CLDcombined
Renfrewshire Council · 13 January 2026
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 13 January 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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OFFICIAL _________________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 13th January 2026 _________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive _________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan - Annual Report 2024-25 _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. On 29th October 2024, members of the Communities and Housing Board endorsed Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan. It is a statutory requirement for the Council to co- ordinate and publish a plan every 3 years, which sets out how partners in Renfrewshire will seek to ensure that community learning and development activities meet the needs of local people and communities. 1.2. The report builds on the Connected Communities 6 monthly report which was considered by members in October 2025, which provided an update on Community Learning and Development activities within the Council. The Partnership Plan Annual Report builds on this, reflecting the wider priorities and activities across Renfrewshire’s CLD Partnership. 1.3. Section 4 of the paper provides a number of key achievements highlighted within the Annual Report. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Elected Members: • Note the content of the report ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Background
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OFFICIAL 3.1 Under the Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013, local authorities in Scotland are required to consult on and publish a plan every three years which sets out how the local authority will co-ordinate provision of CLD across the area, what will be provided by the local authority and by partners, and any unmet CLD needs within the period of the plan. Each three year plan should be based on an assessment of need which has included consultation and engagement with service users and communities as well as analysis of data. There is an expectation of regular review of evidence to assess the impact of CLD activity and inform future planning. 3.2 The requirements also place an obligation on local authorities to ensure that: communities have access to the CLD support they need; that communities are enabled to express their needs for CLD provision and; that Community Planning Partnerships, local authorities and public service providers more generally respond appropriately to the expectations set out by CLD Strategic Guidance. 3.3 The Partnership Plan was developed alongside partners throughout 2024 in line with national guidance and reflecting the recommendations from the recently published national review of CLD delivery in Scotland. The Plan also specifically sought to address recommendations identified by Education Scotland as part of their inspection progress visit in 2024. In practice this has led to the development of new governance and partnership arrangements for community learning and development across Renfrewshire, with a new steering group and partnership forum being put into place. 3.4 The Annual Report provides an update on the progress against Year One of the plan, from November 2024 – October 2025. 4. Key achievements 4.1 The Annual Report highlights the following key achievements over the period: • Embedded the strengthened partnership governance arrangements, working with partners through the CLD Partnership Executive Group and the CLD Partnership Forum to direct the Plan and deliver against the actions. This has included continuing to develop the shared Outcomes and Performance Framework aligned to national CLD priorities. • Engaged in learning to support evaluation activities, with partners attending a series of training sessions delivered by Education Scotland focussed on Self Evaluation for Continuous Improvement. These sessions have focussed on outcome-focussed planning, data interpretation and analysis and the use of self-evaluation toolkits such as ‘How Good Is Our CLD?’. • Expanded volunteering pathways and youth recognition, with Engage Renfrewshire leading delivery of Volunteer Fairs and appreciation events, resulting in over 320 new volunteers registered,
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OFFICIAL 27 new organisations joining the platform, and 1,293 Saltire Awards issued to young people for their contribution to local communities. • Strengthened employability and progression routes for young people, through collaborative delivery of initiatives such as the Pathways Programme, Renfrewshire School of Sport Education and targeted transition support, contributing to Renfrewshire achieving its highest-ever school leaver positive destination rate of 97.1%. • Improved digital inclusion across communities, supporting 7,600 residents to get online through 2,342 training sessions and distributing over 1,600 devices, alongside establishing 22 DigiZone hubs and expanding public Wi-Fi access to 180 venues. • Enhanced community capacity and participation, funding over 150 local groups through Local Partnerships and participatory budgeting, delivering funding through partnership programmes such as ‘Winter Connections’ through Fairer Renfrewshire programmes, and supporting 32 infrastructure projects through the Sustainable Communities Fund. • Delivered targeted support to reduce inequalities, including tailored holiday provision for low-income families, and reviewing provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and developing new partnership approaches, and launching the “Good Vibes Only” youth engagement programme alongside Safe Kids workshops reaching 1,800 pupils. 4.2 The Action Plan has been updated with progress from Year One and is attached within Appendix 1. In summary: • Of the 18 actions due in Year 1 of the plan: o 2 are completed and closed o 14 are on track but have been continued into Year 2 as they represent a continuing priority o 2 are marked as amber. • There are a further 7 actions due in Year 2 of the Plan, all of which are on track. • There are 9 actions due in Year 3 of the Plan, with 8 of these on track and 1 marked as amber. • The Year 2 Action Plan also has two new actions included to reflect updated priorities of the partnership. 5. Next Steps 5.1 A number of priorities have been identified for Year 2 of the CLD Partnership Plan, including: • Continue to improve impact measurement, launching the CLD Partnership Survey to establish a shared baseline and developing data collection and recording mechanisms.
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OFFICIAL • Strengthen community voice by expanding mechanisms for learner and community feedback, including a CLD Voice Forum and developing a CLD roadshow to showcase partnership activities across communities. • Update action plan based on emerging needs, by undertaking a CLD needs assessment exercise in early 2026 and expanding on the delivery of Year One actions such as the ESOL review and approach and Youth Work review. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – The report details a range of activities which reflect local community and council planning themes. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology –None 7. Equality & Human Rights – The report details a number of activities carried out across the CLD Partnership Plan which seek to tackle inequalities across a range of protected characteristics, and in particular advancing equality of opportunity for a number of equality groups who face additional barriers. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – No ne 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Children’s Rights – CLD activities play an important role in terms of working with children and young people to understand their rights and to achieve positive outcomes in relation to these rights in practice. 14. Climate Risk – None __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None
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OFFICIAL Renfrewshire Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan 2024-27 YEAR 1 - PROGRESS REPORT 2024-25
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OFFICIAL Contents Foreword ............................................................................................ 1 Governance and Partnership Working ……………………………………………. 2 Outcomes and Performance Framework …………………..……………………. 3 Reporting Period …………………………………………………………………………. 3 Progress on CLD Plan - Year 1 Actions ................................................. 4 Learning and Next Steps ……….………………………………………………………15 Case Studies on key Priorities ………………………………….………….….……. 16 Appendix 1 – Our Partnership Action Plan Year 2
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1 OFFICIAL Foreword It is a legal requirement for each local authority in Scotland to consult on and publish a plan every 3 years which sets out how Community Learning and Development activities will be organised and delivered within a local authority area (see Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013). Whilst Renfrewshire Council co-ordinates the development and monitoring of our CLD Plan, many different partners are responsible for supporting and delivering community learning and development activities for local people and communities. Our plan supports Renfrewshire’s four Community Plan themes - Thriving, Well, Fair and Safe and reflects the priorities of our Community Learning and Development Executive Group and Partnership Forum. Renfrewshire’s CLD Plan sets out what we want to achieve as a partnership over three years, and details some of the shared actions we will take to support people to live their best possible lives. Community Learning and Development (CLD) is an approach to lifelong learning which aims to empower people and communities to take part in, and help shape, their own learning and development at all stages of life and in ways that suit a person’s needs. The key principles of Community Learning and Development recognised nationally are: • Inclusion and equality • Empowerment • Partnership and collaboration • Lifelong learning • Participation and engagement • Inclusive learning • Assets-based approach As a partnership we are focused on supporting a Life-Long Learning Journey, ensuring that we work together to meet the specific needs of our communities and involve local people and partners in shaping this provision on an ongoing basis. The identification of local priorities and the delivery of activity to meet those priorities were informed through an inclusive and collaborative process involving stakeholders including learners, young people, community members, community volunteers, local authorities, voluntary and charity sector organisations, educational institutions, and other organisations across the public and third sectors. This report provides an update to the Renfrewshire CLD Partnership Plan 2024-27, and work that has been taken to progress the Year 1 Priority Actions across the CLD Partnership. This progress report includes the improvement points that includes the development of our new governance structure and the development of clear outcomes and measures of success.
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2 OFFICIAL Governance and Partnership Working Renfrewshire Council’s Community Learning and Development function now sits within the Connected Communities team in the Chief Executive’s Service of Renfrewshire Council. This ensures community learning and development is closely aligned to wider strategic and community planning activities. The Council’s Connected Communities team delivers a range of services across Renfrewshire which aim to improve outcomes for local people and communities. These services are a core element of the work of our local Community Learning and Development Partnership, and in delivering on the priorities which are set out in our Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan. Education Scotland carried out an HMI Progress Visit in 2024 and while inspectors reflected on the many strengths and progress against identified priorities, they also identified important areas requiring improvement and made the following recommendations: 1. the local authority and its partners need to strengthen the leadership and governance of CLD in line with legislative requirements. This includes continuing with plans to establish a CLD strategic partnership and formalising appropriate networks to improve the governance of CLD. 2. CLD partners need to agree and set clear outcomes and measures of success. There is a need to develop partnership priorities at a strategic level. Leaders need to ensure arrangements are in place to improve reporting across partners and support joint planning for improvement. Following these recommendations, the new Governance structure which includes the CLD Partnership Executive as a strategic group and the CLD Partnership Forum have been developed and strengthened. Terms of Reference for both groups have been agreed which will ensure the reporting and monitoring of the CLD Plan clearer and more robust. A new shared CLD Outcomes Framework has been developed to support the measurement of impact of work being delivered across the authority. In addition to the governance structure being formalised, the CLD Executive group and CLD Partnership Forum has now established a regular cycle of meetings to review and assist in the self-evaluation process in reporting on Year-1 progress, and beyond. Education Scotland has supported this process by delivering professional learning sessions to the CLD Partnership Forum members, focussing on Self-evaluation for Continuous Improvement (SECI). The three sessions delivered to date include: • Outcomes-focused planning • Data handling, interpretation, analysis • Effective self-evaluation and using toolkits. These professional learning sessions will be rolled out to wider membership of the CLD Partnership Forum during Year 2, alongside the CLD workforce training programme with the aim of developing a collective and collaborative approach promoting the CLD competencies and skills. Years 2 and 3 of the CLD Plan will see this improvement process continue, with continued opportunities to progress all actions, to continue and build on the work, and expanding and strengthening membership and community engagement.
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3 OFFICIAL Outcomes and Performance Framework To understand the difference our CLD-based work makes, the Partnership has developed an Outcomes and Performance Framework. This framework supports the four priorities in the CLD Plan and helps us check that we are moving in the right direction for learners, families and communities. It outlines the outcomes we are aiming for and the indicators we will use to track progress. The language is simple so that staff, volunteers, learners, community groups and strategic partners can easily understand it. The framework also ties into national CLD outcomes, making sure our work in Renfrewshire contributes to broader improvement across Scotland. The framework was developed during Year 1 of our CLD Plan and partners have started building the systems needed to collect evidence consistently. In early Year 2, we will introduce a CLD Partnership Survey to gather partner data in one place. This will give us a shared baseline and allow us to monitor progress more effectively in future years. We will continue to refine this approach as the CLD Plan evolves. In this Year 1 Report, we provide a narrative for each priority, highlighting key things that have happened over the past year and the important work partners have done toward our shared CLD goals. Each section begins with a brief summary of the key outcomes for that priority, helping to frame the activity and show how the work contributes to the difference we are trying to achieve. Reporting Period Since partners across Renfrewshire work on different reporting cycles, we have agreed on a practical approach for Year 1 reporting. This Progress Report covers activity from November 2024 to September 2025, reflecting the time since the CLD Plan was approved following the HMIE progress and return visits. Many partners collect data on a quarterly, financial or academic-year basis, which creates natural variation in how information is recorded. Instead of viewing this as a challenge, the partnership has used Year 1 to understand these differences and start building a more coordinated approach for future years. As our shared Outcomes and Performance Framework develops in year 2, we will work together to improve consistency while respecting existing systems. We want to ensure that reporting remains collaborative, realistic and meaningful.
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4 OFFICIAL Action 1: Review support and opportunities for volunteering across Renfrewshire as part of our wider employability pipeline (Year 1) Engage Renfrewshire is the strategic lead for volunteering in Renfrewshire, and champions accessible, inclusive and impactful volunteer opportunities. A key example was the successful delivery of the Volunteer Fair in partnership with UWS Students Union. This collaborative event, held on campus, brought together over 25 third sector organisations and student groups, creating a vibrant space for engagement and connection. It showcased the breadth of volunteer opportunities available locally and introduced students to the wide-ranging benefits of active citizenship. By directly linking volunteering involving organisations with a new and diverse audience, the fair supported both recruitment goals and longer-term community engagement. The Volunteer Fair made a tangible difference in connecting people, strengthening community ties and increasing awareness of the value of volunteering across Renfrewshire. Through this event and our strategic leadership, we achieved the following: Increased volunteer engagement in the community, stronger partnerships, raised awareness of community need, promoted a culture of active citizenship and amplified the voices of local Voluntary Infrastructure Organisations (VIO). 150+ attendees engaged with volunteer involving organisations on the day. 80% of attendees were from UWS and 100% of stallholders stated they would attend another volunteer fair hosted by Engage Renfrewshire and UWS. The Volunteer Fair was also well received, with multiple organisations highlighting it as a strong networking opportunity and to discover more about the supports available across Renfrewshire. Volunteers Week 2025 saw Engage Renfrewshire partner with the Tannahill Centre (recipients of the Kings Award for Voluntary Service in 2024). The week began with a Volunteer Fair featuring 19 local organisations offering a diverse range of opportunities for volunteers of all ages and experience levels. Over 100 attendees engaged with groups including OneRen, Creating a Sustainable Gryffe, Paisley Priority 1: Provide a programme of high-quality lifelong learning, accessible to all 1.1 Help citizens to develop skills for work and life, enhancing employability and opportunities for anyone at any stage of the lifelong learner journey Priority 1 activity shows clear progress in expanding learning opportunities, strengthening employability pathways and widening access to digital support. Across volunteering, youth pathways, adult learning, digital inclusion and trauma-informed practice, partners have delivered work that supports the outcomes in the CLD Outcomes and Performance Framework. These outcomes include increased participation in learning, improved confidence and life skills, stronger progression routes and reduced digital exclusion. While full measurement systems are still in development, the evidence gathered in Year 1 shows positive movement against several indicators. More people are participating in CLD activities, there are strong levels of wider achievement and volunteering engagement and there is significant uptake of digital support and training. This creates a solid foundation for establishing baselines, improving data collection in Year 2 and tracking long-term impact more consistently across the partnership.
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5 OFFICIAL Rugby Club, Renfrewshire Carers Centre, Accord Hospice, Jones & Us and others. There was a Volunteer Appreciation Evening to recognise both local and national volunteering achievements including the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Inspirational Community Awards, and the HSCP Awards and more. The evening celebrated youth volunteering, including the presentation of eight Summit Awards by the nominators themselves. Volunteers from Pachedu’s School of African Culture camp and the S3 Junior Enterprise group at St Andrew’s Academy also received their Saltire Awards. There were 128 attendees. To mark Volunteers’ Week, we also delivered a targeted social media campaign and distributed a dedicated newsletter highlighting the broader impact of volunteering across Renfrewshire. The profile of the Summit Awards has continued to grow in Renfrewshire for the second consecutive year. This year, we received 10 nominations from a range of groups including Johnstone High School, KLAS Care, ROAR Connections for Life, Erskine Arts, The Tannahill Centre, NHS Volunteers, and Gleniffer High School. These nominations were reviewed by the Summit nomination panel, made up of committed young people from Renfrewshire Youth Voice. As a result, 8 young people were awarded their Summit Award, with 6 able to attend the Appreciation Evening. This reflects a strong increase in engagement, awareness and understanding of the Saltire Awards across the area. Feedback from a wide range of attendees through our Partner & Forum survey highlighted the overall success of both the Volunteer Appreciation Evening and the Volunteer Fair. The events were praised for their organisation, welcoming atmosphere, and the valuable opportunities they offered. Several attendees commented on the quality of the entertainment and the well-structured timings of the evening. The continued involvement of the Provost was also appreciated, reinforcing civic recognition of volunteers. The Appreciation Evening was described as inspirational and a meaningful celebration of local volunteering efforts. Organisations such as ROAR, NHSGGC and St Andrews Academy noted the value of being able to recognise young volunteers, with pupils particularly enjoying the evening and the small gifts they received. Engage Renfrewshire plays a key role in supporting volunteering across the area as part of the wider employability pathway. Through their Volunteer Recruitment Platform individuals can connect on-line with a wide range of volunteering opportunities that help build skills, confidence and community connections. There is also a tailored matching service for people who may have additional needs or require extra support to find the right opportunity. Working directly with local organisations to help them recruit and retain volunteers, develop good practice, and become “volunteer ready” Engage strengthens pathways into employment while fostering active participation and inclusion within Renfrewshire’s communities. • 323 new volunteers registered. • 96 volunteering applications made though the system. • 27 new organisations joined. • Out of 323 people 160 of these used the platform to improve their CV. The Saltire Awards are Scotland’s national youth volunteering awards, celebrating the dedication and achievements of volunteers aged 12 to 25. As Renfrewshire’s local Saltire Awards awarding body, Engage Renfrewshire are passionate about showcasing the incredible contributions of young volunteers. • Number of Saltire awards awarded during this period: 1,293. • How many hours of saltire volunteering has been done during this period: 13,372.
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6 OFFICIAL OneRen provide inclusive opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to explore first steps into employment, returning to work or work experience through placements and volunteering. The approach recognises benefits to participants and also helps OneRen to achieve the goal of being an employer of choice and promoting community wellbeing. School work placements are co-ordinated with schools Pupil Support or DYW co-ordinators and can be accessed through the Gateway/Work/IT platform. University, college and other placements are co-ordinated and offering opportunities in Active Schools, Libraries (Digital Champions), and in Health and Wellbeing, Business Development (Book Festival, Comedy Festival etc), Leisure and Museum. Volunteering roles and opportunities are advertised through the OneRen website. A Volunteer Pilot Group involved local community groups coming together and testing out and co-designing the new volunteering roles for the Museum service, as part of the planning and preparation for the Paisely Museum re-opening. The ethos of co- production and working with community members in community learning venues has meant that the connections are being made to encourage volunteering into employment pathways which will benefit OneRen and cultural venues and events in the future. Action 4: Partners to work together to increase the number of opportunities available for young people to access appropriate curricular pathways (Year 1) The Cultural Organisations Development Fund (CODF) was created as part of the Future Paisley partnership to strengthen and build on the capacity of local and cultural and creative organisations in Renfrewshire and build pathways into employment and progression routes in Renfrewshire’s tourism, cultural and creative sectors. The initiative focused on delivering initiatives to raise awareness of the opportunities among young people, with an emphasis of introducing creative and cultural career options from an early age. Cultural Champions, the network connecting teachers to arts and culture opportunities for students, includes primary and nursery teachers, helping them to access CPD opportunities to bring creative skills into the curriculum. Additionally, Future Paisley has helped to fund out of school opportunities and during holiday periods. This early engagement with arts and culture intended to embed creativity and promoting Possible Future Careers. The Pathways Programme was an educational programme designed to develop secondary school pupils’ understanding of the cultural, creative and visitor economies in Renfrewshire and how to access those opportunities. The programme ran in 2024 included pupils from every high school in Renfrewshire and was run in partnership with the University of the West of Scotland, West College Scotland, OneRen and several local arts organisations, providing pupils with practical information and access to decisionmakers and behind-the-scenes sector insight. Jupiter + Paisley invited students from every school, college, community groups in Renfrewshire to explore contemporary art first hand. The Learning Studio and the Orbit Youth Collective offered arts workshops to support personal development and thinking about options and decisions about their future. The studio acted as an incubator for young people to develop their own agency, implement their own creative activism and secure Scotland’s cultural future by encouraging a pipeline of ambitious, creative, talented young people. The project hosted 4560 Visitors; 650 learners, 39 workshops and 13 open studio sessions. OneRen (Active Schools) delivers the Renfrewshire School of Sport Education (RSSE). RSSE is a 22- week programme that offers 5th and 6th year pupils the opportunity to attend workshops to gain 1.2 Engage and provide opportunities for young people to achieve the best possible learning outcomes
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7 OFFICIAL coaching qualifications to enable them to become young leaders within the Active Schools programme, linked to West College Scotland as part of the pathway. These efforts show the strong teamwork and framework for joint working between Children’s Services, SDS, Invest, West College Scotland, Future Paisley, and other Renfrewshire Local Employability Pathway members to improve pathways to jobs and lifelong learning for young people. Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership developments helped improve support for young people, especially those at risk of disengagement or poor attendance. The expansion of the school nursing mental health pathway allowed for quicker identification of wellbeing concerns and more consistent early intervention in secondary schools. The ongoing development of Ren10, school counselling and the Young Person’s Wellbeing Service for advice further improves the support available, helping pupils access and maintain appropriate learning pathways. Partnership work in Renfrewshire continues to widen access to opportunities for young people, particularly those from low-income households. Local Employability Partnership activity, including employability programmes described above as well as targeted supports in schools have strengthened pathways into learning and work. There are several targeted learning programmes which are delivered in partnership with secondary schools, with the aim of re-engaging young people who are at risk. These programmes, including Street to School and EVOLVE initiatives, provide a negotiated learning programme that aims to improve life chances and inclusion through wider achievement. Action 5: Develop a strengthened framework of support with SDS and Invest in Renfrewshire to ensure pupils are supported to enter and sustain positive destinations (Year 1) The Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership (RLEP) is the local strategic employability partnership whose purpose is to support the effective implementation of local and national employability policy. The partnership works closely with over 60 local delivery partners, making the best use of resources available to deliver services that help Renfrewshire residents make a successful transition towards and into employment. A number of thematic sub-groups of operational staff from across a very wide range of services meeting regularly to discuss and agree services for priority groups. These groups bring forward new service ideas and discuss key issues of referral and support. One of the thematic subgroups has a focus on young people aged 16 – 24 years old. As part of this subgroup there are a range of key partners including Children’s Services, Skills Development Scotland, Invest in Renfrewshire, West College Scotland, DWP and CLD. One of the key priorities of the LEP subgroup for Youth was to work together to improve the number of young people moving into a positive destination upon leaving school. This is reported by Scottish Government annually through the School Leaver Follow Up (SLFU). Through the increased partnership working this resulted in Renfrewshire having its highest level of pupils leaving to a positive destination at 97.1% for 2023 – 24, placing it fifth in the country. This has been achieved through several partnership approaches: • Networking Events: Twice a year, Invest hosts networking events for key practitioners (Teachers, DYW co-ordinators, Careers Advisers and Employability advisers) to gain better working relationships. Each event has dedicated workshops to upskill key staff working with pupils in senior phase. Each of the events in the last year have had over 30 people attending. • Employability Programmes: Invest in Renfrewshire provide 2 school transition advisers who work with senior phase pupils on a one-to-one basis 6 months before leaving school. In
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8 OFFICIAL addition to the keyworker support and the LEP commissioned places, Invest in Renfrewshire service also ran 2 programmes for those who had just left school: a) Pathfinders first ran in August 2024 with Education colleagues taking the lead. This programme was aimed at young people who had just left school and were unsure of what next steps to take. In many cases attendance/ engagement within an education setting had been low for the young people. This ran for 2 afternoons per week for a block of 10 weeks. For this year’s programme starting in August 2025, it was agreed that employability advisers would take the lead. b) Work choices ran from October 2024 for 4 weeks. This programme was 3 days per week and aimed at young people who were capable/confident working in a group setting with peers and able to travel independently. Content was focused on employability skills such as CV development, interview skills etc. • An increase in case conferencing between SDS, Invest in Renfrewshire and Children’s services to track all young people. This has led to better information sharing and identifying young people who may fall out of their original positive destination to ensure support is timely and the right offer. Programs like Pathfinders, Transition Link, and Career Ready work to build confidence, resilience, and ambition among young people. They also follow the principles of inclusion, participation, and progression. All members of the subgroup are involved in the LEP Commissioning Process for additional provision for Renfrewshire. This allows each of the partners to use their internal data/feedback from young people on support that is required in a post school landscape. It also allows partners to see where there might be duplication on services already being provided and identify any gaps. Through this process the subgroup where able to allocate 180 spaces dedicated to young people, improving choices and pathways to a positive destination. The RLEP recognises the importance of providing support to young people facing extra challenges. This includes those who are care-experienced, those with additional support needs, and those living in low-income households. The partnership helps them find tailored paths to employment, education, or training. Secondary schools run a programme called “Career Ready” for senior school pupils who can be mentored in the world of work, and then they undertake a 4-week paid work placement with their mentor. The programme has been well received by mentees and mentors and introduces young people into a workplace as an older pupil as part of their senior transition. As well as increasing the number of young people who initially go into a positive destination upon leaving school, Renfrewshire’s follow up figure also increased to 94.4% young people in a positive destination. This is a snapshot taken 9 months after leaving school. These figures show the increased partnership working which is improving the destinations of young people upon leaving school but also that they are sustaining these destinations. Action 6: Consider opportunities for all partners to promote digital inclusion and the work of the wider DigiRen Partnership (Year 1) 1.3 Promote digital inclusion, providing opportunities to use digital in every aspect of day-to-day life safely
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9 OFFICIAL Digital inclusion remains a key focus in Renfrewshire. By working together through the DigiRen and Citizen’s Voice networks, partners have helped residents, learners, and communities gain the skills, connectivity, and confidence needed to engage fully in digital life. From April 2024 to March 2025, more than 7,600 people received support to get online. This support came from 2,342 training sessions and over 6,000 hours of support provided by 188 volunteer Digital Champions. Around 200 Online Safety Ambassadors form part of the Council’s successful and innovative RenSafeOnline programme and are helping keep people safe, confident and protected online in local communities. CLD partners play an important role in this network. Digital inclusion is embedded across partnership activity, from youth work and adult learning to volunteering, health and wellbeing, employability and community development. Staff and volunteers have helped people apply for jobs, manage benefits, connect with family, and participate in the community. Feedback from learners in the Annual Digital Inclusion Impact Report 2024/25 shows increased confidence, decreased isolation, and better access to services. Partners distributed more than 1,600 new/refurbished devices, and the expansion of council-managed public Wi-Fi in up to 180 council, cultural and leisure venues, highlight the Renfrewshire’s commitment to fair digital access. Through Fairer Renfrewshire funding, local 3rd sector organisation Pachedu has been funded to pilot a device recycling project. Working in partnership with OneRen libraries who will collect donations of unused laptops, tablets and smartphones, Pachedu will securely wipe these and redistribute to families and individuals who face digital exclusion across Renfrewshire communities. Our CLD Plan measures digital inclusion through participation, training, and access to devices or connectivity. In 2024/25, at least 7,600 people received direct support related to digital access or skills. Approximately 2,500 digital sessions were delivered, along with more than 1,600 devices and 1,000 data SIMs distributed through Fairer Renfrewshire, Citizen’s Voice and DigiRen partners. Action 7: Support the roll out of Digizones, particularly across community venues (Year 1) DigiZones hubs provide digital skills support and access to the internet and devices where available to help promote digital and data inclusion. They are delivered by a range of community partners, often in places and spaces that are visible and known to communities. In 22 DigiZone venues, people accessed free Wi-Fi, digital devices, and customised support. In just six months, up to March 2025, these venues saw nearly 20,000 visitors and over 10,000 public Wi-Fi sessions. Venues include learning centres, libraries, youth work hubs, Active Communities’ Station 7 and a mobile library (Skoobmobile). Partners are aiming to hold wider public engagement and digital inclusion events as part of the DigiKnowvember event in Year 2. Action 8: Partners to commit to delivery of trauma informed awareness raising and training across respective organisations (Year 1) 1.4 Provide safe, welcoming spaces for the delivery of CLD activity, making them accessible, stigma-free and trauma-informed
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10 OFFICIAL The National Trauma Transformation Programme (NTTP) is an initiative funded by the Scottish Government and designed to develop a trauma-informed and responsive workforce across various sectors. The programme had been developed with the aim of helping professionals recognise and respond to individuals affected by trauma and adversity, ultimately improving life chances and addressing inequalities. Signposting partners to this open on-line training and resources supports a consistent approach ensuring that everyone can adapt and adopt an approach to better support individuals impacted by trauma. The training resources have been designed for all sectors of the workforce, promoting the development of trauma-informed practice, and includes eModules, workshops and animations, roadmap for change and how to embed trauma informed approaches in policies and practices, and training levels. In addition to the NHS Scotland resource, there are interagency training opportunities offered to council education/social work/CLD practitioners and 3rd sector workforce which helps to develop further understanding of trauma on child development. Over 400 staff have taken part in Immersive Learning training using Virtual Reality headsets which have immersive experience around themes of Attachment, Trauma and Neuroscience, Child Development. The immersive scenarios on How the brain works, Child Protection home visit, Child Sexual exploitation, Child Criminal Exploitation and young person disclosing abuse, and Autism Awareness. The Immersive learning is part of face-to-face training workshops and provides support and discussion around the themes. Feedback from staff includes experience of being “really immersive and impactful”, “really powerful and emotive”, “felt it was an incredibly valuable training experience which allowed more to process the information better”. Renfrewshire staff and partners and can therefore record the Local Authorities overall efforts to tackle domestic abuse and raises awareness of coercive control and gender-based violence. There are 3 on- line modules covering Equally Safe in Practice - Strengthening Practice, Understanding Sexual Violence, Understanding Domestic Abuse and Changing Attitudes re: Violence Against Women & Girls.
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11 OFFICIAL Action 10: Develop community capacity and resilience by supporting community groups to form, grow and connect (Year 1) Engage Renfrewshire continue to build community capacity and resilience by supporting local groups to form, grow and connect. The Funding and Organisation Development Officer has provided tailored governance and funding support to a wide range of community and voluntary organisations across Renfrewshire. Through one-to-one guidance, training, and mentoring, groups have been supported to strengthen their management structures, improve decision-making, and increase their confidence in applying for funding. A new three-part training programme has helped emerging organisations take the steps needed to become formally constituted, with several groups now established as voluntary associations and others currently progressing through the process. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with one participant commenting, “I am now very confident in all I am doing and knowing that I still have the support of Engage Renfrewshire, I know that I’m not alone. I am more than capable now.” This support has made a tangible difference for both new and long-established groups. One organisation, which had operated informally for over 40 years, completed the training programme and Priority 2: Build strong, connected communities where people can participate and influence in their local area 2.1 Promote opportunities for personal and social development through the rich network of opportunities across Renfrewshire Across Priority 2, partners have improved community participation, increased access to local opportunities and expanded the ways people can influence decisions in their area. The activity that has happened in Year 1 strongly supports the outcomes in our Outcomes and Performance Framework, particularly regarding building skills, volunteering, engagement and participatory budgeting. Community groups have received tailored support in governance, funding and development which has helped them gain confidence and operate more sustainably. Participatory budgeting methods such as Celebrating Renfrewshire and the YouDecide Tenants programme have created valuable paths for residents and young people to shape local priorities and allocate resources. A variety of engagement activities, including youth assemblies, OneRen and Active Schools opportunities, lived experience panels, Local Partnerships, Winter Connections and wellbeing networks have allowed people to share their views and stay connected to local decision-making. Overall, this work speaks directly to our indicators, namely strengthening community capacity, expanding volunteering contributions, increasing influence and engagement opportunities, and embedding participatory methods throughout Renfrewshire. These developments provide a clearer picture of how communities engage, where participation is strongest and where we need to continue improving our approaches in Year 2.
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12 OFFICIAL has since transformed its approach, establishing a structured committee, taking a proactive role in volunteer recruitment, and exploring funding opportunities with renewed enthusiasm. The success of this work lies in the personalised approach, building relationships, offering consistent follow-up, and making complex topics accessible and relevant. As a result, more local organisations are now better equipped to operate effectively, plan for the future, and play an active role in strengthening community engagement across Renfrewshire. Alongside governance support, Engage Renfrewshire has continued to provide one-to-one funding advice to help groups strengthen their fundraising knowledge and confidence. Over the reporting period, local organisations have received tailored guidance on identifying suitable funding opportunities, developing clear and compelling applications, and improving their overall funding readiness. This support has been particularly valuable for smaller and emerging groups, many of whom are applying for grants for the first time. Work is also underway to develop a new training programme focused on demystifying the funding process and equipping participants with the practical skills needed to write strong, evidence-based applications. By helping groups understand funder expectations and plan more strategically for sustainability, support for the sector to build stronger foundations and secure the resources needed to deliver lasting community impact. Renfrewshire’s Local Partnerships were refreshed during 2024, bringing community representatives and local organisations together to identify shared priorities through the Local Plan, Local Priorities and Local Voices programme. This work is helping local groups to connect, influence decision-making and strengthen their capacity to take forward activity based on local needs. Through the seven Local Partnerships in Renfrewshire, over 150 community groups were funded in the 2025 round to deliver activities in their local areas in the year ahead. Through a Participatory Budgeting programme known as Celebrating Renfrewshire, young people aged 12-25 also voted to decide on activities for young people to be funded through 2025/26. As part of our Fairer Renfrewshire programme, both Summer of Fun and Winter Connections provide small grants to local community and 3rd sector organisations to fund activities. Summer of Fun distributes £50,000 of small grant funding to support free activities for families and children over the summer holidays. Targeted at low-income families, activities such as craft sessions, sports camps, music workshops, traditional games and outdoor activities in local parks and cooking skills have been offered in local areas via the 3rd sector. Likewise, over the winter period, Winter Connections offers activities for families and individuals of all ages, with hot drinks, snacks or hot food as part of each activity, all provided through the 3rd sector in people’s local communities. Utilising £75,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding, again, small grants are awarded allowing organisations to host varied programmes across Renfrewshire, including towns and villages, which support people to make connections in their local areas. Activities include soup and music sessions, line dancing, crafts, movie afternoons and board game sessions. Both programmes have been welcomed in communities. The Sustainable Communities Fund, which was established in 2024, supports third sector organisations to progress infrastructure and place-based projects that improve the lives of local people and help build resilient communities. Since 2024, 32 awards have been made to a total value of over £1.1 million. The Team Up 2 Clean Up Campaign continues to support people in their local communities to participate actively in keeping their local area clean and encourage community ownership of local
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13 OFFICIAL environmental issues. A total of around 8,500 people follow the TU2CU facebook page, with a network of dedicated community volunteers regularly taking part in clean-up activities. Renfrewshire’s Community Sports Hubs, supported by OneRen Active Schools, comprise 57 affiliated clubs operating across four hubs. These hubs provide inclusive opportunities for participation in a diverse range of sports, catering to varying levels of ability and interest. They play a key role in promoting physical activity, community engagement, and pathways for lifelong involvement in sport. OneRen support sports clubs to develop, access funding and network within geographical areas and promotes access to training for sports leaders and coaches. A comprehensive directory of local clubs and opportunities is available on the OneRen website, ensuring residents can easily access information and connect with activities that meet their needs. Action 14: Work with partners to review existing information and advice sources for people in Renfrewshire, to ensure that information on local and national support is available to people when they need it and in the format they need. (Year 1& 2) Efforts to improve access to information and advice have continued with a coordinated programme of information and advice provided across the Advice Partnership Renfrewshire. Renfrewshire Council supported the Healthier Wealthier Children and School Support services which provide dedicated advice services to families and children. As well as the Council’s Advice Works service (which has a dedicated Family Advice offer), the Council also provided funding to Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) to provide both a general advice service and a community legal advice service. Additional services funded through Fairer Renfrewshire include a Welfare Rights based service at RCAB and a School Support service in every secondary school in Renfrewshire and in ASN schools. These council funded advice services gained almost £17 million for the people of Renfrewshire in 24/25 and helped them manage almost £22 million in debt. This activity contributes to the wider CLD aim of ensuring that people can find clear, accurate and timely information in the ways that work best for them. Renfrewshire’s Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) continued to have a strong focus on improving access to information, especially for vulnerable groups. Their Equality Action Plan includes better information for unpaid carers, creating an integration network forum for people from ethnically and culturally diverse communities and clearer communication for individuals with disabilities or sensory impairments. More than 5,000 adult carers and nearly 500 young carers received support, benefiting from clearer routes to advice and wellbeing information. Engagement for the new RHSCP Strategic Plan involved over 600 people and more than 1,200 survey responses, helping identify how residents access advice, where gaps exist and how information can be made more accessible. In addition, RHSCP also saw over 11,000 users accessing their online wellbeing resources, together with over 44,000 visits to service information pages, demonstrating sustained public use of advice in multiple formats. Ren10 continues to provide a single, accessible online space for children, young people, families and practitioners to find wellbeing information. The platform is informed by feedback from schools, partners and service users. Its focus is on clear language and early help complements the wider work 2.2 Promote opportunities for personal and social development through the rich network of opportunities across Renfrewshire
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14 OFFICIAL across advice services and helps to ensure that information reaches people in a format they need. In addition, the platform has helped connect teams and services across education, social work, health and Third Sector ensuring that the journey and outcomes of those using Ren10 can be better understood. Well in Renfrewshire (WiRe) is an overarching strategy led by the HSCP’s Community Partnerships Team (CPT) to increase the availability and knowledge of community-based and community-led wellbeing opportunities in Renfrewshire. WiRe is not meant to provide alternatives to formal services but rather complement them and give people choices and chances to take part in activities that are important and enjoyable to them. The CPT already had a database of 550 resources which had been added to ALISS (ALISS - A Local Information System for Scotland | ALISS), and it was agreed to develop a local interactive map to display the resources. Since launch, the WiRe map has been accessed an average of 565 times per month. Engage Renfrewshire play an active role in ensuring that local third sector organisations have access to clear, up-to-date information and advice when they need it. Weekly e-alerts reach 883 subscribers and share a wide range of updates, including community news, funding opportunities, employment information, and resources for social enterprises. These regular communications help ensure that partners, groups and individuals stay informed about local and national support available to them. In addition to our newsletters, we facilitate three key networking opportunities that provide targeted information and peer support across different areas of work. The RenSEN Social Enterprise Network, brings together local enterprises to share learning, explore collaboration, and access practical business support. The Integration Network hosted by Engage Renfrewshire was re-established during the year, with early work focused on rebuilding foundations and reconnecting members. Initial groundwork was carried out through meetings with Engage staff, existing network members, partners and stakeholders so that current activity and expectations could be understood. A mapping exercise was begun to capture existing organisations and identify potential new members supporting asylum seekers, refugees and ethnically diverse communities. Re engagement with former members was initiated through one-to- one conversations, with outreach also begun to prospective members to explore their needs and ambitions. Early trust building was supported by attendance at community events and six individual meetings. A draft engagement and capacity building strategy was developed, guided by co-creation, inclusion and trust, to place ethnically diverse community organisations at the centre of future planning. Opportunities for joint work were scoped to strengthen access to information, volunteering and wider opportunities. Meanwhile, the Wellbeing Network connects groups involved in mental health and wellbeing activity, supporting partnership working and sharing good practice. Through these combined channels, we help ensure that accurate, relevant and accessible information reaches the right people at the right time, supporting stronger connections, collaboration and informed decision-making across Renfrewshire’s third sector. Children’s Services Health and Wellbeing newsletter regularly connects teachers, social workers, youth workers and practitioners with updated information on services and training that can help to ensure service users in schools and communities can be signposted for support or receive the right information at the point of contact.
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15 OFFICIAL Action 15: Through our CAHSC (Culture, Arts, Health and Social Care) group, OneRen will lead work with colleagues and partners involved in the Future Paisley programme, to develop a range of arts and culture-based activities in a variety of settings to improve health and wellbeing (Year 1) CAHSC (Culture, Arts, Health and Social Care) Partnership is Renfrewshire’s innovative approach to bringing arts and culture to residents (18+) living with the impact of inequalities. CAHSC is committed to creating opportunities for some of Renfrewshire’s most disadvantaged residents to access arts and culture and improve their health and wellbeing. Established in 2018, the initiative was part of Future Paisley, Renfrewshire’s far-reaching cultural regeneration programme that aimed to harness the power of the arts, heritage and culture for social and economic change. Between 2018 and 2025, Renfrewshire invested £10.145 million in supporting and developing creativity and cultural life in Renfrewshire. During the life of Future Paisley, CAHSC delivered grant programmes, festivals and specialist events for sharing knowledge and building network and continues to exist alongside a variety of other projects that contribute to improved health and wellbeing. e.g. Engage Renfrewshire administered the Scottish Government health and Wellbeing Fund, and Renfrewshire’s Community Health and Wellbeing network. The CAHSC project is made up of 39 partners who have each contributed to the delivery of programming, either as facilitators for workshops or events or through presentations to the CAHSC network. The CAHSC Steering Group continues to meet to ensure the last projects in Future Paisley programme are completed and evaluated and also building on the legacy to continue the networking and legacy activities. The post of CAHSC Co-ordinator is unique to be based in the Health and Social Care partnership and has helped to deliver on the prevention, early intervention and recovery support in a way that is unique from existing programmes in the NHS. “6 Weeks to Wellbeing”, in partnership with OneRen, is a programme that has been developed as a collaboration between HSCP and OneRen to address social prescribing, improving wellbeing and connecting into community-based activities. People can self-refer or be referred into a programme, with sessions covering activities like being active, arts, mindfulness, photography, heritage and games. The 5 Ways to Wellbeing approach is used as a guide for weekly activities (be active – connect – keep learning – give – take notice). During each programme, staff get to know individuals, their interests and use the WiRe (Well in Renfrewshire) map to find community-based activities for attendees that may be of interest after the programme. The first programme was in Linwood Library, followed by Foxbar Community Centre and currently delivering a programme in Johnstone Town Hall. These Wellbeing Groups support individuals to improve and self-manage their health and wellbeing, reduce social isolation and build meaningful connections. Following the success of the pilot, the programme was expanded to other areas of Renfrewshire in September 2025. As part of the OneRen weekly walking programme, various Themed Walks are delivered across Renfrewshire. These aim to discover and explore Renfrewshire’s rich heritage. 27 themed walks were delivered between September 2024 and August 2025 with 264 attendances. The Renfrewshire Community Wellbeing Network, in partnership with Engage Renfrewshire, is a network for public and third-sector workers in Renfrewshire to share and connect about projects and opportunities. The network invites members to share work and learn from others, promotes information sharing on opportunities and signposting to existing and developing services. In 2024-25 seven network events were held with a total of 245 people (public/third sector) attended. In addition, the Culture, Health and Arts Training (CHAT) delivered 17 training and awareness sessions for staff working in Renfrewshire, which were attended by a total of 214 people (public/third sector).
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16 OFFICIAL Action 16: We will provide a tailored range of health and wellbeing programmes for older people; people with a disability; and identified excluded groups with health improvement needs (Year 1 and 2) Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP) deliver adult social care services and all community health services for adults and children in the Renfrewshire area. We are committed to listening to the voices of people with lived and living experience at every stage of the development and delivery of our services. Their ideas and insight can help us to tailor services to ensure they meet the range of needs and challenges that people face every day. We work collaboratively with individuals and families with lived and living experience, as well as frontline workers and partners, to tackle stigma through training and awareness raising (for example around mental health, alcohol and drug use), and encourage early engagement with services and support recovery. The RHSCP Strategic Plan covers the breadth of services integrated within Renfrewshire, as agreed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Renfrewshire Council. They deliver adult social care services and all community health services for adults and children, with a core objective of shifting the balance of care from acute settings to supporting people in their communities and closer to home wherever possible. The HSCP works closely with partners to ensure that services are planned and delivered collaboratively and on a 'whole system' basis. This includes the Renfrewshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Integrated Children's Partnership and working closely with Housing Services helping to ensure that adults and young people can access support that is joined up and shaped around them rather than by organisational structure. Renfrewshire Anti Stigma Alliance (RASA) is made up of 12 partner organisations who are acting, individually and collectively, to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination and making a lasting difference in their local community. RASA aims to empower people with lived experience, influence and strengthen community action to end mental health stigma and discrimination in Renfrewshire and promote community health and wellbeing, connecting communities, groups and individuals to local resources. RASA links with the national and local context by coinciding with the Mental Health Strategy (2017 – 2027), The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study (2022), National Dementia Strategy (2023). Since the formation of RASA there has been groups established relating to the HSCP Mental Health Care Planning Group and a Suicide Prevention Group. The RHSCP has identified themes relating to equality and are underpinned by a focus on health and wellbeing along with Community Partners. The agreed priorities are: • Early years and vulnerable families • Loneliness and Social Isolation • Mental Health and Wellbeing • Health Inequalities • Housing as a Health Issue • Healthy and Active Living RHSCP continued to provide a variety of health and wellbeing programmes for older people, disabled people and groups at risk of exclusion. From 2024 to 2025, local teams in social care and community health services helped people remain active, connected and safe at home. More than 7,700 adults received support for care at home. Over 3,600 people used residential or community rehabilitation. nearly 20,000 adults benefitted from telecare, community alarms or technology-enabled care. RHSCP also expanded short-term reablement programmes, dementia support and services for unpaid carers. These efforts helped people maintain independence and improve the quality of their life.
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17 OFFICIAL Winter Connections is a programme of events and activities across Renfrewshire that are open to everyone during the winter months. Lead by Fairer Renfrewshire, partners offer several open and free spaces to take part in activities to boost health and wellbeing, reduce isolation and have fun. Although open to all, the programme offers specific benefit to excluded groups. In 2024, 43 organisations offered activities, helping over 2500 people stay connected, warm and engaged during winter. This partnership strengthened support for older people, disabled residents and those facing financial difficulties. OneRen delivered 552 Vitality Classes attended 12,782 times, supporting people living with long-term health conditions. These classes are delivered by trained instructors with agreed ratios across four levels. OneRen also continued the activity previously funded by Macmillan Cancer Support, adding a weekly moderate-intensity circuit class and a Gentle Movement class, with 975 attendances. The Live Active Referral Scheme received 992 referrals for people needing support to become more active. Advisors, based in local leisure venues, provided behaviour-change consultations, supervised activities and follow-up support through calls and appointments. The Social Prescribing Coordinator supported 334 referrals, received through the online Health and Wellbeing form and NHSGGC Community Rehabilitation teams. Many referrals related to older adults, socially isolated residents and people with physical or mental health conditions. Recent data shows over 50% of referrals came from SIMD 1–2 communities. The Coordinator connects people to OneRen activities and wider community supports. The Weekly Health Walk Programme delivered 284 free walks, resulting in 1,845 attendances. To support people with lower functional ability, OneRen delivered a weekly Functional Walking class and several blocks of the 1st Steps Programme, combining activity, education and social connection. These entry-level supports recorded 520 attendances and operate with specific instructor-to- participant ratios. Active Schools delivers targeted initiatives addressing barriers and inequalities. Through the Upscaling Active Schools project, the team has engaged over 1,300 individuals and families, including care-experienced young people, low-income families, children with disabilities and LGBTQ+ young people, with measurable impact on participation and wellbeing. Active Schools also worked with community partners to support New Scots to feel included and connected. In partnership with organisations such as Pachedu, initiatives like the Family Fun Day engaged families from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and included nine sports, activities for neurodiverse children and health awareness sessions. Plans include expanding culturally tailored family sports clubs to support integration and community cohesion. Action 17: Explore options to develop a CLD Voice Forum / forum arrangements to inform future planning (Year 1) There is a commitment in the local authority to provide varying levels of participation and empowerment for children, young people and adults. Renfrewshire has several good examples of 2.3 Provide mechanisms for citizens to contribute to decision-making
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18 OFFICIAL citizens being able to voice their opinions and to influence planning and development in key areas of work and life. The Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel has been a much-valued channel for listening to the voice of residents with lived experience of poverty. The Panel has been funded as part of the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme to influence Council policy and practice. Facilitated by local 3rd sector organisation, STAR Project, the Panel has met with a number of Council services. This can be to provide general feedback, for example around communications, or around a very specific topic, such as school meals. The Panel has also met with elected members and has been involved in workshops with Officers from across the Council, HSCP, OneRen and our 3rd sector Interface, Engage Renfrewshire. The Panel completed a self-evaluation in April 2025 after 2 years of meetings, describing the experience of working with the Council as a positive one. As an example of how they have worked with the Council, our employability service, Invest in Renfrewshire has been supported by the panel with several processes to improve their service for example: a) ‘Mystery Shopper’ - A member of the panel, entered the service as a new participant. They went through the registration process taking notes on engagement from staff, layout of the building, questions asked. After this appointment the panel member then provided feedback on each area. Invest in Renfrewshire embraced the feedback and made a number of changes, for example to their delivery area to ensure privacy of conversations and to provide toys for when parents attend with children. b) Testing Service Reach - Including the panel when trying new marketing campaigns, gaining feedback on core messages to increase engagement with services. The Panel were invited by Invest to help design one of their programmes for parents. Renfrewshire Youth Voice programme delivered by Youth Services have engaged young people in youth consultation and linked to schools and community groups to host youth assemblies and events where young people can discuss and vote on the priorities that they would like to see action on. These youth assemblies bring young people and decision makers together to hear concerns and understand young people’s views, and how services can be shaped and influenced. The Action for Change Assembly brought over 170 young people and staff together from all over Renfrewshire and Scotland to hear Jackson Katz speak and discuss action to combat gender-based violence. Renfrewshire’s Youth Assembly brought together 120 youth representatives from schools and community youth voice groups to discuss and vote on key concerns including violence, safety and substance use. Initiatives including the Local Development Plan consultation, Place Plans, and “You Decide” have been able to show that members of the communities across Renfrewshire can voice their views on issues that concern them. Renfrewshire Child Protection and Adult Protection Committee and Children’s Services Plan see the voice of children and families being central to the development of a Youth Voice Strategy. Connected Communities is working with housing colleagues to support the YouDecide Tenants programme. This is a three-year Participatory Budgeting programme with a £600,000 fund to involve Renfrewshire Council tenants in making decisions to improve their local area during the three years 2025/2026, 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. Anyone in Renfrewshire can submit their ideas, but only Renfrewshire Council tenants will get to vote to make the decision on which ideas are funded. A YouTube guide explaining the process and events to encourage and support people to apply were launched in autumn 2025. Ideas that could be considered would include benches, additional lighting, fencing, planters and other environmental improvements.
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19 OFFICIAL The Renfrewshire Young People’s Sports Panel provides a structured mechanism for young citizens to contribute to decision-making in sport and physical activity. Supported by OneRen’s Active Schools, the panel empowers young people to share their views, influence local priorities and shape opportunities that reflect their needs and aspirations. The Panel met 10 times during Year 1and began working towards becoming a constated group as well as forging links with Celebrating Renfrewshire, the Council’s annual youth participatory budgeting exercise to encourage a variety of sports and health focused applications. CLD Partnership Forum members have various mechanisms within their individual organisations for feedback and service user engagement. The focus going forward is bringing reps from all existing voice groups where possible to an event in Year 2 to help shape the CLD Voice, reflect on the CLD Plan to date, and also to check on current and emerging priority actions. It is envisaged that using a roadshow approach to outreach into communities will also assist with raising the profile of CLD in a positive way. The Council is exploring the use of Consul for future digital consultation and decision-making. This digital platform enables individuals and groups to vote on the use of resources and priorities. It is currently being used by Renfrewshire Council’s Housing department and will be used in Year 2 to run the Celebrating Renfrewshire participatory budgeting campaign for young people. Renfrewshire Council’s Digital Experience Team have redesigned the Council’s website which now features a ‘Consultation hub’. As the website receives high traffic from residents seeking information and also to request services, this provides a familiar and recognised place to offer them the chance to get involved in both council decisions but also in projects and initiatives being delivered jointly with partners.
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20 OFFICIAL Action 20: Support delivery of BSL action plan, including opportunities for delivery of activities in Renfrewshire for targeted groups such as young people (Year 1& 2) The BSL Plan for Renfrewshire Council, as required by the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015, sets out actions that Renfrewshire Council will take over the period 2024-2029. It follows the BSL National Plan 2023- 2029, published 6 November 2023, which was developed through extensive engagement with D/deaf and Deafblind BSL users and those who work with them. The long-term goals of the national plan have been used to structure the Renfrewshire BSL action plan. Key actions within the Plan include: • Promoting the availability of accessible BSL interpreting services locally and improving BSL awareness across our services and partners. • Improve access to our information and services for BSL users, including producing information in BSL videos and highlighting BSL accessible ways to get in touch. • Promote BSL awareness for children, families, and staff by providing opportunities for raising BSL awareness, reflecting Renfrewshire’s approach to the design and delivery and evaluation of children’s services is robust and underpinned by the views and needs of our children and young people. • Working with partners who deliver employment services and with employer groups to help signpost them to specific advice on the needs of BSL users. • Take steps to improve access to information about sport, and to local sports facilities and sporting opportunities. • Build our understanding of BSL in Renfrewshire through improving evidence and data, as well as engaging with the local communities. During the first year of implementation, there continues to be further discussion to inform the detailed implementation, which includes the involvement of BSL users who have agreed to continue their Priority 3: Deliver target opportunities across the CLD Partnership to reduce barriers and tackle inequalities 3.1 Promoting equity by removing barriers to access Work in Priority 3 focused on reducing barriers for groups most affected by inequality. Partners provided targeted support for care-experienced young people, New Scots, disabled people, older adults and for families with low incomes. They also improved early-intervention approaches for young people at risk of harm. All of this positive work can be linked back to our Outcomes and Performance Framework as it contributes to improved mental wellbeing, broader access to ESOL, targeted holiday provision and reduced high-risk behaviours. Year 1 also laid important groundwork, including progress on the BSL Plan, early ESOL planning and youth work mapping, all of which continues into Year 2. Together, this work helps us to ensure that support is more inclusive, responsive and focused on the people and communities who need it the most.
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21 OFFICIAL involvement with the plan. Progress will be measured and reported on annually, with feedback provided for local BSL users. A Renfrewshire Council officer steering group, consisting of officers with commitments to implement elements of the BSL Plan, will be established to take the work forward. As part of our Fairer Renfrewshire programme, we will set up a forum for local BSL users to support the Council to improve knowledge about current community needs and inform the Council’s policy and practice. Going forward progress will be shared with the CLD Partnership Forum during Year 2. Action 21: Ensuring greater representation of the Care Experienced Community in all activity concerned in delivering The Promise (Year 1) The Promise is a key test of our collaboration. It pushes us to make sure that every young person and family feels care, support and belonging. The CLD Partnership recognises that The Promise involves not just youth work but also how all partners engage with empathy and understanding. In the past year, awareness of The Promise has increased through training shared resources and partnership projects. Renfrewshire now has over 330 active Promise Keepers from services in education, health, social work, youth work, employability and the third sector. Around 100 partners attended the Promise Keeper Conference 2024, showing growing involvement from various sectors and a dedication to integrating The Promise into everyday practice. Many CLD practitioners and organisations are part of this network. They help incorporate trauma- informed and rights-based approaches in local learning and community activities. Projects like the Corra Foundation-funded “Fund Your Fun”, targeted family learning initiatives and ‘Promise Champs’ youth groups show how CLD work supports care-experienced children, young people and families in Renfrewshire. The past year has seen further progress in developing trauma-informed and relational approaches across services. Renfrewshire Council’s Children’s Services led sessions on Non-Violent Resistance (NVR). These sessions focused on building connections and de-escalating situations within families. NVR helps parents, carers and staff respond with compassion to distress and rebuild relationships where trust has been lost. Over the year, more than half of staff in Renfrewshire Children’s Houses have completed Level 2 NVR training. This approach is also being integrated into foster-carer, kinship- carer and adoptive-parent groups. It has also been integrated with Whole Family and Wellbeing teams. This work supports Renfrewshire’s broader Promise commitments and shows collaborative learning among social work, education and community partners. NVR work in Renfrewshire has strengthened the direct representation of those supporting the care experienced community and helps ensure their needs, relationships and experiences shape how The Promise is delivered. The Promise closely connects with the CLD Plan’s broader focus on fairness, wellbeing and participation. Into Year 2, the CLD Partnership will keep working with the Promise Strategic Oversight Group and partners to enhance community-based learning and development within Renfrewshire’s Promise network. Action 22: Carry out a mapping exercise of youth work activity across Renfrewshire to identify gaps in provision either geographically or for communities of interest (Year 1)
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22 OFFICIAL A review of youth work activity across Renfrewshire will be carried out as a priority action in early 2026. Working alongside partners, this review will map the range of youth work activity happening across Renfrewshire with a view to understanding the breadth of investment in youth work across the area, assessing any gaps, and most importantly, identifying opportunities for collaboration across the CLD Partnership Forum more broadly. In particular, we are keen to understand the coverage of youth work activity geographically and within communities of interest and also developing a more detailed picture of provision from different partners. Action 23: Review school holiday provision to ensure it reaches target groups (Year 1) At the Council Leadership Board on 23rd April 2025, it was agreed that the £100,000 allocated to Summer of Fun in March’s budget be split, with 50% of the funding to be directed to deliver holiday camp provision, and the remaining 50% being allocated to support the delivery of a small grants programme which would allow third and community sector partners to deliver local, targeted provision to low-income families across Renfrewshire. Applications were reviewed by a partnership panel, including members from Engage Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire HSCP along with Council officers. In total 20 organisations received funding for activities, which included summer clubs for families/children, trips for low-income families who would otherwise be unable to afford them, art and music activities and sports and fitness activities. Summer holiday camps were held across 6 locations in Renfrewshire. These were targeted to parents who are in receipt of school clothing grant, with social work staff also able to refer children. There had been issues with non-attendance in past camps, so prior to the camps being advertised, the Community Learning and Development team worked with the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel on messaging to parents to encourage attendance and design around late attendance and rewards for those attending all camps they had booked. Overall, during the summer period, a successful ‘Summer of Fun’ in Renfrewshire was delivered comprising of a community-based programme, summer camps, a OneRen programme delivered through the library network and Skoobmobile and targeted programmes through Adult and Family Learning programme and the Promise Champs. It is estimated that 8,812 attendances were recorded across the programme in 2025 with evaluation showing the programme managed to reach low-income families, including those in the Child Poverty Priority Groups. The children and families who took part benefitted from welcoming, inclusive and safe environments for children to participate in a wide range of activities, foster friendships and create lasting memories with their families. Review of this year’s delivery, however, has highlighted the need to address identified gaps in reaching S3+ cohort during school holidays that requires consideration for next year’s programme. 3.2 Delivering targeted support to address disadvantage linked to poverty in our communities
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23 OFFICIAL Action 25: Support community led needs assessment process in Gallowhill including any subsequent development activity (Year 1) Active Communities were commissioned by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care partnership to facilitate a community needs assessment in Gallowhill from July 2024-January 2025. Various outreach and engagement activities were used to speak to people who live and work in the area. Meetings were held with various community-based groups, businesses and services, as well as several open community events which provided opportunities to have conversations around the needs of local residents. A hot drinks/cake/fruit day and an evening community meal and a community breakfast were good examples of being able to break down barriers and capture a good snapshot of the community and listen to local people voicing what they felt about their neighbourhood, and their desires for the future. The Place Standard Tool was used as the main way of engagement and recording views, enabling local people to rate key themes. 1033 responses were submitted as part of the community consultation, and the feedback gained is helping to shape the follow-up actions that will address the gaps identified and build on the positives. The findings were shared at a community meeting and since then a number of developments have followed: • Active Communities have been successful in securing funding for a mobile community larder to address the lack of fresh and affordable fruit and vegetables, and support health and wellbeing. • Local people are now becoming active in the Team-Up to Clean Up initiative and taking part in weekly litter picks and looking at further conversations around improving the environment and surrounding areas. • OneRen has taken the Culture Bus and visited the local community centre and schools and engaged children and residents in the public consultation and outreach for the Paisley Museum re-imagined initiative. The aim of this engagement is to connect with communities who can access the Museum when it opens after its extensive refurbishment. Groups from Gallowhill have also visited the museum to see the renovation work take place, and able to have a view of “behind the scenes” and consider why it will be important for local communities to be able to access it in 2026. • A Community Development Officer, funded by Renfrewshire Council and based in Active Communities has been working in the area with residents and partners to build community capacity. OneRen’s Active Schools Gallowhill Family Club provides free, community-based opportunities for families to engage in sport and physical activity together. Located in the heart of the community, the club offers a welcoming environment where families can participate in a variety of activities, enjoy refreshments and build positive social connections. This initiative helps reduce barriers to participation and supports family wellbeing by creating inclusive spaces for active lifestyles.
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24 OFFICIAL Action 26: Undertake a partnership review of ESOL activity as part of our wider New Scots plan (Year 1) Renfrewshire is experiencing an increasing need for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) support as communities evolve. CLD partners, council services, and local job providers all contribute to helping New Scots, refugees, and other multilingual residents. They work to boost confidence, improve language skills, and encourage full involvement in local life. This effort relies on joint planning, referral paths, and teamwork among Adult and Family Learning, West College Scotland, the Refugee Resettlement Team, Invest in Renfrewshire, and third sector organisations. A key priority within Year 1 has been the review and development of local ESOL provision. Council staff have been working alongside partners to assess the changing local need in relation to ESOL learning and to develop recommendations for expanded local provision which is responsive and flexible to the current (and varied) needs of our communities. An ESOL Partnership Forum will be developed to deliver on a local ESOL strategy and Action Plan and will include key partners and providers of ESOL services across Renfrewshire to meet the identified recommendations and deliver a unified programme reaching the most vulnerable and socially isolated Asylum Seekers, Refugees and New Scots. The progress of this priority area will therefore be reported further in Year 2. The New Scots/Migrant Employment Support Co-ordination Group is part of the Local Employability Partnership and has gathered information to help review and map the current ESOL delivery related to employability and identify key indicators where there will be an increasing need to deliver in the future. The LEP conference held a focussed discussion on ESOL provision and invited partners to discuss the services provided and experienced and gathered feedback on challenges and actions for the future. The Resettlement Team of Renfrewshire Council held a community-based event on Refugee Day and focus groups involving partners and organisations highlighted the following key recommendations: • Use of venues in communities encouraging more participation where learners live. • Partners invited to deliver sessions on topics and issues raised by learners and other community groups. • Introduction to groups and programmes available for them and their families out with ESOL classes • Use of DigiZones to allow learners to take part in digital literacies and online classes • Opportunities to link with key community members forging relationships within the community. • Sharing of cultures to promote positive collaboration and understanding • Partnership working with key organisations to deliver family fun days and events to continue understanding of the community as a whole. • Community co-develops new programmes throughout the year building on events and issues raised supported by key groups and organisations operating in the area. • Include partners linked to Digital Inclusion Strategies, tackling digital exclusion in communities. 3.3 Delivering targeted support to address disadvantage linked to poverty in our communities
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25 OFFICIAL Action 27: Undertake outreach pilot exercise and develop proposals for additional supports and activities for young people (Year 1) Daily operations for the Youth Safety Team included responding to ASB complaints from Police Scotland and the public, patrolling hotspot areas, and engaging directly with young people. The team also attend the Partnership Early Intervention Screening Group (EISG) meetings, conducted home visits and providing 12-week support plans where required. They also worked closely with Police Scotland to discuss and prevent issues impacting on Paisley town centre and surrounding areas. In the Johnstone community, Police Scotland has been working in partnership through their community connections, to support the Johnstone Castle Learning Centre to offer activities for local young people. Police Scotland has funded fortnightly evening football sessions to engage with young people, building positive relationships and guide them towards existing youth work provisions. £100k of funding was allocated by Council in its budget in 2024, to support initiatives which support youth engagement and wellbeing in Renfrewshire, with a strong focus in getting young people involved in a positive way with things going on in their community. This led to the development of the “Good Vibes Only” youth engagement programme, which has built strong momentum following successful outreach from summer 2024 in Linwood, Gallowhill, Paisley Town Centre and surrounding areas. The pilot initially ran for seven weeks delivered by council’s Youth Team, along with Street Stuff and various partners reaching 20 young people. The programme took place at the Foxbar Youth Drop-In Centre, a venue chosen as it encouraged the young people to socialize and connect. Each week, the programme features contributions from partner organisations such as Police Scotland, British Transport Police, and the Fire & Rescue Service. Throughout the seven weeks, the young people are being consulted on the youth work activities they would like to see and participate in. The feedback gathered helped shape future youth work initiatives. The Community Learning and Development team lead the coordination and monitoring of the initiative to ensure it remains youth-led and responsive to local needs and delivered in partnership with Street Stuff, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and British Transport Police. The initiative focuses on early intervention and prevention around risk taking behaviour and creating positive opportunities for young people. Phase 1 Developments included: • Outreach work has continued 2 nights per week since the outset of the programme based on analytical information and intelligence from Police Scotland. Most young people advise that they are getting involved in risk taking behaviour and choose travelling to other areas in Renfrewshire because they feel that there is nothing affordable for them to do in their own neighbourhoods. • Safe Kids 2025 was delivered at St Mirren Football Stadium this year as part of the ‘Good Vibes Only’ programme with a range of community safety partners. Workshops covering issues such as antisocial behaviour, internet safety, alcohol and drugs awareness, environmental crime, rail safety and water safety. All Primary 6 pupils, approximately 1,800 across Renfrewshire 3.4 Exploring options for outreach work that engages with young people who may become involved in high-risk behaviours
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26 OFFICIAL attended the workshops over a 3-week period and were given an information booklet reinforcing the learning that took place and can be shared with family members. Follow up activities in P7 and S1 will be provided on matters such as Water Safety in the lead up to the spring and summer holiday periods as well as Fire Safety in the lead up to Bonfire night. Additional funding has been secured from Future Paisley to support the Community Learning and Development Team to offer a range of targeted creative and cultural opportunities to young people across Renfrewshire through the Good Vibes Only programme. Links have been made with CLD partners to develop options to deliver this element of the programme and have identified and scoped an opportunity to work with a national organisation the Social Enterprise Academy and Create Paisley to give around 25 young people from across Renfrewshire, practical skills and creative outlets. Participants will also have the option to work towards a National Progress Award (NPA) in Enterprise and Employability (Level 4).
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27 OFFICIAL Action 28: Progress Connected Communities model in Renfrewshire (Year 1) A transformational priority is the development of the Connected Communities model and approach, which at its heart, will aim to strengthen the relationships that the Council has with local communities in Renfrewshire, including the ambition to make it easier for local people to access the support they need from different services, significantly aligned with the principles of early intervention and prevention. Phase 1 of the Connected Communities programme is the delivery of the new Connected Communities service model within Policy and Partnerships in Chief Executive’s Service. The service review is now mostly complete, with the new service structure agreed and final stages of recruitment now in progress. The new service structure is operational effective from beginning of August 2025, with focus now on implementation and development of the service offered. Phase 2 of the programme is underway with governance arrangements in place and workstreams scoped which will be focussing on Early Help, Place Based Approaches and Making Every Contact Count. These workstreams are now being progressed by workstream leads, with initial scoping and data gathering in progress to inform the development of proposals. The development of this model will continue in Year 2 and 3 of the CLD Partnership Plan as it will aim to contribute to strengthen collaborative working across the authority. Priority 4 – Strengthening our partnership and developing the workforce 4.1 Strengthening the way we work by progressing Connected Communities model in Renfrewshire Work across Priority 4 has improved collaboration and increased consistency in how partners plan and assess CLD activity. It has also started to create shared strategies for workforce development. Partners made good strides in establishing the Connected Communities model, reviewing evaluation methods and also working towards how a shared evidence-base can be developed in Year 2 through tools such as the CLD Partnership Survey and the emerging FORT system. The activity delivered in Year 1 aligns to the Outcomes and Performance Framework by providing a clearer and more coordinated way to measure the reach and impact of CLD in Renfrewshire. Training, shared learning and early workforce planning discussions have built a solid foundation for a strong and well-supported CLD workforce. Efforts on shared branding and identity, communication and the proposed CLD Roadshow will also help partners show the collective value of CLD more visibly. Overall, Year 1 activities have established important groundwork for better partnership working, a more uniform approach to evaluation and a more connected CLD workforce.
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28 OFFICIAL Action 29: Undertake an annual partnership survey of stakeholders and service users (Year 1) CLD Partners have started looking into how to design and conduct an annual partnership survey that collects valuable feedback from stakeholders and service users. The CLD Partnership Forum is reviewing the surveys, consultations, self-evaluation and reporting processes already conducted by individual member organisations. This will help identify opportunities for collaboration and reduce overlap. This initial work will help create a unified approach that collects consistent and useful insights while respecting the capacity of partners and participants. RHSCP’s approach to engagement in their Strategic Plan has offered useful insight for CLD partners. Their model has included locality workshops, targeted engagement with protected groups and structured consultation via strategic planning groups. These approaches are being reviewed as part of Year 2 work to design our shared CLD Partnership Survey. We have also been working with neighbouring local authorities to learn from their experiences. We are discovering what had gone well, what challenges they have encountered and how their methods could guide our own. Action 30: Review how partners evaluate performance and use this data and explore shared evaluation tools (Year 1). The CLD Partnership has started to review how we each collect and use evaluation and performance data. In the short term, the focus is on finding the right tools to gather data from partners. The long- term goal is to create a shared system that will support consistent reporting on CLD learning outcomes. Work to develop and implement a new recording system called FORT within Renfrewshire Council has started during Year 1. As it is developed and tested during 2025-26, this system could eventually allow partners to record data on shared outcomes. The system is being used successfully in other authorities to the same effect. A short-term working group will work collaboratively to explore the system being used, what partners need from it and avoid any overlap with current systems. Education Scotland delivered a series of training sessions on Self-Evaluation for Continuous Improvement (SECI) to help partners gain confidence in evaluation. So far, three courses have been completed. These courses cover outcome-focuses planning, data interpretation and analysis, and the use of self-evaluation toolkits including How Good is our CLD? (HGIOCLD). These workshops have helped create a common understanding of how to evaluate CLD activities locally. Opportunities to offer the remaining courses in the SECI series and to repeat earlier sessions for new participants are being planned. At the CLD Partnership Forum meetings, partners have begun to share information about their current evaluation methods. They have been discussing how and where they report outcomes, what tools they use and the challenges they encounter. This mapping exercise will guide our next steps as we enter Year 2, helping us develop shared evaluation principles and tools across the partnership. It also supports our commitment to national priorities and local plans on evidence-informed CLD and contributes to building a culture of shared evaluation across the partnership. 4.2 Develop shared framework for understanding the impact of CLD activities across the partnership
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29 OFFICIAL In Year 2, partners will keep working on shared evaluation principles, improve data-collection tools and test the practicality of a shared recording approach. Action 31: Explore opportunities to share information on the reach and value of CLD approaches locally (Year 1) During Year 1, the CLD Partnership Forum started looking into how to best promote CLD across Renfrewshire. They aimed to highlight the combined reach and value of partnership activities. Partners agreed that a clearer and more visible approach is needed. This will help communities, elected members and other services understand what CLD is, its impact and how it fits into broader local priorities. Early talks have focused on creating a CLD Roadshow. The goal of the Roadshow is to showcase the wide range of CLD activities provided by partners (activities people may not traditionally associate with it given the variety of work happening withing the partnership). It will visit communities throughout Renfrewshire, sharing examples of how CLD principles show up in local activities and demonstrate how CLD work contributes to learning, wellbeing and community participation. Before this, partners have recognised the need for a shared CLD identity that all organisations can use when promoting their work. This branding would not replace or overshadow existing identities. Instead, it would offer a common visual link, allowing partners to clearly identify and promote activities that support CLD outcomes. The CLD Partnership Forum is also looking into additional methods such as gathering short case studies, shared “CLD in numbers” visuals and digital and social media features to tell the story of CLD across Renfrewshire. In Year 2, partners plan to finalise the shared branding, design the format of the roadshow and agree on more ways to showcase CLD work and its local impact. Action 32: Undertake an annual needs assessment exercise to inform any changes to the Partnership Plan including targeting of needs/ communities (Year 1) Plans are underway to develop a CLD needs assessment exercise in early 2026. This work will be progressed within the CLD Partnership forum and will begin with the self-evaluation of year 1 of the plan, informed by learning from the SECI training referenced above. More broadly, the needs assessment will be informed by partners across Renfrewshire, the partnership survey, and the baseline data for the CLD Partnership Plan’s outcomes framework – as well as from various voice and influence forums. Despite not having delivered a broader needs assessment in year 1 of the plan, there have been needs assessments carried out alongside the CLD partnership for specific groups and communities, which will continue to inform the CLD Partnership Plan and approach, such as the New Scots Needs Assessment and work to review ESOL provision locally. Identified needs within the CLD Partnership Plan have also increasingly featured and have improved visibility in wider strategic plans within the local authority such as the Council’s corporate Equality Outcomes and also Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan.
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30 OFFICIAL Action 33: Develop local CLD Partnership workforce planning priorities (Year 1) Partners have started to use the regular CLD Partnership Forum meetings as a space to discuss workforce development challenges and identify practical solutions, with an emphasis on how we can support each other. The Forum is exploring the development of a shared training calendar, improved communication methods to ensure everyone is included and informed, and smaller short-life working groups to focus on specific areas such as mentoring, shared learning, branding and marketing, and volunteer development. The CLD Partnership Executive Group is in place to provide oversight and strategic direction for this work, helping to align workforce priorities with the wider CLD Plan and ensure that resources and opportunities are shared effectively across partners. These discussions within both groups are helping to shape emerging CLD workforce planning priorities and ensure that training and development activity reflects the needs of staff and volunteers across the partnership. Examples where training has been delivered in response to identified need and borne out of partnership working: • A great example of shared workforce development has been the breadth of partners engaged in professional learning on Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), led by Renfrewshire Council’s Children’s Services. The training covers relationship-centred and de-escalation techniques useful in youth work, adult learning and family support. Those who took part in the training reported feeling more confident in using compassionate trauma-informed practices when supporting families and young people. • Williamsburgh Housing Association which has a wide programme of training including community-based approaches to trauma informed practice, health and wellbeing topics such as mindfulness, digital skills, and leadership development. • GGHB Health Improvement Team organising – Vaping and Cigarettes Awareness training delivered by LANDED to council and third sector youth workers in response to increase concerns around vaping in children and young people. • Children’s Services Health and Wellbeing Development Officer delivering ASSIST, Safe Talk, and CEOPs to mixed staff of teachers and CDL workers. • Children Services delivering Interagency training on Contextualised Safeguarding, Promise Keeper training. The CLD Partnership Forum has started a process to understand staff training needs, in response to emerging themes and issues. This will become a focus at future Forum meetings into Year 2 to map existing training opportunities, who can deliver skills training, and identify where joint provision or shared learning sessions could be offered across the partnership as part of a shared workforce training calendar. Action 34: Partners to identify opportunities for local people to gain work experience and career progression opportunities across respective organisations. (Year 1) The CLD Partnership recognises the value of volunteering and work experience along with traineeships, modern apprenticeships can support people to pursue career pathways across the CLD sector. A good example of supporting progression is Youth Services supporting Trainees into youth work practice, to 4.3 Develop opportunities for CLD Workforce and volunteers to develop their skills and confidence
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31 OFFICIAL then progress to employment in the sector, with one trainee progressing to a Modern Apprentice in Youth Work There is strong evidence of where a training course like Activate delivered in the community by Glasgow University, supported progression onto their Community Development degree course. The Professional Development Award (PDA) in Youth Work has been delivered in Renfrewshire by Youth Scotland and provided the stepping stone for workers drawn from council and third sector agencies, to continue into further education courses, for example the BA in Community Education at the UWS. Practitioners from CLD have also continued their CPD, by enrolling on post-grad degrees offered through Dundee University and UWS including distance learning courses. Students from these courses have also been offered different levels of student placements in different settings in Renfrewshire to support practice and skill development. As part of the above action, work experience and career progression opportunities will be included in the survey and training needs exercise in Year 2.
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32 OFFICIAL Learning and Next Steps After our first full year, Renfrewshire’s CLD Partnership is in a strong position. We’ve built better governance, clearer communication and a growing shared understanding. Partners are more connected, and we can see the benefits of collaboration in the range of opportunities available across the area. Year 1 has involved a lot of hard work within the partnership. This effort has created solid foundations for continued collaboration and improved outcomes for communities. Many of the structures, relationships and projects established this year now provide a strong base for future progress. We’ve learned that working in partnership takes time, but the results are clear: greater consistency, stronger networks and a clearer picture of what learning and development activity is happening locally. We’ve also learned that flexibility is key. Communities and needs change quickly and CLD must continue to respond. Looking ahead to Year 2 of delivering our CLD Plan, our focus will include: • Strengthening how we listen to and act on learner and community voices. • Continuing to improve how we measure and share impact through data, stories and reflection. • Developing shared learning and workforce opportunities across the partnership. • Building awareness of CLD activities so that more people know what’s available and can participate. • Updating our action plan where new needs or gaps have emerged. The progress made in Year 1 shows what can be achieved through shared effort and commitment. As we move into Year 2, partners remain motivated and focused on ensuring that learning and community involvement continue to grow.
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1 OFFICIAL Renfrewshire CLD Partnership Plan – Action Plan – Update for Year 2 1 Provide a programme of high-quality lifelong learning, accessible to all 1.1 Help citizens to develop skills for work and life, enhancing employability and opportunities for anyone at any stage of the lifelong learner journey Ref Action Year Due Status Progress 1.1.1 Review support and opportunities for volunteering across Renfrewshire as part of our wider employability pipeline Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.1.2 Explore opportunities for closer joint working with Local Employability Partnership, particularly around supporting parental employability and supporting NOLB approaches Year 2 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Year 2 1.1.3 Development of a collaborative family learning offer with CLD partners Year 3 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Year 3 1.2 Engage and provide opportunities for young people to achieve the best possible learning outcomes 1.2.1 Partners to work together to increase the number of opportunities available for young people to access appropriate curricular pathways Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.2.2 Develop a strengthened framework of support with SDS and Invest Renfrewshire to ensure pupils are supported to enter and sustain positive destinations Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.3 Promote digital inclusion, providing opportunities to use digital in every aspect of day-to-day life safely 1.3.1 Consider opportunities for all partners to promote digital inclusion and the work of the wider DigiRen Partnership Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.3.2 Support the roll out of Digizones, particularly across community venues Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.4 Provide safe, welcoming spaces for the delivery of CLD activity, making them accessible, stigma- free and trauma- informed
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2 OFFICIAL 1.4.1 Partners to commit to delivery of trauma informed awareness raising and training across respective organisations Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 1.4.2 Explore provision of safe spaces to access support through further engagement with learners and the wider community Year 2 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Year 2 2 Build strong, connected communities where people can participate and influence in their local area 2.1 Support people to engage and participate in things taking part in their communities 2.1.1 Develop community capacity and resilience by supporting community groups to form, grow and connect Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 2.1.2 Support the development of local place plans as these emerge across local communities Year 2 & 3 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Years 2 and 3, although progress has been made against this action in Year 1. 2.2 Promote opportunities for personal and social development through the rich network of opportunities across Renfrewshire 2.2.1 Work with partners to review existing information and advice sources for people in Renfrewshire, to ensure that information on local and national support is available to people when they need it and, in the format they need Year 1& 2 This action is in progress. 2.2.2 Through our CAHSC (Culture, Arts, Health and Social Care) group, One Ren will lead work with colleagues and partners involved in the Future Paisley programme, to develop a range of arts and culture-based activities in a variety of settings to improve health and wellbeing Year 1 This action is now complete 2.2.3 We will provide a tailored range of health and wellbeing programmes for older people; people with a disability; and Year 1& 2 This action is in progress and will be further developed in Year 2, particularly as part of the implementation of the Health and Wellbeing Survey Action Plan
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3 OFFICIAL identified excluded groups with health improvement needs 2.3 Provide mechanisms for citizens to contribute to decision-making 2.3.1 Explore options to develop a CLD Voice Forum / forum arrangements to inform future planning Year 1 This action is underway but has been delayed and will be progressed within Year 2 of the plan 2.3.2 Explore options for further roll-out of participatory budgeting and decision- making opportunities in Renfrewshire Year 2 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Year 2, although progress has been made against this action in Year 1. 2.3.3 Progress the Local Plans, Local Voices, Local Priorities campaign through Local Partnerships Year 3 This is a future action within the Action Plan, due in Year 3, although progress has been made against this action in Year 1. 3 Deliver targeted opportunities across the CLD Partnership to reduce barriers and tackle inequalities 3.1 Promoting equity by removing barriers to access 3.1.1 Support delivery of BSL action plan, including opportunities for delivery of activities in Renfrewshire for targeted groups such as young people (Year 1& 2) Year 1 and 2 This action is in progress. 3.1.2 Ensuring greater representation of the Care Experienced Community in all activity concerned in delivering The Promise Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 3.1.3 Carry out a mapping exercise of youth work activity across Renfrewshire to identify gaps in provision either geographically or for communities of interest Year 1 This action is underway but has been delayed and will be progressed within Year 2 of the plan 3.2 Delivering targeted support to address disadvantage linked to poverty in our communities 3.2.1 Review school holiday provision to ensure it reaches target groups Year 1 This action is underway but further work will be carried out in Year 2 to identify sustainable ongoing delivery models for holiday provision.
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4 OFFICIAL 3.2.2 Support development of Whole Family Wellbeing / Locality development approach to provide appropriate family supports and focussing on early intervention, providing opportunities for children, young people, parents and carers to shape the services that impact them Year 2 & 3 This action is in progress. 3.2.3 Support community led needs assessment process in Gallowhill including any subsequent development activity Year 1 The Community Needs Assessment is now complete, and a further programme for implementation is in delivery. This action requires to be updated to reflect this, and will be changed to: ‘Deliver place-based response to the findings of the Community Needs Assessment in Gallowhill’. 3.3 Ensure there is a co-ordinated approach to welcoming and supporting new Scots in Renfrewshire by undertaking a partnership review of ESOL activity 3.3.1 Undertake a partnership review of ESOL activity as part of our wider New Scots plan Year 1 This action is now complete. A new action has been identified to progress the findings of the review. 3.3.2 Deliver partnership approach to ESOL provision across Renfrewshire, providing an expanded and more flexible model for delivery locally. Year 2 *NEW* This is a new action to be included within the Action Plan. 3.4 Exploring options for outreach work that engages with young people who may become involved in high-risk behaviours 3.4.1 Undertake outreach pilot exercise and develop proposals for additional supports and activities for young people Year 1 This action is underway but further work will be carried out in Year 2 to deliver on the findings of the outreach activity, and to deliver locality based interventions in specific areas. 4 Strengthening our partnership and developing the workforce 4.1 Strengthening the way we work by progressing Connected Communities model in Renfrewshire 4.1. 1 Progress Connected Communities model in Renfrewshire Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority
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5 OFFICIAL 4.2 Develop shared framework for understanding the impact of CLD activities across the partnership 4.2.1 Undertake an annual partnership survey of stakeholders and service users Year 1, 2 and 3 Progress has been made against this action, with the partnership survey under development with partners and due to be delivered in Year 2 of the plan 4.2.2 Review how partners evaluate performance and use this data, and explore shared evaluation tools Year 1, 2 and 3 Significant work has been carried out in Year 1 to develop and refine an outcomes and measurement framework alongside partners, although this is not yet ready for reporting purposes. A new specific action has been recommended relating specifically to the framework. 4.2.3 Explore opportunities to share information on the reach and value of CLD approaches locally Year 1, 2 and 3 This action is in progress. 4.2.4 Undertake an annual needs assessment exercise to inform any changes to the Partnership Plan including targeting of needs/ communities Year 1, 2 and 3 This action is in progress. 4.2.3 Implement the outcomes measurement framework, and establish regular reporting against indicators Year 2 and 3 *NEW* This is a new action to be included in the Action Plan, reflecting a key priority of the CLD Partnership to regularly collect, use and report performance and impact data for the CLD Partnership Plan. 4.3 Develop opportunities for CLD Workforce and volunteers to develop their skills and confidence 4.3.1 Develop local CLD Partnership workforce planning priorities Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority 4.3.2 Partners to identify opportunities for local people to gain work experience and career progression opportunities across respective organisations. Year 1 Progress has been made against this action, but the action should be carried forward to Year 2 of the plan as this remains a priority
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6 OFFICIAL