SURF's November e-bulletin: All the latest news

SURF Research on barriers to community-owned energy projects in Scotland

SURF has had the pleasure of working with Kiera Dignan, a student on the University of Edinburgh’s MSc in ‘Global Environment, Politics and Society’.

Kiera has been on a dissertation placement researching barriers to community owned energy projects in Scotland. SURF introduced Kiera to our members who she surveyed and subsequently interviewed on knowledge of, and participation in, the heat decarbonisation agenda. 

The key themes identified as barriers to community-level energy participation are: ‘Funding’, ‘Capacity’, ‘Community Engagement’, ‘Communication’, and ‘Divergence: Urban and Rural Challenges’. Read more on our website.

Over the last couple of months, SURF have been involved in a number of partner discussions, and engaged with SURF members, around the cost of living crisis. 

One issue that was highlighted was a lack of knowledge around what services were available in communities and what resources and funding was available to grassroots organisations. 

For the past few weeks SURF have put together a cost of living bulletin to highlight the work going on in communities throughout Scotland, and also funding and resources available to help sustain these services.

You can read previous copies HERE

If you are running a service, providing or highlighting resources or delivering funding please get in touch, providing at least 300 words on what you are doing/providing, and we will feature you in a special bulletin. 

Please email emma@surf.scot with any contributions or queries. 

Alan Leslie summarises the key points from SURF’s conference but notes a trend that could be seen as a return to a top-down approach and calls for investment in community development.

There’s a lot of reading in Community Wealth Building (CWB) and Levelling Up, as each paragraph draws you inexorably into the Wellbeing Economy, Inclusive Growth, Progressive Procurement, The Preston & Cleveland Models and much more. Before you know it, you’re half way to a Masters degree. But, as Martin Avila noted wryly on the day, this is information we all need to populate our funding applications, so this conference was timely – and merciful, sparing us from having to navigate the more tortuous explanatory texts.

In the morning session, devoted to CWB, after a useful summary of the government position from Tom Arthur, we were treated to some illuminating thoughts from Martin Avila (CEIS), followed by some helpful “real world” examples. 

Read More

• Cost of living & the #RunningCostsCrisis (link);
• Fair funding: It's time to abandon the spin (link);
• Nationwide equity assessment of the 20-min neighbourhood in the Scottish context: A socio-spatial proximity analysis of residential locations (link);
• Langholm Moor buyout completion called a moment of history (link);
• Event - Lessons & Learning from the Gaelic Communities Fund (link);
• Event - Nourish Scotland Event Series (link);
• Making Community Events Greener (link);
• National Emergencies Trust to pilot disaster fundraising programme with local community networks (link);
• Vacancy - Young Quines Emerging Creative Practitioner at Stellar Quines (link);
• Anxious wait for Wanlockhead village land buyout hopes (link);
• Tackling racism in Scotland (link);
• Event - SCVO AGM (link);
• Responding to immediate need (link);
• Health Inequalities in Scotland: Trends in the socio-economic determinants of health in Scotland (link);
• 100 charities, economists, businesses and unions call for urgent transition to a Wellbeing Economy (link);
• Do creative industries generate multiplier effects? Evidence from UK cities 1997-2018 (link);
• Glassmaking in Scotland facing a fragile future, businesses warn (link);
• Urban planning is now on the front line of the climate crisis. This is what it means for our cities and towns (link);
• Appointment of new Chair and Trustees at Arts & Business Scotland (link);
• Consultation - Fair Work in the Voluntary Sector Survey (link);
• Winter and the Cost of Living (link);
• Four community organisations share £63,000 thanks to Clashindarroch Wind Farm Community Fund (link);
• Glasgow prioritises office-to-residential conversions to kickstart a struggling core (link);
• “It’s hard work being poor” Women’s Experiences of the Cost-of-Living Crisis in Scotland (link);
• Funding - Youth Link Scotland Funding Directory (link);
• Emergency budget response - SCVO letter to Deputy First Minister (link);
• It's time to make the real Living Wage a reality for Scotland's voluntary sector workforce (link);
• Vacancy - Assistant Fèis Coordinator at Fèis Phàislig (link);
• Vacancy - Museums, Galleries & Archives Team Leader at Angus Alive (link);
• Vacancy - Marketing Assistant at The Stove Network (link);
• Get with the plan - parliamentary inquiry into community planning (link);
• Tender - Digital Planning Good Practice Portal (link);
• Culture Counts has established two Scottish Parliament Cross-party groups (CPGs) for 2021-26 (link);
• Grow Food, Grow Dunoon - Locally Produced Film shows the story so far (link);
• Funding - 'Surviving to Thriving' Business Support Programme - APPLY NOW FOR 2023! (link);
• First community housing guide launched in Scotland (link);
• Consultation - Community Planning inquiry (link);
• Collectively we will make the difference that’s needed (link);
• Funding - The Listening Fund Scotland (link);
• A roadmap to decarbonisation (link);
• RTPI Scotland Response to Revised Draft National Planning Framework 4 (link);
• BEFS Policy Spotlight: Revised Draft National Planning Framework 4 – in brief! (link);
• Culture Counts response to the new National Planning Framework 4 draft (link);
• Pre-Budget Scrutiny 2023-24: Scotland's Public Finances in 2023-24 and the Impact of the Cost of Living and Public Service Reform (link);
• Making data work (link);
• Bernera buyout bid "cannot wait" (link); 
• Funding - Funding for self-build homes (link);
• New help announced for communities to register an interest in buying land and property (link);
• Wellbeing economy toolkit for local authorities (link);
• New easy mapping tool for community councils (link);
• Tenement retrofit project wins Glasgow Institute of Architects sustainability award (link);
• Vacancy - Two vacancies at Foundation Scotland (link);
• Event - VAT opportunity for museums and galleries (link);
• Community Landowners and the Climate Emergency (link);
• Inquiry into Retail and Town Centres in Scotland (link);
• Action needed to halt town centre decline - MSPs (link);
• Government urged to ensure planning framework delivers Scotland’s housing needs (link);
• Legislation to suspend local connection homelessness rules to come into force (link);
• Another step to strengthening rights (link);
• Learning by doing – our experiences of Strengthening Collaboration (link);
• Green light for 71 homes in Cambuslang (link);
• A view from the floor: Democratising the climate debate (link);
• Vacancy - Operations Manager at Calvay HA (link);
• Student accommodation plans updated at former Glasgow nightclub site (link);
• In turbulent times, our leaders must address the systemic causes driving our mental health problems and prioritise wellbeing (link);
• Vacancy - Customer Services Manager at Barrhead Housing (link);
• Reduce the cost of running your business (link)