Case Studies

Community Land Scotland multiple member exchange

Community owned housing and engagement in planning how to build networks of support.

A small group of people standing smiling around a welcome sign to Eigg and a renewable energy sign with wind turbines.

The exchange supported CLS members achieve improved understanding of established community ownership projects for early stage groups.

Learning Outcomes

  • Engagement early on with planning processes and consideration around sub-structure requirements/connections to services
  • How to plan for hidden or unknown costs such as legal and additional survey fee
  • Connections/new networks with people who have expertise for future projects.

Community Organisation:
Lismore Community Trust, Colonsay Community Development Trust, Sanquhar Enterprise Company, Stow Community Trust, Gatehouse Development Initiative, Tayvallich Initiative, Tiree Community Development Trust

Exchange Host Partners:
Knoydart Foundation, Isle of Eigg heritage Trust, Arisaig Community Trust

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Community Land Scotland

"Key to us was learning around similar challenges faced in other places, the time it takes and that ongoing support funding for asset management is needed in most places- ways to structure organisations, new ideas and things to aim for!"

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

Afghan Community Group Inverness

Sharing culture through food and welcoming community spaces.

A group of people standing outside a community building holding gardening tools.

This exchange was to support the sharing of culture through food and to learn about how other community group support diverse cultures in their community through welcoming spaces.

Learning Outcomes

  • The Afghan community of Inverness has been trying for the best part of a year to set up their own cultural association and take on a space which will enable them to offer support to the growing, but very new, Afghan community in Highland.
  • SHIMCA have helped countless local orgs to find their feet by offering them space to start their ideas, and advice on how to go it alone!
  • This learning exchange will help to get the Afghan community the experience and support they need to support themselves beyond the extent of the resettlement scheme run by the government which currently support them.

Community Organisation:
Afghan Community Group

Exchange Host Partners:
Scottish Highlands and Islands Moray Chinese Association (SHIMCA)

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
TSI Network

“The creation of the Afghan Community Group is a significant milestone in our collective efforts to promote inclusivity, empowerment, and cultural diversity. This group offers a space for Afghan individuals and families in Inverness to unite, share their experiences, and contribute to our vibrant community.”

Case Studies

SEAChange visit to Culduthel Community Woods

How to navigate current challenges collectively for the benefit of local woodlands.

four people with hi vis jackets on sitting on a wall in front a sign Culduthel Community Woods

The purpose of the exchange was to give insight on how to navigate funding, planning and council demands whilst balancing the optimum benefits for the community.

Learning Outcomes

  • Ideas on how to develop and manage our forest
  • Support biodiversity and regeneration
  • Gain informative and helpful ideas to balance community access, pathways and forest health

Community Organisation:
SEAChange

Exchange Host Partners:
Culduthel Community Woods

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Community Woodland Association

“This exchange was wonderfully prepared and left all in attendance inspired and energised as to the joy, community engagement and, critically, the engagement with nature that a community forest can off”

Case Studies

Public Interest News Foundation local partners

To gain a better understanding of the common thread in what the partners do

a group of twelve people standing outside the gates of a park, facing and listening to a person.

The exchange gave an understanding of what is understood as ‘public interest news’ and how to articulate it to funders, regulators, government and policy makers.

Learning Outcomes

  • How the Graeter Govanhill Newsroom allows diverse communities to access information, and the challenges faced in running the organisation, especially when it comes to generating funding and covering ongoing expenses.
  • Explore potential research projects that include measuring the impact and value of indie news and a deep dive into what drives sustainability.
  • Learn about the way in which members of the community who have no prior engagement with journalists are able to interact with them for the first time

Community Organisation:
Public Interest News Foundation

Exchange Host Partners:
Greater Govanhill Magazine

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
The Scottish Beacon

“The Independent News Forum was a very successful exchange and funding from the Scottish Community Alliance made it possible for 9 Scottish Beacon members to attend. This allowed them to share their experiences with the wider community of independent news providers in and build resilience to meet the challenges of working in the industry.”

Case Studies

Friends of Glenan Wood

A collective Community Woodland Association exchange visit.

A carved wooden bench

Dunain Community Woodland take pride in their custodianship of the hillside with both their practical work but also with making the historical legacy visible and engaging to their guests.

 

Learning Outcomes

  • How cultural/archaeological elements have been celebrated and preserved
  • Volunteering group constitution and successes
  • Dialogue with landowner and navigation of liabilities.

Community Organisation:
Friends of Glenan Wood

Exchange Host Partners:
Dunian Community Woodland

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Community Woodland Association

“Whilst there was some (limited) interpretation signage, what was most striking was the animate nature and depth of oral history that was at play here by the organisation."

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

Community transport approaches

To learn from one of the most experienced community transport networks in South Ayrshire to sustain our local activities in the South West.

a person stepping onto a community transport bus

This exchange was primarily about community transport processes in taking bookings, recruitment of staff and volunteers. How to source different streams of funding was also part of the learning in order to sustain local activities.

Learning Outcomes

  • Improved understanding of supporting the wellbeing of volunteers for sustainable recruitment
  • Sourcing funding partnerships and pathways
  • Improve service delivery and increase effectiveness of operations

Community Organisation:
South West Community Transport

Exchange Host Partners:
South Ayrshire Community Transport

SCA Endorsing Network Member:
Community Transport Association

“We learned a lot from our visit – with extra understanding on ways to join up our strategic approaches to non-emergency patient transport.”