If your group is working to improve public services, it may help to know about human learning systems, an alternative approach to public management which embraces the complexity of the real world, and enables us to work effectively in that complexity.
Read MoreOpen Data Scotland acts as a central hub for finding open data from all around Scotland, including in your local area. From here you can find local data relating to everything from more important issues such as air quality management and community council boundaries to the more trivial such as baby first names.
Read MoreCommunity mediation is a way of resolving disputes between those who live in the same area or neighbourhood, whether between neighbours, different groups of people or whole areas.
Read MoreThe SIMD is a way of helping understand and find which areas in Scotland are ‘deprived’. It could be useful if you want to understand more about the profile of neighbourhoods in your area and where services could be targeted, or if you need to show data relating to poverty and inequality in your community, such as for a funding application.
Read MoreThe CHEX briefing puts the onus on statutory organisations and funders to unravel their old ways of working with and thinking about evidence so that they can make better use of evidence from communities and third sector and community organisations. It contains some mini case studies and could be useful for community groups thinking about how they evidence their own work.
Read MoreA membership organisation which represents the views of disabled people and disability groups/organisations, as well as the umbrella organisation for disability Access Panels in Scotland, which are groups of disabled volunteers who work together to improve physical access and wider social inclusion in their local communities.
Read MoreMaking Rights Real is a grassroots human rights organisation that supports communities to name and claim their rights.
Read MoreCommunities Channel Scotland is starting to compile examples of the essential support community organisations are providing to people during the cost of living crisis.
Read MoreThis Scottish Government website has links to guidance and support for energy and bills, benefits and income, children and families, debt and money, health and wellbeing and older or disabled people.
Read MoreSURF provides a network, shared learning, events and online resources for community regeneration in Scotland. Their website contains useful information on Covid-19, the cost of living, 20-minute neighbourhoods, community wealth building and more.
Read MoreThe Hub of Hope is a UK-wide database of local mental health support including support provided by community groups and charities.
Read MoreDeveloped by the Innovation School at Glasgow School of Art, toolbox uses participatory design methods to help community groups think about and use participation requests to influence public services.
Read MoreAs well as providing links to your local citizens advice bureau, citizens advice scotland offer advice on their website relating to a range of issues, including welfare, financial hardship and other issues.
Read MoreLaunched by the Poverty Allliance in 2013, Challenge Poverty Week is an opportunity for us to raise our voices against poverty and unite with others in calling for a just and equal Scotland.
Read MoreThis guide from CILIP gives practical suggestions for setting up a warm space as well as links to further resources.
Read MoreThe JRF website is a useful place to go for information and policy thinking in relation to poverty, inequality, universal credit and welfare, work and pay, housing and a range of other issues. Any group campaigning around these issues should check the website out.
Read MoreScottish Rural Action is a platform for rural and island Scotland and works with members and partners to build a rural movement connecting rural communities with each other and with policticians and decision-makers. Amongst many other things, the SRA delivers the biennial Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament
Read MoreThrough the Ideas Fund, community groups can apply for Community Grants to work with researchers to explore issues important to them.
Read MoreThe Social Impact Pledge is about simple ways that public bodies can make a difference to communities. Here are some pledges made by public bodies that make commitments to supporting community groups, through volunteering, providing use of facilities and so on.
Read MoreThe Rural Exchange provides information for, and gathers the views of, people living and working across Scotland’s rural and island communities with the aim of increasing their voice in both research and policy-making.
Read More
