require assistance with flood management – local flood resilience group able to identify areas that natural flooding techniques could be replicated, especially burn flow coming off the Ochil Hills
  • Identify need for training or assistance in setting up flood management systems in local area, possible funding to help manage this and organisation who are able to help – problem identified by local council about funding natural technique projects. This is where charity organisations such as Forth Rivers Trust come in. Charites should be able to supplement council work
  • Education on nature based solutions for flood management that increases biodiversity – Houses at Pool of Muckhart have had flooding problems for a long time. The FRT project has changes the path of water flow from the hill, slowed it down and created a pond space for it to flow into. this stops the houses from being flooded and creates a microclimate at the bottom of the Ochil Hills. Natural techniques used include: overflow channels, scrapes, living willow leaky dams.

Community Organisation:
Forth Rivers trust, Clackmannanshire Council, Aberfoyle Community Trust, Lochgoil Community Development Trust, local flood resilience groups

Exchange Host Partners:
Forth Rivers Trust & Lochgoil Community Development Trust

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Communities Climate Action Network

"Continuation of River Goil as well as other locations within the local area require funding and keen volunteers to continue the work!"

Case Studies

Screen Argyll exchange visit to Dunoon

Making enterprising connections in cinema venues

A balcony view showing people standing chatting on the theatre floor, with a stage set up in the background,

Dunoon Burgh Hall trust is a community lead cultural charity that runs a large community venue, delivering multi arts program of events and activities for local people and visitors to the area. Dunoon Burgh Trust has developed and delivered the Dunoon film festival as a central part of this program over nine additions to 2023 over this time the local audience for independent film has grown. Dunoon Burgh hall want to develop their film festival and a year round film offer including establishing a family programme. They are an organisation that we know through regional conversations. They want to show us their venue, and also the Studio Cinema and Dunoon, share ideas on programming and share what they do in their venue.

Some things that have gone well across the network:

Heritage screenings /Local archive film /Cult films with events / Local film club: programming their own films / Youth film clubs (i.e. Into Film Club in Tiree)/ Screenings for young audiences

Learning Outcomes

  • Programming for Young Audiences – Invited some other community cinemas in our area to join, including Campbeltown Picture House, to hear about their Can Film Festival, the Pyramid to hear about their work with young audiences
  • Making venues accessible on a small budget – Dunoon Burgh hall on their Dementia Screenings and sharing results of an access report done for our festival and how it can be used by other venues
  • Audience Development for Film in our region – Shared our resources for working with younger audiences, including voluntary run community cinemas joined us. The day provided a chance for peer to peer learning, to share what how to show films to rural communities and learn what support is required.

Community Organisation:
Screen Argyll

Exchange Host Partners:
Dunoon Burgh Hall

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Inspiralba

"The main issue for everyone is attendance and the cost of heating halls. Mark from the Studio Cinema in Dunoon shared the issues that they are facing as a full-time cinema with staff to pay and the awareness campaign that they are starting, to encourage audiences to use the cinema. Various options were discussed, including diversifying programmes and creating an Argyll wide campaign to tell the story of the brilliant cinemas and film activity that we have going on here."

Case Studies

Exchange visit to Out of the Blue Drill Hall

Celebrating 30 Years!

A group of people smiling on a mezzanine level, with the lower floor and art spaces in the distance.

Since 2004, this historic venue has served as the beating heart of Out of the Blue, deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Leith with its rich historical significance. Thanks to careful and sustainable restoration, this former military building has been reimagined as a dynamic arts and cultural centre. It now features artists’ studios, rehearsal and performance spaces, exhibition areas, and a popular café, offering a welcoming environment where contemporary arts thrive. Visitors can experience a vibrant mix of creative innovation, enjoy the unique atmosphere, and connect with others through art, conversation, and food.

As part of the exchange, we also visited Out of the Blueprint, a thriving social enterprise. This creative hub blends print production for trade with workshops, training, and artistic projects, supporting exhibitions and publications—a truly inspiring fusion of creativity and commerce.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understanding Cultural Preservation and Regeneration: Learn how historical buildings like the Drill Hall can be sustainably restored and repurposed into thriving contemporary arts and community hubs, maintaining their cultural significance.
  • Exploring Creative Social Enterprises: Gain insight into how Out of the Blueprint successfully integrates print production, workshops, and creative training to support both local artists and commercial ventures.
  • Appreciating Community-Driven Arts Initiatives: Discover the role of Out of the Blue Drill Hall as a participatory and inclusive space that fosters artistic expression, collaboration, and engagement within the Leith community.

Community Organisation:
Social Enterprise Scotland members

Exchange Host Partners:
Out of the Blue Drill Hall

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Social Enterprise Scotland

"The Out of the Blue Drill Hall serves as a vibrant, community-centre hub in Leith, dedicated to fostering artistic expression, collaboration, and social engagement. Its participatory approach ensures that the space remains inclusive and accessible to all, reflecting the diverse needs and voices of the community. We got the feel while on the exchange that the Hall served as a safe and judgement-free space for artists and creatives to manage their own time and create work that improves the area they live in."

Case Studies

Clackmannanshire Community Wealth Building Partnerships

A Community Wealth Building Approach to a Wellbeing Economy

A piece of flip chat paper at an angle with numerous yellow post-its stuck to it showing people's ideas written in black pen.

This Community Learning Experience (CLE) delved into the practical application of community wealth building in Clackmannanshire, one of Scotland’s pioneering regions and one of the five pilot areas selected by the Scottish Government.

Clackmannanshire Council recognises that achieving their ambitious, long-term goals requires collaboration. The council, together with the Clackmannanshire Planning Partnership (Clackmannanshire Alliance), is committed to a shared vision as outlined in the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan. This plan seeks to address the inequalities that have arisen in Clackmannanshire due to poverty and socio-economic challenges, with the active participation of all community members, organisations, and institutions.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understanding Community Wealth Building (CWB) in Clackmannanshire: Clackmannanshire has embraced CWB as a strategy to develop an inclusive economy rooted in public values. The region has implemented 21 actions, across five key pillars plus an additional geographic pillar, to address local socio-economic challenges. The strategy is focused on strengthening local suppliers, improving employment practices, and fostering local partnerships​.
  • Community Assets and Ownership: Clackmannanshire’s approach to tackling socio-economic issues includes advancing community ownership of key sites like the Tullibody Civic Centre and Community Garden. These assets serve as examples of how plural ownership and active community involvement are central to the area’s efforts to address inequalities​.
  • Gender Justice in Business: In Clackmannanshire, the focus on gender justice is reflected in efforts to create equitable work environments. Initiatives like the Good Employer Charter and collaborations through the Clackmannanshire Anchor Partnership aim to ensure fairness in both the workplace and business sectors, promoting empowerment for women in local enterprises​.

Community Organisation:
Social Enterprise Scotland members

Exchange Host Partners:
Alloa Hub, Tullibody Civic Centre & Community Garden, Ceteris

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Social Enterprise Scotland

"The visit to Clackmannanshire was truly inspiring, offering a first-hand look at community wealth building (CWB) in practice. A key takeaway was the critical role of collaboration and partnership working across the public, private, and third sectors. It was clear that these sectors are coming together with a shared purpose to enhance the local area, tackle inequalities, and create a more inclusive economy. The collective efforts and integrated approach demonstrated how cooperation can drive tangible change, benefiting the entire community."

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

The Maid of the Loch maritime exchange

Fairfield is a community museum dedicated to telling the story of Govan’s role in world ship building.

Three men chatting inside a ships engine room.

Loch Lomond Steam Ship Company, better known as Paddle Steamer Maid of the Loch is run entirely by volunteers. This exchange gave an opportunity to expand  thinking on what to offer and how to further support valued volunteers.

Learning Outcomes

  • Share learning with Fairfield volunteers on how they operate their guided tours
  • Explore topic featured at Fairfield to support Maid volunteers with co-curating maritime & industrial collections
  • Collaborate around outcomes for the health and wellbeing of volunteers.

Community Organisation:
The Loch Lomond Steamship Company

Exchange Host Partners:
Fairfield Museum Govan

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing

"Both community museums have a shared interest and history- the exchange was a great opportunity to share that. I served as an apprentice here, and other volunteers has parents and grandparents who were employed in shipbuilding at Fairfield."

Case Studies

Stow Community Trust and Scottish Borders exchange

Local people supporting development assets for the common good.

A small of group of people listening to a a man talking outside of an old train station house.

The exchange was so helpful in allowing time and space to ask questions and identify areas for collaboration for future partnership working.

Learning Outcomes

  • Neighbouring development trusts to share learning, build partnerships and identify areas of collaboration
  • Development Trusts to visit community projects and benefit from learning about mutual challenges
  • To plan for the future in the wake of Covid, build resilience and solidarity via common goals.

Community Organisation:
Stow Community Trust

Exchange Host Partners:
Scottish Borders Development Trusts

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Development Trust Association Scotland

"Many neighbouring organisations didn't know a lot about what each other do, so this was a catalyst to help us work together and feel more confident about contacting one another in future."

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

Cromarty Development Trust exchange visit to Loch Ewe Action Forum

Community plans and engagement.

A large group of people sitting outside a community building

The exchange supported to scope the breadth, diversity, growth through learning about the range of GALEs projects/work/remit – including operation and resourcing of community buildings and assets.

Learning Outcomes

  • Community plan and engagement – identifying how GALE’s community plan/work has previously impacted on the community and the ways the community were involved in the journey
  • Gaining a better understanding of succession and business planning
  • Hearing about the harsh realities and barriers faced.

Community Organisation:
Cromarty Community Development Trust

Exchange Host Partners:
Loch Ewe Action Forum (GALE)

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Development trust Association Scotland

"A hugely informative and useful day. Learning and exchanging with GALE saved us months of research and reading and has allowed us to get clear about what's possible for us as a Trust, as well as where we need to focus our strategic priorities."