Fairer Renfrewshire Update
Renfrewshire Council · 3 December 2025
Back to Leadership Board — 3 December 2025 and its agenda
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PUBLIC _____________________________________________________________________________ To: Leadership Board On: 3 December 2025 _____________________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive _____________________________________________________________________________ Heading: Fairer Renfrewshire Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Council and its partners continue to work together to progress the Fairer Renfrewshire Programme, with a strong shared focus currently on the local response to the cost-of-living crisis. 1.2 This paper provides: • a summary of the issues as reported to the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee on 12 November 2025 including the cost of living and programme updates. • An update with regard to the Advancing Equality of Opportunity Workstream. • Details of the Summer of Fun programme and evaluation report. • An overview of all projects funded to date through this year’s Winter Connections programme. 1.3 This paper also presents a draft Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan for approval, which through consultation with key stakeholders, has been developed to guide the focus of the Fairer Renfrewshire programme over the course of the next 18-24 months. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Elected Members:
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PUBLIC • Note the content of the report and the work being undertaken to progress the Fairer Renfrewshire programme; • Note the update provided on the Summer Of Fun programme, including the evaluation report as detailed in Appendix 1; • Note the update provided on the Winter Connections programme in Section 6, with detailed information on all funded applications provided in Appendix 2. • Approves the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan attached at Appendix 3. ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Fairer Renfrewshire Programme was developed in order to bring together targeted programmes of work being progressed by the Council and its partners to tackle poverty and inequality in Renfrewshire. As the cost of living crisis has continued, the programme has continued to evolve in response, with activities being progressed across the 4 core themes: • Improving financial security • Advancing equality of opportunity • Building community capacity and resilience • Listening to lived experience 3.2 Regular updates on the programme are provided to the Fairer Renfrewshire sub-committee and subsequently to the Leadership Board. 4 Update from the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee 4.1 At its meeting on 12 November 2025, the sub-committee considered: • The most recent programme update including information on recent statistics and research in relation to the cost-of-living crisis, including the dashboard developed locally. • Progress updates in relation to family advice provision, Summer of Fun, Community Development in Gallowhill and the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan 4.2 Officers gather information from a variety of sources at both a local and national level to inform discussion at the sub-committee. Key statistics and information discussed at its most recent meeting are provided in table 1 below. Table 1 Key National Statistics • The rate of inflation is standing at 3.6% in October, falling from 3.8% the previous month and has been above the target rate of 2% set by the UK Government for the Bank of England since October 2024, when it reached 2.3%. • The inflation rate for food has increased to 4.9% in October, after hitting 5.1% in August then reducing to 4.5% in September. It remains higher than overall inflation.
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PUBLIC • The Bank of England interest rate was reduced to 4.00% in August 2025 and has remained at that rate. • The Energy Price Cap, originally introduced by Ofgem in January 2019 to set limits on the underlying rates energy suppliers, is currently set at £ 1775 from 1 October, up £35 a year from the previous quarter. This will increase by 0.2% to £1758 from 1 January. Cost of living research (national) The latest insights into the cost of living from the Office of National Statistics for the period 6th to 31st August 2025 found: • Around 67% of adults reported that their cost of living had increased compared with a month ago this is up from the 59% last reported. • The most commonly reported reason given by adults in the latest period for a rise in their cost of living remains the price of their food shop at 96% (previously 94%), which has been the case since they first asked the question in November 2021. • Around one in four (24%) adults said they had borrowed more money or used more credit in the last month when compared with a year ago. This has remained stable over the past three years. • Over one in three (36%) adults reported that they believed they would be unable to save any money in the next 12 months. This has remained stable in the past year. • Around one in three (31%) adults who paid energy bills reported that they found these bills very or somewhat difficult. • With regard to Direct Debit failure. The most recent statistics for September 2025 shows a default rate on loans of 5.08%. This is the highest rate since January 2024, and is only the second time the rate has been over 5% since records began in January 2019. • With regard to Electricity and Gas Direct Debits, the default rate is 3%, the highest since records began in 2019. September 2025 is the first time the rate has been as high as 3%. Employment and Income • According to the ONS, the Claimant Count in September 2025, which is taken from JobcentrePlus administration systems for those claiming unemployment-related benefits in Renfrewshire is 3225 people – 1935 men and 1290 women aged between 16 and 64. This is a slight reduction from 3,360 last reported. The Renfrewshire unemployment rate of 2.7% is less than the Scotland rate (3%) • Over the long term, average weekly earnings for both total and regular pay show a steady increase. Average weekly earnings were estimated at £727 for total earnings and £680 for regular earnings in July 2025.
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PUBLIC Food costs / insecurity • The latest figures show that food and drink inflation rose for the fifth month in a row in August, increasing to 5.1% from 4.9% in July, but then fell to 4.5% in September. Meat, butter, chocolate, coffee and milk were the items with the biggest price rises. Beef and veal were 24.9% higher in price than this time last year, and butter 18.9% higher. • The Renfrewshire Foodbank issued 1,361 vouchers in Quarter 2 of 2025/26, a decrease of 4.1% in comparison with the 1,400 vouchers issued during the same quarter last year. The vouchers covered 1,796 adults and 908 children this year, which was an increase in the total number receiving assistance compared to the same quarter last year (1,740 adults and 844 children). The number of vouchers this quarter is also slightly more than last quarter when 1,342 vouchers were issued covering 1,775 adults and 854 children. • The rising costs of essentials remains the most commonly cited factor in the reason for voucher issue in Renfrewshire, at 572 times. Housing In Renfrewshire, private rental prices have continued to rise to an average of £813 across all property sizes in August 2025, an increase of £6 per month on the last reported figure of £807 in June 2025 and an annual increase of 8% from £752 in August 2024. UK Child Poverty The Joseph Rowntree Foundation published its Poverty in Scotland report in October 2025. The report found that: • Poverty is deepening: nearly 1 in 10 people in Scotland are in very deep poverty with incomes below 40% of the median (the standard poverty line is below 60%). For families, alongside minority ethnic families, children in large families have the highest deep (30%) and very deep poverty (19%) rates out of the child poverty priority families. • In-work poverty is increasingly more common: 6 in 10 people in poverty live in a household where someone works and nearly three-quarters of children in poverty do. One-third of children in poverty have both their parents in work. • Poverty amongst disabled people remains high: when disability benefits are excluded from the income of households where someone is disabled, the poverty rate for people in a family where someone is in receipt of a disability benefit is 38%. Over half of all children in poverty live in a household where someone is disabled. • Universal Credit (UC) rates are too low to escape poverty: 42% of people in a family in receipt of a low-income benefit, such as UC, were trapped in poverty. • Housing costs are causing poverty, particularly for renters: 1 in 10 people in rented accommodation (private or social rents) are pulled into poverty due to their housing costs.
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PUBLIC 5 Fairer Renfrewshire Programme Update 5.1 Since the last update to Leadership Board in June 2025, a range of activities have continued to be progressed by officers and partners. A summary is provided in the sections below. Summer of Fun 5.2 At Leadership Board on 23 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 establishment of a small grants programme which would allow third and community sector partners to deliver local, targeted provision to low-income families across Renfrewshire. 5.3 In addition to the camps and small grants programme, additional funding from a number of different sources was used to deliver a varied programme of activities for children, families, and young people, including Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision along with youth work provision, a youth voice and participation programme, sports activities and an Adult and Family Learning programme. 5.4 Renfrewshire Libraries ran their own summer programme using some of the equipment and games that had been previously funded by Fairer Renfrewshire as well as their own resources. They also received £1,227 from Fairer Renfrewshire to purchase toys, healthy snacks and drinks for children visiting the Skoobmobile and for libraries throughout Renfrewshire. 5.5 The Summer of Fun programme aimed to deliver free, fun activities over the summer holidays for communities that might be underserved by mainstream activities, and particularly low-income families. Feedback suggests that the programme was able to reach these families, particularly those who are in the child poverty priority groups. 5.6 The majority of families that attended the holiday camps were lone parents, while over a third of families had 3 or more children. Feedback from the small grants funded projects showed that they had also managed to reach families in all child poverty priority groups through their activities. The ASN playscheme supported children who have complex needs, and transport for this provision was welcomed by families. The Promise Champs activities supported those who are care experienced, to develop new skills and build friendships. 5.7 In total it is estimated that around 9,000 people, mainly children, but also their families, benefitted from the programme that provided a range of benefits for children and their parents/carers including: • providing accessible, free and fun activities that low-income families could access • helping to reduce financial costs for families • providing a safe environment for children and young people to socialise and learn new skills
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PUBLIC • having a positive impact on parents and children’s mental health through creating connections and offering respite • encouraging new people to engage with services • It also provided access to food, activities and advice, providing support in a dignified manner which reduced the potential for stigma. 5.8 The evaluation report at Appendix 1 provides information on the whole summer programme that took place in summer 2025 and includes key findings and recommendations. Findings from the evaluation will be considered in future planning for similar activities. School Support and Family Advice Service 5.9 Between 1 July and the 30th of September 2025, the School Support Service assisted 43 clients. This reduction in numbers from the previous quarter is to be expected due to the school holidays. The majority of enquiries related to benefits advice, which continues to be the main focus of the service. 5.10 Total client financial gains (CFGs) for the period were £151,104.37, achieved across 27 clients. Most financial gains were secured through successful benefits claims, including: • Universal Credit – £87,258.00 • Adult Disability Payment (Daily Living) – £24,860.05 • Child Disability Payment (Care) – £16,905.20 • Carer’s Support Payment – £4,918.60 • Carer’s Allowance – £2,129.40 • Education Maintenance Allowance – £2,940.00 • Scottish Child Payment – £1,411.80 • Best Start Grant – Early Learning Payment – £1,279.20 5.11 Additional smaller gains were recorded from Child Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, and Charitable Support, totalling £9,249.12. 5.12 The client profile for Q2 shows that the service continues to reach families facing multiple challenges. Around 42% of clients reported a long-term health condition or disability, and a third had caring responsibilities for children with disabilities. Most clients were women aged 25–59, with nearly a quarter unemployed and a further 19% unable to work due to ill health. Just over half of clients lived in council or other social rented housing, reflecting strong engagement with low-income households. 5.13 Advice was also provided across a range of other areas, including education, housing, energy, and finance and charitable support, reflecting the holistic nature of the project. 5.14 For quarter 2 of 25/26, Advice Works received 113 referrals for their Family Advice Service and completed 120 cases. Most of these clients have received a benefit check, with some School Clothing Grant and Child Benefit applications. The majority of these referrals came from Health Visitor teams, with a number too from Social Work and also through self- referral and other Council teams.
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PUBLIC 5.15 Client Financial Gain for the year to date for Family Advice is £20,007, with the total for the year so far being almost £54,000, however even in cases where a client speaks to an adviser and there is no financial gain made, the client benefits from the reassurance of a benefit check. Meeting with Advice Works also opens discussion on all financial matters that may be worrying the client, such as debts and budgeting. 5.16 With regard to the Child Poverty Priority Groups, Advice Works have seen 60 families within the Family Advice Service so far this year, falling into these categories. 5.17 Officers have also been working with Advice Works and RCAB to develop a pathway to advice for families with children of all ages, with the intention of distributing and promoting this to Education staff and Whole Family Wellbeing teams as well as 3rd sector organisations working with parents and children. This promotion took place as part of Talk Money week from 3 November 2025. 5.18 As in previous years, Advice Works and RCAB came together too in Talk Money Week to offer appointments for clients to speak about any aspects of their finances which are worrying them and get Income Maximisation advice. Winter Clothing Payment 5.19 The £50 winter clothing payment for each eligible child, which was agreed within the Council’s Budget in February, was paid to families on 31 October 2025. This was paid to Renfrewshire parents and carers who have received a school clothing grant, the additional money will help families buy additional clothing for the winter months. This year 4873 children and young people benefitted from this additional payment. 5.20 Recipients received a message about the payment which included information about the School Support and Family Advice Services, and Head Teachers were provided too with information on how to support families to access financial advice and how to book a Talk Money Week advice appointment.
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PUBLIC 5.21 In addition, a press release was issued, again with details of where families could get advice, and about the Talk Money Week appointments. As mentioned above, these appointments were offered by Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau and Advice Works as part of Talk Money Week which took place from 3 to 7th November. Community Development in Gallowhill 5.22 As previously reported to elected members, at Leadership Board on 4 December, £50,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding was allocated in grant funding to Active Communities to support the continuation of community development activity in Gallowhill following the publication of the earlier Community Needs Assessment which took place in the area. This is intended to provide capacity to support the development and implementation of actions emerging from the community needs assessment and continue to improve and expand community led activity and infrastructure in the area. 5.23 Unfortunately, Active Communities are having to recruit a new Community Development Officer (CDO), so this work has slowed slightly, although they still run a community session there every Friday. Officers however, continue to work with Active Communities, and using the Community Needs Assessment are prioritising areas of work which will make a difference to the community. A meeting with Transport colleagues took place in late October, and Housing Regeneration colleagues are also involved in looking at how we can work together for maximum effect in the area. 5.24 Recruitment for a new CDO started in November, so that more intensive work in the area can restart as quickly as possible. Wider work will also be undertaken to develop a place- based approach based on the learning from the CNA, with a group comprising Council and HSCP officers and Active Communities steering this work. This group continues to meet. Lived Experience Panel 5.25 Elected Members have been given a number of updates relating to work of the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel. The Panel have met with Events and made contributions to Halloween and Christmas events and contributed to Renfrewshire’s Employability Week through taking part in a session with Invest, DWP and Skills Development Scotland to look at how their services could be better promoted. 5.26 The Panel also took part in the Fairer Renfrewshire Planning Event which took place on 8 October alongside representatives from Council services and the 3rd sector and have supported development of the Action Plan. 5.27 Looking forward, the Panel will meet with the Convenor and Depute of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee as well as the Convenor of the Communities and Housing Policy Board before Christmas.
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PUBLIC 6. Current Priorities Device Recycling Pilot 6.1 In September 2025, Leadership Board agreed to allocate £10,000 of grant funding to Pachedu to develop a device recycling project as part of the Council’s wider digital inclusion work. 6.2 Officers from Renfrewshire Council and OneRen Libraries have been working with Pachedu to have all elements of the project in place and it was launched as part of DigiKnowVember, with the first 3 devices being donated to Pachedu via the Libraries team at the event. The project will be piloted across 4 Renfrewshire Libraries in the first instance: Paisley Central, Ferguslie Park, Johnstone and Renfrew with devices being dropped off by the public in those libraries, collected by Pachedu, refurbished and donated to those who need them. 6.3 The new service will be promoted across Libraries and the 3rd sector using the Engage network as well as the DigiRen network more specifically. It will also be promoted through Council Comms and will be a useful addition to the small electrical device recycling which currently takes place within libraries. Winter Connections 6.4 Recognising the success of the Winter Connections programme since 2022/23, £75,000 of Fairer Renfrewshire funding was allocated as part of the Council’s budget to support the delivery of a Winter Connections programme for 25/26. Winter Connections provides a network of local places and spaces where people can connect to others in their community over the winter. 6.5 Funded activities must fit the criteria of Winter Connections and be: • Open, free and easy to access (although this can mean open to all within a particular age or targeted group) • Inclusive, welcoming, respectful, and safe • Able or willing to provide connections to other services and supports • Able to offer warm drinks/snacks/food along with activities, where possible 6.6 The process launched in September, with organisations able to apply for up to £2,000 funding to support free activities and was quickly oversubscribed, with 47 organisations applying for funding. 6.7 Funding has been fully spent and a list of organisations which have received funding to 21 November is attached at Appendix 2. 6.8 The programme will be evaluated, and a report brought to a subsequent Board.
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PUBLIC Advancement of equality of opportunity – Equalities Outcomes Consultation 6.9 The scheduled equalities outcome consultation was launched at the start of September 2025. The consultation is designed to provide those who work, live and study in Renfrewshire with an opportunity to feedback on the Council’s draft equality outcomes and associated actions. There are two methods for individuals to participate in the consultation, either through one of the scheduled face to face sessions or via an online survey. 6.10 Outreach activity has taken place to promote and enhance the response to the consultation. 3rd sector organisations, community groups and Council services which engage with individuals who are likely to have an interest in the equality outcome consultation have been contacted and offered an individual bespoke session. These sessions have encouraged engagement with the consultation, and either helped individuals fill out the consultation, or were run as a focus group. These sessions have been flexible in how they are delivered and driven by the needs of the individuals attending them. For example, Sewing2Gether All Nations was visited to help individuals attending fill out the online consultation form. This was facilitated by Sewing2Gether All Nations staff who were able to translate. 6.11 Further engagement sessions took place with: • Active Communities Knitting Group • the Active Communities Pantry • Community Learning and Development ESOL class • Disability Resource Centre • people supported by Learning Disability Services through the HSCP • The Fairer Renfrewshire lived experience panel • Home Start Wellbeing Group • Kairos Women+ • dates-n-mates • RAMH 6.12 In addition to these bespoke sessions, 4 general sessions took place. These were face to face sessions in Johnstone, Renfrew and Paisley as well as an online Teams session and on 29 October a session was held with the Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel. 6.13 The Consultation closed on 31 October 2025 and 60 consultation responses have been received, both online and in paper format. 7 Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan 7.1 It was agreed by the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee and Leadership Board that a Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan would be developed by the end of 2025. The Plan is intended to provide a more formal overview of the breadth of the Fairer Renfrewshire programme as well as set out priorities and activities to be undertaken over the next 18 – 24 month period.
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PUBLIC 7.2 Fairer Renfrewshire is an umbrella programme term for work across Renfrewshire Council, in many cases alongside our partners. The programme currently funds a number of longstanding projects as well as some newer projects which have received additional funding, such as the Winter Connections and Summer of Fun programmes. With the recruitment of an Equalities Development Officer, a renewed focus on equalities, and defining and meeting our Equalities Outcomes also comes under the banner of Fairer Renfrewshire. There is also some business-as-usual work, including funding of external advice services. 7.3 The Plan is designed to pull together all aspects of Fairer Renfrewshire work, including planned work, in one place where they can be clearly identified, and outcomes measured. 7.4 The Plan was developed using the voices of varied Council Services and key external partners, including the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel. A workshop with these partners was held in October, and gaps and areas for development were identified and prioritised, as well as what is already available and working well. 7.5 Using the outputs of this workshop, themes were developed and a further session with members of the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee, looking at strengths and challenges of the current Fairer Renfrewshire work, and future actions, drew out additional areas of focus. 7.6 The cross-cutting themes which have been identified are: • Joined up working – a need for better coordination across health, housing, employability, and engagement. • Data and Evidence - Improve data sharing and use of lived experience to inform decisions. • Access and Inclusion - Address digital exclusion, transport barriers, and language needs. • Sustainability - Secure long-term funding for community services and preventative approaches. • Trust and Transparency - Communities want genuine involvement and clear feedback on actions taken. 7.7 Additional ‘stand alone’ themes were also identified: • Improving Financial Security • Health Wellbeing and Community • Advancing Equality of Opportunity • Developing understanding and insight
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PUBLIC 7.8 On approval of the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan, this will be shared with partners and published on the Council website. The Plan will be reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure progression. 7.9 It is recognised there will be a need to continue to develop this Plan and to ensure resources are deployed effectively to support its delivery. This will include: • Continuing to develop and gather data and information which evidences impact and the achievement of outcomes at a local level • Developing external funding applications and seeking opportunities to align partnership resources to support the delivery of the Fairer Renfrewshire programme. • Continuing to embed live experience and voice and influence within the work that we do – this includes monitoring the effectiveness of the Plan against its actions and outcomes targeted. • Ensuring specific actions are included as required to meet emerging requirements of specific equality groups. _______________________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – none 2. HR & Organisational Development – none 3. Community/Council Planning – This report provides a summary of current partnership activities being progressed through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, with a key focus on tackling the inequalities that exist in Renfrewshire. 4. Legal - none 5. Property/Assets - none 6. Information Technology - none 7. Equality and Human Rights – The report provides an overview of the position around household income and expenditure, and is for noting. As such there are no impacts arising from the recommendation of this paper. It is however important to note that impacts on households explored within this paper are likely to be disproportionately felt by equality groups. 8. Health and Safety - none 9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy Impact – none 12. COSLA Policy Position – none 13. Climate Risk – none 14 Childrens Rights - the articles within UNCRC underpin the work that is being progressed in Renfrewshire through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, particularly in relation to rights in relation to aspects such as life, survival and development, food, clothing and a safe home and supporting the best interests of the child and their families. Child poverty and family wellbeing are key local partnership priorities. _____________________________________________________________________________ Author: Laura McIntyre, Head of Policy and Partnerships
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1 PUBLIC An evaluation of the Summer of Fun Programme 2025 “We saw children who had never entered a pool finally relax and play. We saw carers cry with relief. We saw families laugh together for the first time in weeks. It wasn’t just swimming — it was respite, it was inclusion, it was connection. Thank you for trusting small, grassroots organisations like ours. With this kind of funding, we can do what we do best: meet families where they are and lift them, together.” Just Dive In September 2025
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 2 PUBLIC 1. Contents 2. Executive Summary ...................................................................................... 3 3. About Summer of Fun .................................................................................. 6 a. Background ...................................................................................................... 6 b. Renfrewshire Summer Holiday Camps ........................................................ 6 c. Summer of Fun Community Programme.................................................... 8 d. Additional Support Needs (ASN) Provision............................................... 12 e. Street Stuff ...................................................................................................... 12 f. Adult and Family Learning ........................................................................... 13 g. The Promise Champs Summer Programme ............................................. 15 h. One Ren Libraries .......................................................................................... 18 i. Skoobmobile .................................................................................................. 18 4. Evaluating the Summer of Fun programme .......................................... 20 a. Renfrewshire Summer Holiday Camps ...................................................... 20 b. Additional Support Needs (ASN) Provision............................................... 23 c. Skoobmobile .................................................................................................. 24 d. Summer of Fun Community Programme.................................................. 25 5. Conclusions .................................................................................................. 40 6. Appendix 1 – Organisations which received Summer of Fun small grants .............................. 43
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 3 PUBLIC 2. Executive Summary Since 2023, Renfrewshire has been running a successful Summer of Fun programme, providing free activities for children and young people over the Summer break. The programme coordinates a range of Council services and partners including a number of local 3rd sector organisations which are funded through a small grants programme. In February 2025 Council allocated £100,000 through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme to support the development of the 2025 summer holiday programme, with a focus on providing fun activities, support and healthy food over the holiday period to low-income families. It was agreed that £50,000 of the funding would be allocated to the provision of summer camps and £50,000 would be allocated to the Summer of Fun Community Programme piloted in 2023. The Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel played a key role in directing how this funding could be used. The Community Learning and Development team developed the programme of activities for children and young people through a summer camp model in partnership with Street Stuff, and with the provision of a healthy meal. Work was undertaken to prioritise access to camp bookings to families with low incomes, especially in the child poverty priority groups and through referrals from Childrens Services before opening up access more widely. The Community Programme is a small grants programme for local community groups and organisations to operate free activities over the summer holidays which reach communities and particularly low-income families that might be underserved by mainstream activities. Additional funding from a number of different sources was used to deliver a varied programme of activities for children, families, and young people, along with youth work provision, a youth voice and participation programme, sports activities and an Adult and Family Learning programme. Summer Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision was delivered from Riverbrae School, including the playscheme provided through Klas Care, who were funded to deliver this programme as part of wider work through the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF). One Ren delivered a summer programme in the libraries and with the Skoobmobile team. Funding through Fairer Renfrewshire was provided to OneRen to provide toys, healthy snacks and drinks for children visiting the Skoobmobile and for libraries throughout Renfrewshire.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 4 PUBLIC In total around 8,812 people were supported across the whole programme. This report describes the work delivered across Renfrewshire throughout the summer holidays as part of the 2025 Summer Holiday provision. Key findings • Access to free, structured, engaging activities aimed at different ages and often including day trips to places of interest, resulted in a successful Summer of Fun programme. The removal of financial barriers to participation and the welcoming and inclusive nature of activities created an accessible programme for families. • The Summer of Fun programme provided children with the opportunity to learn new skills, make new friends, be creative, visit new places and make memories with their families. It helped to create connections, reduce isolation and provide respite to parents and carers. • The programme was able to reach low-income families, particularly those families who are in the child poverty priority groups who may be underserved by mainstream holiday programmes. • Benefits of the Summer of Fun programme included providing free fun activities that low- income families could access, helping to reduce financial costs for families and encouraging new people to engage with organisations. • Partnership work enabled organisations to broaden their offer of activities and bring in community safety partners to deliver informative sessions to keep young people safe. • The free holiday camp places were helpful in supporting working parents with childcare costs, particularly single parents. They provided a safe environment for children to socialise and enjoy a range of activities over the holidays, with outdoor activities being noted as an important benefit. • As identified in previous years, many parents and carers that do a block booking for holiday camps do not show up to the camps and do not cancel their spaces. Further work is required to make sure there is maximum take up of this provision to benefit as many families as possible. • The Promise Champs programme offered care experienced young people safe spaces to build friendships, develop new skills, enjoy nutritious food, and receive support in a positive and youth-friendly setting.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 5 PUBLIC • Adult & Family Learning Services ESOL group offered families lots of fun ways to practice English by taking part in activities and games that helped to build vocabulary and boost confidence in speaking English. • The Skoobmobile was very popular and worked in partnership with other Council departments and 3rd sector partners to expand their offer and increase awareness of the service. Being mobile, the free access to play and crafting activities was particularly important to parents who were unable to travel and in areas where no other activities were being delivered. • Additional Support Needs provision continued to identify and respond to the need for provision for children and young people with complex additional support needs through free engaging activities, healthy snacks and free transport for some sessions.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 6 PUBLIC 3. About Summer of Fun a. Background In February 2025, Council allocated £100,000 of funding through the Fairer Renfrewshire programme to support the development of a summer holiday programme of activities, with a focus on providing support over the holiday period to low-income families including healthy food where appropriate. It was agreed that £50,000 of the funding would be allocated to the provision of summer camps and £50,000 would be allocated to the Summer of Fun Community Programme piloted in 2023. The Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel played a key role in directing how this funding could be used. Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development team developed a programme of activities for children and young people through a summer camp model in partnership with Streetstuff, and with the provision of a healthy meal. Work was undertaken to prioritise access to camp bookings to families with low incomes, especially in the child poverty priority groups and through referrals from Childrens Services before opening up access more widely. Contact was also made with Mears around attendance of Summer Clubs for asylum seeking families. The Community Programme is a small grants programme which allows local community groups and organisations to operate free activities over the summer holidays which can reach communities that might be underserved by mainstream activities, particularly low- income families. The Programme is administered by the Fairer Renfrewshire team. b. Renfrewshire Summer Holiday Camps Following on from last year’s successful programme, Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development team delivered a summer camp for children and young people. The holiday camps were held in 6 venues across Renfrewshire with a focus on reaching families most in need of the free provision. There were 1,973 attendances at the holiday camps. A programme was developed offering several core activities and targeted to young people aged 5 to 14 years whose families received the school clothing grant, in addition to separately funded youth work provision, a youth voice and participation programme,
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 7 PUBLIC sports activities and youth bus delivered by Street Stuff and an Adult and Family Learning programme that families could attend together. The approach built on the successes from previous summer programmes and the partnership working between services. The summer provision also ensured a varied programme catering for families, children, and young people across the whole of Renfrewshire. Information about the camps and details of how to book were sent directly to families who were receiving free school meals and clothing grants and, although we know this information was shared between families, the targeting of the information allowed the service to reach low income families in the first instance. Care was also taken to work closely with services such as Social Work, Education and other partners to identify families and young people that would particularly benefit from organised summer activities and to signpost them towards and sign them up for universal activities. The aim was to develop a programme of integrated provision to address the barriers and isolation faced by people in the most deprived areas, but at the same time open to families across Renfrewshire, concentrating on the Scottish Government’s child poverty priority groups. Camps for ages 5 to 14 years were delivered throughout the summer holidays from Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3pm, twice per week in each of the following venues: Having fun with Street Stuff
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 8 PUBLIC • Renfrew – St James’ Primary School • Gallowhill – St Catherine’s Primary School • Ferguslie Park – Glencoats Primary School • Linwood – Linwood High School • Foxbar – St Paul’s Primary School • Johnstone – West Johnstone Shared Campus This summer a range of activities were delivered which included hockey, basketball, football and dance as well as arts and crafts, board games and glitter tattoos. Children and young people also had the opportunity to discuss issues around respect and Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue also delivered workshops on online safety and the dangers of fire raising. c. Summer of Fun Community Programme Utilising the allocated budget of £50,000, local community and voluntary organisations could apply for small grants of up to £3,000 to cover costs of summer activities, including venues, materials, food, transport and sessional staff. Smaller awards of up to £500 were also available for organisations with existing activities over the summer to provide healthy snacks or food. Applications were considered for single events or programmes of activities, designed for whole families or for children and young people of a range of ages. All projects agreed to the following principles • Activities must be free, with no hidden or additional costs • Healthy snacks should be provided, or lunch if full day activities • Activities should be inclusive, welcoming, respectful and safe • Compliant with requirements around safeguarding, child protection and food hygiene as appropriate • Able or willing to provide connections to other services and supports In order to ensure that this funding was distributed as quickly as possible, authority was delegated to the Head of Policy and Partnerships to award grants in line with the guidance, with information on awards to be provided to the Leadership Board in consultation with the Council Leader. In total 25 organisations applied for funding. Applications were assessed by a panel consisting of officers from Renfrewshire Council, including from Youth Services,
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 9 PUBLIC Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, and from Engage Renfrewshire, with the panel meeting regularly between mid May and the beginning of June. The panel members were able to evaluate the Summer of Fun applications based on knowledge of other available support across localities. Overall 20 projects were funded through Summer of Fun, with the full £50,000 utilised. This included an allocation to One Ren libraries to provide toys which could be taken round in the Skoobmobile to add an extra aspect to their and partners’ programmes and snacks and drinks for children during library activities. As the fund was oversubscribed, it was not possible to approve all applications received. Unsuccessful applicants were signposted to other support or information about sources of funding via Engage Renfrewshire. A list of the organisations that delivered Summer of Fun small grants activities can be found in Appendix 2. A wide range of activities for children and young people of all ages were provided through the funding, along with healthy snacks/ lunches and drinks. Activities that were offered included: • Inflatable fun sessions • Summer playschemes offering free childcare • Traditional games and outdoor activities in local parks • Day trips to local visitor attractions • Arts and crafts and creative activities, such as pottery painting • Sports activities including football, snorkelling, cheerleading, swimming and dancing • Educational activities like cooking skills, music technology and baking • Music workshops and storytelling Day trips proved to be very popular, with young people enjoying a day with their families at Blair Drummond Safari Park, Millport, the Sealife Centre at Loch Lomond, Monty’s Farm Park, Glasgow Science Centre, and the beaches at Ayr and Troon. CREATE Paisley provided drop-in sessions across Johnstone and Paisley for young people, with outdoor creative workshops in the Finding Your Feet garden and music and dance workshops delivered by their partners at The Soundsystem Project and Right2Dance. In addition they delivered weekly sessions for families from the Ukraine and Syria in partnership with Renfrewshire’s Resettlement Team.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 10 PUBLIC Just Dive In delivered a range of sensory-friendly aquatic activities including sensory splash sessions, family float sessions, quiet swims and mermaid and snorkel tasters. These activities were specifically designed to be accessible to children and families who may otherwise have faced barriers to participation. Many of the organisations worked with partners to offer as wide a range of activities as possible. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde partnered with St Mirren FC to organise a visit to St Mirren Park, giving families and volunteers the opportunity to enjoy a stadium tour and lunch. This was an exciting and memorable experience for both children and parents. They also hosted five Park Day sessions across various locations in Renfrewshire, offering outdoor crafts, play-based activities and healthy snacks for both children and adults. These activities provided vital opportunities for connection, play and support, helping families stay engaged with Home-Start and with each other throughout the summer. Creating with nature (Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde) Children participating in Fit and Fed with St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 11 PUBLIC Alongside delivering inclusive activities for all age groups, Active Communities brought in partners to provide advice and information to parents. They had visits and demonstrations from the Fire Service, Invest, Advice Works, DigiRen and the Skoobmobile. The residents we work with bought into the events from the start. Once the funding was granted, we created a seven-week programme to provide free fun family events each Friday mornings (10-11.30am) in Gallowhill. The community centre was the focus of all events, so we had to hire the space for the 7 weeks. Each session offered something different and ranged from cooking lessons including American and Scottish themed food, a silent disco which the mums loved! We held drumming and music workshops, puppet storytelling with Professor Squozz (up to age 5), facepainting, delivery of arts and crafts sessions where families could leave with something they made, an end of summer disco with game activity and a carnival style day with funfair games, prizes and lots of activity. Active Communities Brick Lane Music Academy provided a range of music activities including Family Music Sessions, Magical Musicians and Band in a Week, where children could sing and learn to play musical instruments. Lunch provided and families with other children under 5 were able to use their facilities, including their new sensory garden. Creche facilities were available too. Erskine Arts delivered workshops in art, music production and performing for different age groups. Young people were able to create, sing, act and learn practical skills in recording and producing music. The STAR Project’s Summer of Fun programme enabled them to offer free spaces on their summer trips to families who would struggle to access activities over the summer due to financial constraints. They also held an end-of-summer Fun Day in Fountain Gardens for the whole community. This included a picnic and BBQ, inflatables, craft activities, music and games, and provided an opportunity for families who attended their summer programme to “come together, share experiences and deepen their connections”.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 12 PUBLIC d. Additional Support Needs (ASN) Provision Summer ASN provision this year was located at Riverbrae School, with Klas Care funded to provide some places there as part of wider work through the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF). Riverbrae Playscheme took place between 7th July and 7th August 2025 from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday. There was the opportunity for up to 40 children to attend per day. There were 212 applications received in total and 195 families took up the offer of support, 15 of whom received their funded places through Klas Care. Although families were allocated with 5 free spaces across the 5 weeks, additional sessions could be purchased. A range of fun engaging activities and free play time was delivered throughout the summer holiday period which included: • A nutritious meal and healthy snacks throughout the day • Child led play, both indoor and outdoor activities – including sports, creative arts and sensory experiences. • Much needed social interaction with other children and young people • A high level of staffing who were able to respond to each individual child’s needs A nurse was available two days per week for children who required a higher level of support/complex medical needs and for those using free spaces, transport costs were provided. 47 families took up the offer for free transport to Playscheme for parents within Renfrewshire. Parents were encouraged to transport their children where possible, however, due to the location of the venue and to maximise opportunities and support for families during the summer holiday period, there was some transport available for those who needed it most. e. Street Stuff Street Stuff continued to deliver their core programme of activities in the evenings from Monday to Saturday for young people aged 8 to 16 throughout the summer holidays which also included the provision of healthy food. 1,800 attendances were recorded with activities including multi-sports and the games buses with PS4 games and DJ decks. Young people had the opportunity to mix with friends, listen to music and play fun and interactive games.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 13 PUBLIC The Street Stuff activities were delivered at the following places: • Linwood – Our Lady of Peace • Foxbar – Morar Drive and Foxbar Youth Drop in • Erskine - Bargarran Primary School • Johnstone – McMaster Centre • Shortroods – Beechwood Community Centre MUGA • Gallowhill Community Centre • Glenburn – Skye Crescent f. Adult and Family Learning The Adult and Family Learning team supported 61 families in Renfrewshire to enjoy a fun- filled summer regardless of the weather. Four sessions a week in Southend, Foxbar, Johnstone, Renfrew and Erskine ran throughout July and offered parents lots of fun ways to engage with their children. Johnstone families enjoyed outdoor fun – a scavenger hunt in nature, looking for leaves, twigs, ladybugs and four leaf clover as well as searching for fairy houses. Children played with chalk, bubbles, bats and balls and footballs and made use of the outdoor equipment, with some of them conquering their fear of the climbing wall. The children also enjoyed story times and games on the Skoobmobile as well as choosing a library book. They also had the opportunity to get involved in some messy baking.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 14 PUBLIC The Glasgow Science Centre hosted a day out for 7 families that included free entry, lunch, and travel to and from the centre. Families from Erskine took part in a variety of activities, including lego yacht racing which they really enjoyed.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 15 PUBLIC An ESOL specific group was delivered in Moorpark and learners were able to practice their English by taking part in a variety of fun tasks and games that helped build their vocabulary and boost their confidence in using English. g. The Promise Champs Summer Programme The Youth Services Promise Champs summer programme was funded through the Promise Partnership Youth-Led Corra Fund to support care-experienced young people, young carers, and their peers living in Renfrewshire to engage in a wide range of youth work opportunities including clubs, trips, and new experiences removing common barriers such as cost and accessibility. The programme was co-designed with existing Promise Champs, who played a key role in shaping it, selecting residential venues, and identifying the experiences they most wanted to access. Designed to run across the full six-week summer break, the programme offered young people safe spaces to build friendships, develop new skills, enjoy nutritious food, and receive support in a positive and youth-friendly setting. Opportunities were widely shared through Promise Keeper, social work, and youth work networks, with sign-ups managed via the Class4Kids platform. This ensured the offer reached young people aged 12–17 across Renfrewshire who would benefit most. The programme delivered 6 weekly themed youth club sessions which were attended by 10 participants, 3 summer trips attended by 36 young people, 6 drama workshops attended by 8 young people, a residential experience attended by 14 young people and a Promise Youth Festival.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 16 PUBLIC Summer trips included visits to Glasgow Splatter Art Studio, Edinburgh Zoo and a beach day with picnic. Packed lunches were provided for all the trips. The Summer trips were a great way to bring the Promise Champs participants from different communities together. The trips encouraged exploration and fun and promoted independence, and social development. Youth Services hosted an overnight residential for 14 young people at Lapwing Lodge providing opportunities to try new challenges, create memories and strengthen peer bonds. Activities included high ropes, tomahawk throwing, inflatable challenges, and canoeing, along with evening entertainment and group discussions on future Promise initiatives. In addition, Youth Club Summer sessions were held in Paisley Methodist Church from 1 - 3pm on Mondays throughout July and August and were open to young people aged 12-17 years of age. These weekly clubs provided a consistent, safe, and fun space for young people to take part in arts and crafts, team games, independent play, and meaningful social time with peers. Young people enjoyed engaging, youth-led activities that boosted wellbeing and confidence. In partnership with Moxie Drama School, 6 drama workshops on Thursdays from 12 to 2pm gave young people the opportunity to develop performance and storytelling skills through improvisation, dance, singing, and script writing. These activities boosted self-confidence and creativity, developed individual and group communication skills and empowered young people to express themselves through voice and movement in a safe space. The youth festival, Promise YouthyFest was held on 6th August from 11am to 7pm at Youth Services, West Primary School and was attended by 189 young people. The festival was an incredibly positive and enriching event, bringing together care experienced children and young people, young carers, their friends, and families for a full day of celebration, creativity, and community connection. Thanks to successful external funding from the Promise Partnership Youth-led Corra Fund, young people were able to take full ownership of the planning, design, and delivery of YouthyFest, embedding youth voice at every stage. Festival highlights included music and performances, funfair-style activities, creative zones, circus skills, a silent disco and wellbeing and chill-out areas for young people to relax, recharge, and access support if needed. Feedback from the festival was overwhelmingly positive with attendees highlighting the warm and welcoming environment, the quality and variety of activities for all ages, the
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 17 PUBLIC efforts to making the event inclusive and barrier-free and how empowered the young organisers were. The following impact and positive outcomes were identified: 1. Youth Leadership and Empowerment: • The event demonstrated the power of youth leadership. The Promise Champs led every stage of the festival’s development—from branding to logistics—developing real-world skills in project management, communication, and collaboration. • Young people felt listened to, valued, and empowered, boosting their self-esteem and sense of purpose. 2. Increased Inclusion and Accessibility: • YouthyFest removed common barriers to participation such as cost, travel, and lack of support, ensuring care experienced young people, young carers, and their families could attend without stress or financial strain. • Signposting and support throughout the day created a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for families of all backgrounds. 3. Strengthening Relationships and Community Bonds: • The festival created a space where friendships flourished, families connected, and communities came together in celebration. • For many, it was a rare opportunity to enjoy a day out as a family unit in a safe, stigma- free environment. 4. Promoting The Promise Values: • Every element of the event was designed to uphold and reflect the values of The Promise: love, safety, and respect. • Attendees repeatedly described the day as “fun,” “inclusive,” “safe,” and “uplifting.” 5. Positive Family Experiences: • Families reported feeling supported, connected, and uplifted by the day. Parents and carers expressed appreciation for the thought and care that went into making the event inclusive, relaxing, and fun for both young people and adults.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 18 PUBLIC h. One Ren Libraries Renfrewshire Libraries ran their own programme of events this year using equipment bought in previous years and linked it to the annual Summer Reading Challenge “Story Garden”. All activities were free and focused on using recyclable materials and items that are easily sourced. The Summer Reading Challenge this year had the theme of Story Garden, with 1,571 children signing up for the challenge and over half, 912 completing it. One Ren received £1,227 from Fairer Renfrewshire to purchase toys, healthy snacks and drinks for children visiting the Skoobmobile and for libraries throughout Renfrewshire. i. Skoobmobile The Skoobmobile provided access to library activities, including the Summer Reading Challenge and information about partner organisations. With the increasing cost of summer activities, the Skoobmobile was in more demand than ever, giving families free access to different play and crafting opportunities without having to travel or make reservations. A helping hand in Barshaw Park on a Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Park Day
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 19 PUBLIC Fairer Renfrewshire provided funding for new toy provision as well as free snacks and drinks. The mobile service visited the following locations: • Howwood • Houston • Gallowhill • Todholm • Barshaw Park • Gockston Road The Skoobmobile has built relationships with many groups and organisations throughout Renfrewshire to ensure that the programme reaches all communities. They joined Active Communities’ Summer of Fun programme at Gallowhill Community Centre as well as West Johnstone Family Group, Southend Action Centre and St Mirren Fit n Fed camps where children were offered football themed crafts every Thursday morning over the holidays. Toy items purchased with Fairer Renfrewshire funding were used on a free play basis at Gallowhill, Barshaw Park, Marshes, Howwood and Houston community visits and were very well received, especially the shape matching game. Board games were popular with children and facilitated interactions between children and led to friendships being made. Feedback from children was very positive. “I can’t wait to be on the Skoobmobile again because its so fun” “Loved our time on the Skoobmobile and nice to have a look at some Gaelic books too”. “I liked playing with the new games, the shape game was fund, and it was nice to spend time together”. Digital Champions joined the Skoobmobile every Wednesday at Barshaw Park to raise awareness of their service. The service was also joined by Invest in Renfrewshire on two occasions and worked with Paisley Museum Cultural Learning Team at Sma Shot Day to support an interactive weaving experience for visitors. As part of Fèis Phàislig the bus was joined by 9 adults and 12 children for a morning of traditional music and activity for families at Barshaw Park. The programme faced some challenges including mechanical issues, getting relief drivers, and weather (good and bad) impacting on attendance.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 20 PUBLIC 4. Evaluating the Summer of Fun programme Different parts of the programme were evaluated in different ways, but we have included information on numbers attending and comments from staff, parents, carers and children, below. a. Renfrewshire Summer Holiday Camps Over the summer period there were 1,973 recorded attendances at the Summer camps. Participants were asked to provide their views on the Summer of Fun camps by giving the camps a rate out of 5, with 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. Participants stated that they enjoyed the camps and the total rating for the camps was 4.5 out of 5. Evaluation has shown that the free holiday camp places were helpful to families for a number of reasons. The availability of free spaces supported working parents with childcare costs, particularly single parents. The camps provided a safe environment for children to meet new children, develop their social skills and try out different activities over the holidays. The range of activities available meant that children were able to learn new skills and the positive impact of being away from screens and participating in outdoor activities was noted as an important benefit. Skoobmobile stories
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 21 PUBLIC “Summer club gives my children the opportunity to meet new people, try new activities and build up their confidence. I pay for both girls to attend summer clubs in school throughout the week to allow me to go into the office. Therefore having this club one day a week free of charge also helps us financially as a family.” “They are important as I am a single mum who works and with my daughter being my only child and not a lot of friends this allows her to be more social with kids her age. I also cannot afford to get her back into clubs she has requested she wants to go to but this way she gets to do this with adults who can help and teach.” Feedback about staff was very positive, with parents commenting on how friendly and helpful staff were. The table below details the characteristics of the families who responded to the questions as part of the sign up process for the Summer Camps. The majority of families were lone parents, while over a third of families had 3 or more children. Promotion of the camps was done through messaging to all parents and carers in receipt of School Clothing Grants, to ensure the camps were targeted to low income families. Although those parents passed the booking details to friends and family, the figures show that the camps reached the targeted groups. Category Yes Responses % of Families Lone parent families 289 35.8 Families with 3 or more children 278 34.7 Families with a disability 181 22.6 Black and minority ethnic families 72 9.0 Families with a child under 1 65 8.0 Families with parents under 25 9 1.1 Percentage of children from each age Category % of Families Aged 5 5.4% Aged 6 16.7%
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 22 PUBLIC Aged 7 18.5 Aged 8 14.3 Aged 9 16.3 Aged 10 11.2 Aged 11 7.4 Aged 12 5.2 Aged 13 3.6 Aged 14 1.3 The overall total within the ‘Yes responses’ column is calculated by counting only those responses where an obvious straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response was provided, hence the differing totals for each category. On a less positive note, over the summer holiday period around 1,973 attendances were recorded out of a possible 3,150 spaces, with children and young people benefitting from the daytime camp provision. Prior to the bookings being available, the Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience Panel were engaged around how non-attendance could be reduced. Suggestions they made around communications to parents and offering entrance to a prize draw for attendance were taken on board, however non-attendance rates were still high. It has been established that many parents and carers that do a block booking when the programme launches do not show up to the camps and do not cancel their spaces. Parents were asked to provide feedback about non attendance and cited alternative plans and illness as reasons for not attending. Looking forward, we will do further work to examine how we can remind parents of the camps and prompt them to cancel if they will not attend, to allow other families to make use of the places. A waiting list is kept, so when cancellations are made, other families can be quickly advised of spaces. Looking at geographical coverage, there were registrations for the camps from most areas across Renfrewshire with the exception of Bridge of Weir and Kilbarchan. We can infer that transport may be an issue for parents and carers to get children to camps from these villages, especially for those who don’t have a car.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 23 PUBLIC b. Additional Support Needs (ASN) Provision For children with additional support needs attending activities at Riverbrae, the aim was to provide activities that focussed on providing a warm, welcoming, fun and safe environment, allowing children and young people to build good relationships with both the staff and other children and young people who attended the playscheme. Activities were child-led, with lots of outdoor play due to the good weather. The paddling pools and water activities were very popular and children enjoyed using the outdoor equipment on site, including swings and climbing frame and imaginative play with staff exploring the outdoors. There were also arts and crafts activities, games and play opportunities offered indoors for children who enjoyed this. Assigned quiet areas offered low stimulation, with tents, soft furnishings and quiet activities for children and young people who required this type of environment.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 24 PUBLIC Some families applied for places but did not use them. The service was able to accommodate some changes due to last minute holidays and illness, however not all families contacted the service to cancel their place and it was then not possible to offer these places to other families. On one day there were 17 spaces unfilled. Parents reported that they would like the service to be equitable with the option of Pay to Play to be available for the children and young people at Riverbrae as well as Klas Care. c. Skoobmobile Over the summer holidays, the mobile service made 48 visits to communities and engaged with 572 adults and 995 children in total. Feedback from evaluation forms indicates that 96% of people who attended enjoyed their visit onboard, with 78% agreeing that the Skoobmobile increased reading for their child over the holiday period. “My daughter is very creative and loves her visits to the Skoobmobile. She loves choosing her books and spends the remaining time at the crafts table. Staff are very friendly and helpful and it is a great asset - very engaging to the children. We love our visits to the Skoobmobile.” “It enhances my child’s reading throughout the holidays, we both spend time reading at night now and it is a lovely way to switch off together at the end of a busy day. Thank you to the Skoobmobile staff for being great with her and always looking to engage the children.” Just over half (52%) of those who provided feedback stated that they used the Skoobmobile for the Summer Reading Challenge. When asked how they found out about the mobile service, 44% discovered Skoobmobile via word of mouth, 20% became aware of it through social media, 24% from school communication and 12% became aware of the service when the Skoobmobile visited their local area. Children enjoying craft on the Skoobmobile
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 25 PUBLIC d. Summer of Fun Community Programme In August a feedback form was sent out to every organisation that had delivered activities as part of the Summer of Fun Community Programme to ask about their experience of delivering activities and to gain understanding of the difference that it had made for those who participated. Feedback froms were returned from every organisation that was funded. Feedback from organisations included photographs of activities, some of which are included in this report. Promoting Activities Renfrewshire Council’s Communications and Marketing team promoted the Summer of Fun programme widely through social media and organised a poster distribution to venues across Renfrewshire towns. All promotional materials had a QR code so that people could scan and view the whole programme on the Council’s webpage. In line with input from the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel, all free activites, whether Summer of Fun grant funded, through Community Learning and Development, or through Libraries, were listed on one web page. This included the Skoobmobile programme. Organisations were asked how people found out about the activities they were offering. Most organisations used a mixed approach to ensure that they connected with new families as well as those who were already aware of or using their services. This resulted in many of the activities being fully or over-subscribed very quickly. Families found out about our Summer of Fun activities through a combination of direct communication and digital channels. Our staff shared the full itinerary of Park Day sessions with families the week before schools finished for summer, ensuring they had time to plan and choose the sessions that suited them best. We also promoted the activities via our Parents Hub, a private Facebook group for families we support and through WhatsApp group chats set up for both families and volunteers. In addition, many families were already engaged with our services and heard about the activities through word of mouth and ongoing participation in our regular programmes. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 26 PUBLIC While 74% of those who responded stated that people had found out about their project mainly through social media, 58% found that word of mouth was a key factor in promoting their activity. Just over half of respondents (53%) related that people found out because they were already attending other activities that the organisation delivered, while 32% cited referrals from partner organisations. How did people find out about your Summer of Fun project? Method of information % Social media 74 Word of mouth 58 Attending other activities 53 Posters 32 Partners 32 Referral from another organisation 21 Note: All respondents provided more than one answer to this question Due to the nature of their work, Renfrewshire Women’s Aid only invited women and children who were already using their service to attend the summer programme. Just Dive In distributed printed flyers to local nurseries, libraries, community centres and GP practices to ensure that they could reach digitally excluded families. Paisley St George’s used their well-established relationships with local schools to promote their activities, whilst Stronger Communities Glenburn found that most families found out about the programme through their social media and word of mouth, with parents recommending sessions to friends and other families.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 27 PUBLIC Active Communities sent flyers to schools in the Gallowhill area and invited partner organisations to send information to their group members. They also created a colourful flyer to give to parents and distributed these around the flats, community centre and some local shops. Half of the organisations had received referrals and these mainly came from their links with local nurseries and schools, statutory services such as health visitors and Social Work and
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 28 PUBLIC the Whole Family Wellbeing team. Other referrals came from Engage Renfrewshire, Barnardos, Renfrewshire Wellbeing Network and other third sector organisations. How successful were the activity sessions? The continued popularity of the Summer of Fun programme is evident from the fact that demand significantly exceeded expectations and many organisations were oversubscribed quickly and were unable to offer places to everyone. The diversity of activities across the programme meant that all organisations had consistently good attendance throughout the summer. Being able to offer free, structured, engaging activities aimed at different ages, and often including day trips to places of interest, resulted in a successful programme. The removal of financial barriers to participation, and the welcoming and inclusive nature of activities created a more accessible programme for families that may typically feel excluded. For the STAR Project it resulted in a “stigma-free approach where it was not evident who had paid for a trip and who had received a free place.” The wider marketing of the Summer of Fun brand also created credibility which encouraged people to attend. Children enjoying football at St Mirren
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 29 PUBLIC The programme worked well because it was free for families to attend, which removed financial barriers and meant everyone could take part regardless of circumstances. Offering a mix of activities such as cinema trips, soft play, and arts & crafts gave children plenty of choice and kept them engaged. Providing food alongside the activities worked particularly well, as it helped ease pressure on families during the holidays and made the days feel like a complete experience. Parents appreciated the chance to spend quality time with their children, while children enjoyed trying new things, making friends, and having fun in a safe and supportive environment. Stronger Communities Glenburn Organisations felt that the local focus enabled them to tailor activities to the real needs of the community and the absence of eligibility checks allowed them to support families with dignity and ensure that there was no stigma attached to participation. Active Communities noticed that people in Gallowhill were “excited that they had something to look forward to in their own area” and that activities helped to bring people together who may not have known each other, helping to reduce isolation and loneliness. They also encouraged participants to engage with local organisations for support. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde offered families a choice of location for their Park Days, holding sessions across Paisley including Barshaw, Brodie and Maxwellton Parks, as well as Robertson Park in Renfrew. They also offered families flexibility through providing Outdoor games and learning to drum with STAR Project
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 30 PUBLIC morning and afternoon sessions and found that volunteers were invaluable in helping to run activities and provide additional support to families. For the summer trip to Heads of Ayr Farm Park we provided flexibility for travel to meet individual needs. For one family with two children with ASN, using their own car provided control over arrival and departure times and reduced overstimulation. Conversely, another ASN family found the coach most suitable, as the additional pairs of hands on board provided valuable support with their other children. This demonstrates that a flexible approach enables families to choose what works best for them. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde CREATE Paisley found that using outdoor spaces provided a nice change of scene for creative activities. They had a very busy programme which stretched their staff and in future they would seek to bring in additional staffing support or reduce the amount of activity slightly. They commented that widening out the age range for the trips and outdoor activities allowed them to accommodate younger siblings which worked well and using volunteers to support sessions “worked brilliantly, providing peer support and mentoring, as well as meaningful experience for the young volunteers themselves.” Paisley St George’s Church divided children into different age groups which allowed leaders and children to get to know one another and to tailor activities to suit their needs. This was important given that children from diverse backgrounds with different needs from 10 different primary schools attended the programme. “From the children’s perspective, they got to know the leaders who were primarily assigned to them and were able to form new friendships with other children in their groupThe consistency of groups allowed the leaders who were assigned to each group to better understand the individual personalities and needs of each child in their group.” Paisley St George’s Church Just Dive In discovered that managing bookings, cancellations, and reschedules became time-consuming due to the high volume of interest and would put a dedicated admin resource or online booking system in place. They would also like to create options for families to sustain the benefits beyond summer, for example, through subsidised term-time swim lessons, ongoing mermaid/snorkel sessions, or family water safety training. The programme has also highlighted the need for dedicated small-group or ASN-only slots for families with children who require one-to-one support.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 31 PUBLIC The learning from this year has helped shape how we will structure both our next summer programme and our year-round delivery to better support the most vulnerable families in our community. Just Dive In How many people attended? Organisations were asked about the number of people who attended their activities. We did not ask organisations to keep track of numbers while delivering activities, but some did, and others provided an estimate. The average number of people attending each session was 13 adults and 39 children (from 19 project responses). Not all projects had adults participating and in some cases, the adults were volunteers. Some projects had much higher attendance, such as STAR Project (78 children per session) and Paisley St George’s (60 children per session). Sessions which attracted the most children were activities for toddlers, football camp and day trips. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde’s Park Days were attended by a total of 31 families, comprising 82 individual family members, while their co-designed trip to Heads of Ayr Farm Park attracted 45 families (131 parents/carers and children) and 10 volunteers. Thorn Athletic Community Trust delivered 3 weeks of community football camps to over 100 children. Not all projects ran for a full six weeks but an estimated figure from 19 project responses suggests that around 726 adults and 2,233 children benefited from Summer of Fun activities. The aim of the small grants programme overall was to provide a range of activities that would be accessible to low-income families across Renfrewshire, in particular supporting families in the six child poverty priority groups, who are at higher risk of living on a low- Cooling down with a lollipop at Thorn Athletic Community Trust
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 32 PUBLIC income as well as Care Experienced young people. All 19 small grants funded projects that provided feedback responded that they had managed to reach these families through their activities. Just over a fifth of projects (21%) were able to reach families in all of the child poverty priority groups and those with care experience, whilst 89% of projects were able to reach families in four or more of the six child poverty priority groups. Over a third of projects (37%) managed to reach six of the seven priority groups. Projects were most successful at reaching the following families: • lone parents (100%) • families with three or more children (95%) • families where someone in the house has a disability (95%) • black and minority ethnic families (84%) • families where parents are under the age of 25 (68%) Over half (58%) of organisations managed to reach families with a child aged under one year old and 53% of organisations also reached care experienced children and young people. Who attended your Summer of Fun project? Number of projects % Lone Parents 19 100 Families with 3 or more children 18 95 Families where someone in the house has a disability 18 95 Black and minority ethnic families 16 84 Families where parents are under the age of 25 13 68 Families with a child aged under one year old 11 58 Care experienced children and young people 10 53 When asked how they were able to reach these families, whilst half of the organisations received referrals, just over half responded that families were already known to them through being regularly involved with their other services. Referrals from statutory organisations came via Renfrewshire Council’s Social Work team, Whole Family Wellbeing team as well as schools and nurseries, health visitors and Engage Renfrewshire. Third sector referrals were through Barnardos, STAR Project, Renfrewshire Young Carers and other local voluntary organsiations.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 33 PUBLIC Many of the young people we already engage with live in the top 20% of areas with multiple deprivations (SIMD Index). We have well established links with local schools, and community partners, and shared information on our social media and with our partners to help us publicise the activities. CREATE Paisley Working with trusted referral partners who had existing relationships with families living in poverty helped organisations to identify families that would benefit most from the programme. For Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde it was important to ensure that low income families were targeted in an inclusive and respectful way by sharing information about the free activities and snacks with all of the families they work with. The STAR Project liaised with partner organisations to identify family groups who would not ordinarily access STAR’s services but who would benefit from gaining access to free trips. They also promote the summer programme at events, such as Wellbeing in the Park and World Labyrinth Day to ensure that new families are made aware of their service. When we released our Summer Programme and asked families to sign up for trips, we met with each family to discern who would benefit from being offered free places. Three families, who were identified as being particularly vulnerable to struggling financially over the summer period were offered more than one trip for free (they were each offered 2). STAR Project Active Communities hold a weekly Soup and Social on Fridays and used this opportunity to discuss the Summer of Fun programme with attendees. Just Dive In wanted to ensure that there were no barriers to attending so they provided non-digital booking options and simple sign-up processes. They also promoted the programme through community hubs, libraries, and word of mouth, ensuring that families who were digitally excluded or disengaged from mainstream services received information about the programme. We were intentional in removing stigma around accessing free or funded places. Our messaging focused on inclusion, wellbeing, and fun — not hardship — which helped families feel welcome and dignified in accessing support.This values-led approach allowed families to participate without shame, and many expressed gratitude that the offer “felt like a treat, not a handout.” Just Dive In
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 34 PUBLIC Feedback from families and young people themselves has also confirmed that the programme has benefited those who needed it most. What difference did the small grants programme make? Feedback from organisations about the impact of the programme was overwhelmingly positive. All the organisations agreed that there were several benefits for families who attended activities. They highlighted the opportunity for low-income families to access fun activities that were open to everyone and where their children could participate in organised activities, socialise and make new friends in a safe environment. All organisations reported that the programme had helped to reduce financial costs for families. Most respondents also agreed that the programme had encouraged new people to engage with the project (95% of respondents). Other perceived benefits were providing access to information and advice (79% each) and helping people to learn about a new service in their local area (79%). Having fun on a day out with Paisley St George’s Church
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 35 PUBLIC Benefit to people attending activities Number of responses % Providing fun activities that low-income families could access 19 100 Reducing financial costs for families 19 100 Encouraging new people to engage with the project / organisation 18 95 Providing access to information / advice 15 79 Helping people to learn about a new service in their local area 15 79 Almost a third of organisations highlighted other benefits of the programme. Just Dive had feedback from parents and carers that sessions gave them “a rare opportunity to relax, socialise, or bond with their children in a supportive, non-judgemental space”, reducing social isolation and carer burnout. CREATE Paisley observed benefits in providing opportunities for children and young people across Renfrewshire to learn new skills, meet new people in their community and go to new places they may not have otherwise had access to. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde saw benefits in providing new and fun experiences for families to enjoy together across generations, while Renfrewshire Rainbow Buddies felt that the programme supported the transition into primary school for young people who were anxious about starting school. Organisations highlighted the importance of the Summer of Fun grants, without which they would not be able to provide free activites to local children, young people and families throughout the summer. It was clear from the feedback that organisations enjoy being part of the programme and undoubtedly see the positive impact it has on participating families. The funding allowed Cherrie Children’s Daycare, run by Moorpark Community Association, to offer much more than they would normally and to have staff in place to support the children and families using their service.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 36 PUBLIC For some families, it was the only structured activity that they could afford over the holidays. Brick Lane Music Academy reported that without the funding many families who benefited would not normally have been able to afford such activities for their children. Both Renfrewshire Women’s Aid, Stronger Communities Glenburn and Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde commented on the lasting memories created for children and their parents/carers. The support created opportunities for the children and families we work with to enjoy activities they otherwise would not have been able to afford or experience. Every outing was met with wonderful feedback, and it truly made a positive difference to the families’ summer, helping them make cherished memories that will last far beyond the holidays. Renfrewshire Women’s Aid The Summer of Fun programme provided opportunities to have fun and children enjoyed making new friends, visiting new places and trying new experiences. Just Dive In combined fun with learning new skills, such as snorkelling and mermaid swimming and introduced water safety and confidence in a way that didn’t feel like learning. Ralston Out of School Care took children for swimming sessions which helped to keep them active during the holidays. They also provided a day trip to Millport and for some of the children this was a very exciting experience as they had never been to the beach before. Home-Start visit to St Mirren football stadium
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 37 PUBLIC However, there is also feedback to suggest that as well as providing accessible and affordable activities, the programme also helped to create connections, reduce social isolation, with families often supporting each other. By helping to alleviate financial pressure and offering respite to parents and guardians, the programme also supported improvements in mental wellbeing. The programme not only provided fun and connection but also strengthened relationships between families, volunteers and staff. It helped reduce isolation, supported mental wellbeing. Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Fantastic opportunity for charities and community groups to be able to facilitate such activities. It makes a huge difference to be able to make offers like this free to all. It removes any stigma and helps to attract harder to reach people who may feel like they have barriers to creative access. It also helps to spread good awareness about what we are providing locally. It’s nice to know that you are part of a wider Renfrewshire collective providing free summer activities. There are plenty of other ‘high cost’ activities out there for people who can afford it. Erskine Arts In some cases the benefits of participating in the programme have lasted beyond the summer, with STAR Project noticing that some families that bonded during trips have continued these connections, with new friendships developing between people who had never met before.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 38 PUBLIC CREATE Paisley also found that the programme encouraged families to sustain their involvement once the summer activities came to an end. The Family Club was a new initiative for us and worked really well. We offered toast, teas and coffees and a space for parents/guardians to connect. We found this group was just as important for parents/guardians as it was for the young people and we were thrilled with the warm feedback from all participants. All the families were keen to join the new Family Zone group (funded by Local Partnership funding) after the holidays. Paisley St George’s Church reported that the programme offered benefits for the wider community in providing a valuable opportunity to engage volunteers of all ages. They were very motivated by the opportunity to contribute and have such a positive impact on children in our community. The importance of volunteers in delivering these types of activities free of charge for children who may not otherwise have these experiences, cannot be overstated. Outdoor crafts with Brick Lane Music Academy and fun with musical instruments at Gallowhill Community Centre
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 39 PUBLIC Suggested improvements to the small grants programme There are always ways in which we can improve upon our design, development and delivery of the summer programme. Similarly to last year, the most common comments from projects related to additional funding and having funding decisions made earlier. Organisations were positive about communication with council officers, however the timescales between being awarded funding and delivering the programme of activities was raised again as an issue. Several organisations suggested that earlier confirmation of funding would have given them more time to plan and advertise activities, to get venues booked. Having funding decisions made as early as possible would also enable organisations to liaise with partner organisations, including schools, nurseries and health visitors to maximise the impact of the programme for families that would benefit most. The funding announcement came in the final week of the school term which meant that our programme had to be ready in a very tight timescale and couldn’t be marketed as widely as we would have hoped so this could be looked at for future. Active Communities Additional funding would help organisations to expand their activities, offer a wider range of activities or offer free spaces to more families. The demand for activities often exceeded what organisations were able to supply, evidenced by how quickly sessions were booked up. Most of the organisations would like to offer more sessions but need more funding to do this due to increasing costs for staff and overheads and are concerned that they may have to scale back provision in future. Day trips were particularly popular, however the cost of bus hire limits the number of families that these can be offered to. The STAR Project supplemented their funding award with their own resources, volunteer contributions, and in-kind donations to ensure that activities still went ahead. The funding was very positive and allowed us to provide free, accessible activities for families who really benefited from them. One area for improvement could be to provide the funding decisions earlier, which would give more time for planning and promotion. Having the option for slightly increased or more flexible funding would also help us reach more families and offer a wider variety of activities. Overall, the support was very valuable and much appreciated. Stronger Communities Glenburn
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 40 PUBLIC One organisation suggested that funding transport costs would allow them to support families with mobility issues and thereby prevent exclusion of these families from participating in the summer programme. A small number of families from more remote parts of Renfrewshire or those without transport struggled to attend. Exploring funding for travel support or outreach delivery could increase reach and inclusion. Just Dive In Another suggestion was to improve promotion of the programme to ensure that those who are digitally excluded or new to the community can easily discover what activities are available, for example, providing information about the programme in multi-language posters. 5. Conclusions The Summer of Fun programme aimed to deliver free, fun activities over the summer holidays for communities that might be underserved by mainstream activities, and particularly low-income families. Feedback suggests that the programme was able to reach these families, particularly those who are in the child poverty priority groups. The majority of families that attended the holiday camps were lone parents, while over a third of families had 3 or more children. Feedback from the small grants funded projects showed that they had also managed to reach families in all child poverty priority groups through their activities. The ASN playscheme supported children who have complex needs, and free transport for this provision was welcomed by families. The Promise Champs activities supported those who are care experienced, to develop new skills and build friendships. While we don’t have exact figures, we estimate that around 9,000 people, mainly children but also their families benefitted from the programme that provided a range of benefits for children and their parents/carers including: • providing accessible, free and fun activities that low-income families could access • helping to reduce financial costs for families • providing a safe environment for children and young people to socialise and learn new skills • having a positive impact on parents and children’s mental health through creating connections and offering respite • encouraging new people to engage with services
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 41 PUBLIC It also provided access to food, activities and advice, providing support in a dignified manner which reduced the potential for stigma. Whilst the summer camps and ASN provision were successful in benefiting children and young people from low income families, feedback indicated that some families did not turn up due to alternative plans or illness, and spaces were left usused. Although prior to this year’s programme we had worked with the Fairer Renfrewshire Lived Experience panel to try and reduce the number of ‘no shows’ there is still some work to be done in this area to maximise attendance and ensure families benefit from the provision. Whilst the Community Programme was successful in helping to meet demand from local families for inclusive, affordable summer activities, it is important to take into account feedback from organisations that could improve a future programme. Earlier confirmation of funding would give organisations more time to plan and promote activities, and to liaise with partner organisations to maximise the impact of the programme for families. Renfrewshire Council’s programme of inclusive, accessible summer activities has become an important and eagerly anticipated part of summer, evidenced by the demand for activities and the feedback from organisations, parents and children. Additional funding across the programme would increase capacity to meet demand and allow a wider range of activities, benefitting more families and maximising the positive impacts that this programme brings.
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 42 PUBLIC Building confidence in the water with Just Dive In
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 43 PUBLIC 6. Appendix 1 – Organisations which received Summer of Fun small grants Active Communities Brick Lane Music Academy CREATE Paisley Erskine Arts Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Johnstone Castle Learning Centre Just Dive in CIC KLAS Care CIC Moorpark Community Association Cherrie Children’s Daycare Paisley St George’s Church of Scotland Ralston Out of School Care Renfrewshire Rainbow Buddies Renfrewshire Women’s Aid STAR Project St Mirren FC Charitable Trust Stronger Communities Glenburn The Art Department Thorn Athletic Community Trust Twist and Hit Cheerleaders One Ren Libraries
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Summer of Fun 2025 Evaluation Report 44 PUBLIC to all of the organisations who provided feedback, quotes, photographs and video links for this report Chief Executive’s Service Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR
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PUBLIC Appendix 2 – Winter Connections Approved Applications Organisation Area Purpose Funding approved Howwood Community Council Howwood Winter Warmers £2,000 Houston Community Council Houston Houston Community Film Shows £1,571 Johnstone Castle Learning Centre Johnstone Youth Sessions and Adult Activities £2,000 KLAS Care CIC Linwood Whole Family Fun £1,417.80 Loud n Proud Paisley The Wednesday Club £2,000 Our Place Our Families Renfrew Soup for You £1,800 CREATE Paisley Paisley and Johnstone CREATE Winter Drop-ins £1,820 Local Energy Action Plan (LEAP) SCIO Lochwinnoch Community Cooking £2,000 Erskine Arts Erskine Soup Sessions £2,000 Renfrew YMCA Renfrew Tuesday Soup Social £2,000 Foxbar Elderly Forum Paisley Foxbar Elderly Forum . £2,000 Friends of Howwood Park Howwood The Tuesday Club £2,000 Paisley Methodist Church Paisley Saturday Get Together £2,000 St Vincents Hospice Howwood Winter Connection £1,880 The Thursday Club Paisley Thursday Club £2,000 Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church Paisley Re: Play – Parent & Toddler Stay and Play £1,647 Dates-n- Mates Paisley Dates-n-Mates Renfrewshire £1,830 Creation Corner Johnstone Crafts and Connections £235 Just Dive Paisley Once Upon a Winter Swim £1,850 Total £34050.80
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OFFICIAL Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan VERSION 1.01 – NOVEMBER 2025
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OFFICIAL Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 About the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 National Context ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Local Context ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Themes and priorities ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Improving Financial Security .............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Where we are now .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Strategic actions ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Improving Financial Security: Actions ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Strengthening health, wellbeing and community ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Where we are now .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Strengthening health, wellbeing and community: Actions ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Embedding equality and inclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Where we are now ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Strategic actions .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Embedding equality and inclusion: Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Using insight and evidence for impact .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 Where we are now ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Strategic actions .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Using insight and evidence for impact: Actions ...................................................................................................................................................... 14
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OFFICIAL Introduction Renfrewshire Council is committed to making Renfrewshire a fairer place to live, where every individual and family can thrive. This Action Plan sets out how we will work with partners, communities, and national agencies to tackle inequality and improve outcomes for those most affected by poverty and exclusion. Fairness is at the heart of our vision for Renfrewshire. To achieve this, we will focus on how we work together, not just what we deliver—building stronger partnerships, listening to lived experience, and embedding inclusive approaches across all services. We aim to design our services to suit the reality experienced by the people who use them, not around our service needs. Renfrewshire will be fairer when everyone has equal access to opportunities, support, and resources to thrive—regardless of their background or circumstances. We have been progressing the Fairer Renfrewshire programme now for several years – in response to feedback from local stakeholders, we have collectively taken the opportunity to reflect on progress and to sharpen our focus and priorities. Our Priorities Over the next two years, we will concentrate on four strategic priorities: • Improving Financial Security Helping households maximise income, reduce costs, and access early help to prevent crisis. • Strengthening Health, Wellbeing and Community Supporting families and communities through sustainable models of care, food security, and place-based approaches. • Embedding Equality and Inclusion Ensuring services are accessible, inclusive, and shaped by the voices of those who are often unheard. • Using Insight and Evidence for Impact Harnessing data, feedback, and lived experience to drive better decisions and deliver measurable change. Our Approach This plan is built on collaboration, with communities, partners, and services, and underpinned by five cross-cutting principles: • Joined-up working across sectors. • Data and evidence to inform action. • Access and inclusion for all.
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OFFICIAL • Sustainability in funding and delivery. • Trust and transparency through genuine engagement. Together, we will turn insight into action, strengthen resilience, and create a Renfrewshire where fairness is not just an ambition, but a reality. About the Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan The Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan sets out a clear and coordinated approach to tackling inequality and improving outcomes for our communities between December 2025 and June 2027. It provides a strategic framework for action, bringing together priorities and activities that will make a measurable difference to the lives of local people. Fairer Renfrewshire is the umbrella for work across Renfrewshire Council and our partners to create a fairer, more inclusive Renfrewshire. It combines targeted projects, commissioned services, and everyday practice that embeds fairness into how we deliver services. While the Council leads this work, success depends on strong collaboration with partners across sectors—and this plan reflects that shared commitment. Fairness is a principle that runs through all of Renfrewshire’s strategic plans and partnerships. This Action Plan does not replace those plans but complements and connects them, ensuring alignment and avoiding duplication. Where actions sit within other programmes, this plan signposts and supports them. The plan has been shaped through engagement with the Fairer Renfrewshire Sub-Committee, Officer Group, Lived Experience Panel, and other key stakeholders. As we move forward, our focus is on: • Coordinating existing resources to maximise impact. • Embedding successful projects into business-as-usual for long-term sustainability. • Targeting Fairer Renfrewshire funding to drive system change and new ways of working. • Leveraging external funding opportunities to strengthen delivery and resilience.
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OFFICIAL National Context Our work is shaped by Scotland’s national mission to tackle poverty and inequality, supported by key strategies and legislation: Best Start, Bright Futures Sets out Scotland’s approach to eradicating child poverty through targeted support for families. Population Health Framework Aims to address the root causes of ill health by promoting prevention and collaboration across sectors. Public Service Reform Strategy Responds to rising demand and fiscal pressures by driving innovation and efficiency in public services. Community Wealth Building Bill Seeks to enable communities to generate, retain, and circulate wealth locally, reducing economic inequality. Whole Family Wellbeing Initiative Focuses on transforming family support services to provide holistic, preventative help when and where it’s needed. Local Context Fairness is embedded in Renfrewshire’s strategic priorities and transformation programmes: Council and Community Plans Both plans place fairness and tackling inequality at the heart of local decision-making. Parental Employability Support Delivered through Invest in Renfrewshire, supporting families to access work and progress in employment. Fairer Renfrewshire Funding Provides targeted investment in projects addressing poverty and exclusion. Connected Communities Programme A key transformation priority designed to strengthen relationships between the Council and communities, making it easier for people to access support and services, and embedding early intervention and prevention.
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OFFICIAL Themes and priorities A clear message from our engagement has been that how we work together to make Renfrewshire fairer is just as important as what we deliver. Achieving this ambition requires system change that goes beyond individual projects or short-term investments. Throughout our conversations, several cross-cutting themes have emerged. These principles underpin all priorities and actions in this plan: • Joined-up working – Stronger coordination across health, housing, employability, and community engagement. • Data and evidence – Better sharing and use of data, combined with lived experience, to inform decisions. • Access and inclusion – Tackling barriers such as digital exclusion, transport, and language needs. • Sustainability – Securing long-term funding and embedding preventative approaches. • Trust and transparency – Ensuring communities are genuinely involved and see clear feedback on actions taken. The Fairer Renfrewshire Action Plan focuses on four strategic priorities that will guide our work over the next two years: • Improving Financial Security – Helping households maximise income, reduce costs, and access early help. • Strengthening Health, Wellbeing and Community – Supporting families and communities through sustainable models and place-based approaches. • Embedding Equality and Inclusion – Making services accessible, inclusive, and shaped by diverse voices. • Using Insight and Evidence for Impact – Harnessing data and lived experience to drive better decisions and measurable change. This report sets out each priority in detail, alongside the strategic actions and specific steps we will take to deliver them.
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OFFICIAL Improving Financial Security This priority focuses on supporting households to increase income and reduce essential costs, tackling the root causes of poverty. Many actions in this theme build on Renfrewshire’s long-standing commitment to addressing poverty, alongside recent coordinated efforts to mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Where we are now Renfrewshire has a strong network of services across the public and third sectors aimed at improving financial security, with innovative interventions for priority groups. These efforts deliver real impact—local advice services helped put over £17 million back into residents’ pockets in 2024/25. However, demand continues to rise, and services can be oversubscribed. Residents tell us that navigating support can be challenging, as provision is fragmented and sometimes tied to short-term funding. This lack of coordination means people don’t always get the right help at the right time. Strategic actions Improve access to income advice and support Drive uptake and access to welfare benefits Reduce financial crisis and insecurity Address barriers to employment Develop ‘poverty proofing’ approaches Develop ‘early help’ approaches to supporting households
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OFFICIAL Ref What we will do Owner Due What success looks like Improving Financial Security: Actions Improve access to income advice and support 1.1 Ensure the provision of money and benefits advice Connected Communities Advice Works Advice Partnership Renfrewshire Jun 2026 External Advice Services Contract in place Measure: Income maximised (Client financial gain measures) and debt under management across key providers 1.2 Coordinate Advice Partnership Renfrewshire to streamline provision Connected Communities Advice Partnership Renfrewshire Dec 2026 6 x meetings held per year and meeting actions Impact measures to be developed and monitored 1.3 Identify need and increase outreach for advice services Connected Communities Jun 2026 Measure: Number and location of outreach sessions, client numbers, client financial gain, debt managed 1.4 Promote Family Advice Pathway across Council services and Advice Partnership Connected Communities Advice Partnership Jun 2026 Measure: Increase in numbers of services/organisations referring. Increase in numbers using family advice 1.5 Continue targeted income maximisation for low- income families with children Connected Communities HSCP Dec 2026 Evidence of service reach to priority families groups Drive uptake and access to welfare benefits 2.1 Co-ordinate and support activities to drive uptake of welfare benefits provided by DWP and Social Security Scotland, with a particular focus this year on the new two-child limit payment Connected Communities Sep 2026 Campaign schedule developed and shared with partners Measure: Numbers receiving support to claim, and in receipt of, two-child limit payment 2.2 Drive uptake of local authority administered supports, including free school meals and clothing grants Connected Communities Finance and Resources Sep 2026 Measure: Numbers claiming Free School Meals/School Clothing Grants. Numbers receive Free School Meals/School clothing Grants
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OFFICIAL 2.3 Explore further opportunities for automation and passporting of benefits Finance and Resources Jun 2027 Uptake of selected benefits Reduce financial crisis and insecurity 3.1 Strengthen Food Support Forum and coordination of community food initiatives. Connected Communities Jun 2026 Meetings held and meeting actions Food support indicators identified and measured. 3.2 Further understanding and development required to improve pathways and supports for those in financial crisis – especially due to chronic low income Connected Communities Dec 2026 Mapping of financial crisis supports, pathways produced and numbers accessing pathways 3.3 Provide energy advocacy and support to Renfrewshire residents to reduce fuel costs Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Dec 2026 Measure: Client numbers and outcomes (energy debt write off, energy savings) 3.3 Work with partners across Renfrewshire to identify and promote sources of energy advice across partners Connected Communities Sep 2026 Information collated and communicated through networks 3.4 Work with partners to increase referral from other Foodbank referrers to Foodbank to simplify client journey Connected Communities Advice Partnership Renfrewshire Dec 2026 Increased referrals from organisations other than Advice Works and Renfrewshire CAB and subsequent reduction in referrals from those organisations. Client feedback Address barriers to employment 4.1 Support parental employability and progression in work. Invest in Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership Dec 2026 Measures reported through LEP (client numbers, no securing employment, no achieving qualifications) 4.2 Identify and reduce barriers for those needing additional support to move into and progress in work, across groups identified by the Local Employability Partnership Invest in Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership Dec 2026 Measures reported through LEP (client demographics and commissioned supports) 4.3 Ensure development opportunities are delivered for staff to encourage continuous improvement and focus on Fairer Renfrewshire principles HR-OD June 2026 Information sessions for staff delivered Materials developed and cascaded
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OFFICIAL Develop ‘poverty proofing’ approaches 5.1 Continue to deliver the Cost of the School Day fund across Renfrewshire schools Children’s Services Connected Communities Dec 2026 Annual evaluation Feedback from schools 5.2 Explore the potential to expand the Cost of the Nursery Day pilot Health and Social Care Partnership Jun 2026 Measure: Number of nurseries and early learning and childcare centres engaged Develop ‘early help’ approaches to supporting households 6 Develop ‘early help’ approaches to supporting households Connected Communities June 2026 New model identified
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OFFICIAL Strengthening health, wellbeing and community This priority focuses on actions focussed on strengthening health, wellbeing and community, recognising the impact of inequalities on people’s lives. It recognises that wellbeing is shaped by more than healthcare; it depends on strong local networks, accessible services, and opportunities for people to thrive. Where we are now Renfrewshire has a strong track record of delivering coordinated programmes that tackle complex issues. The recent Alcohol and Drugs Change Programme is a powerful example of how targeted investment and partnership working can achieve lasting system change. More recently, we have introduced community-led approaches to understanding local needs, making promising steps towards a more collaborative model of working with communities. However, health inequalities remain persistent, and evidence shows that outcomes for some groups are worsening. We know that different communities need different solutions, and a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Strategic actions Agree sustainable models for delivery of key Fairer Renfrewshire projects Build community resilience and capacity Deliver key actions within Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan aligned to Fairer Renfrewshire Deliver targeted interventions to improve wellbeing and reduce health inequalities Develop place-based joined up working and information sharing
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OFFICIAL Strengthening health, wellbeing and community: Actions Agree sustainable models for delivery of key Fairer Renfrewshire projects 7.1 Review Breakfast Club provision and develop a consistent and sustainable model of provision Connected Communities June 2026 Future model identified to help bring consistency across provision 7.2 Develop sustainable models for the delivery of summer holiday activities for children and young people from low- income families Connected Communities Sep 2026 Measure: Number of participants and partners Measure: Evidence of reach to priority family groups Partners and participants report improved outcomes 7.3 Consider longer-term sustainable service delivery options for the Skoobmobile project Connected Communities OneRen June 2026 Future model identified 7.4 Review Peer Health (Hearty Lives) project and consider longer-term sustainable service delivery options Connected Communities Active Communities June 2026 Future model identified Build community resilience and capacity 8.1 Deliver a Good Food Nation Plan in line with Scottish legislation Connected Communities Fair Food Renfrewshire Dec 2026 Renfrewshire plan produced and approved 8.2 Develop sustainable models for supporting community connection through the winter period, considering longer-term model for Winter Connections programme Connected Communities Mar 2027 Measure: Number of participants and partners Measure: Evidence of reach to priority family groups Partners and participants report improved outcomes 8.3 Continue Community Development work in Gallowhill and work with Council Services to support identified community needs Connected Communities Dec 2026 Action Plan developed in response to Community Needs Assessment
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OFFICIAL Measure: No of residents involved in design and delivery of action plan Community feedback Deliver key actions within Renfrewshire’s Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan aligned to Fairer Renfrewshire 9.1 Improve promotion and increase numbers attending Adult and Family Learning provision Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Measures reported through CLD Plan Measure: Numbers attending, client outcomes 9.2 Expand the provision of English Speakers of other Languages (ESoL) Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Measures reported through CLD Plan Measure: Numbers attending, client outcomes 9.3 Review of youth provision across Renfrewshire, in particular the provision of supports for young people with high risk and/or distressed behaviours Connected Communities - CLD June 2026 Future model identified Deliver targeted interventions to improve wellbeing and reduce health inequalities 10.1 Continue to deliver the Whole Family Wellbeing service as part of approach to joined up, early intervention support for families Children’s Services June 2027 Measures reported through Whole Family Wellbeing service 10.2 Support child health and development through early intervention, to include focus on children and young people’s mental health Health and Social Care Partnership Whole Family Wellbeing Dec 2026 Joint actions identified 10.3 Deliver the Health and Wellbeing Survey Action Plan Health and Social Care Partnership Dec 2026 Action plan produced and reported on 10.4 Pilot embedding the ‘Ask and Act’ duties around homelessness across public and community services and develop supporting resources Health and Social Care Partnership Community Planning Partnership Dec 2026 A proactive, person-centred approach to housing and wellbeing is embedded across Renfrewshire HSCP and its partners 10.5 Examine mechanisms to better engage with local Housing Associations with a view to improving housing conditions across Renfrewshire. Housing Connected Communities Mar 2027 Improved engagement with Housing Associations. Opportunities for Housing Associations to hear voice of lived experience.
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OFFICIAL Develop place-based joined up working and information sharing 11 Develop place-based joined up working and information sharing Connected Communities Dec 2026 Future model identified
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OFFICIAL Embedding equality and inclusion This priority focuses on embedding equality and inclusion across all services and projects, ensuring fairness is not an add-on but a core principle in everything we do. It aims to create systems and practices that remove barriers and enable every resident to access support and opportunities. This is a new and developing workstream within the Fairer Renfrewshire programme, and many of the actions will need further development as part of the Council’s wider work to develop our corporate Equalities Outcomes. Where we are now We have begun important work to better understand the needs of equalities communities in Renfrewshire. This insight will form the foundation for actions across all themes in this plan. Renfrewshire benefits from strong networks and structures that amplify the voices of lesser-heard groups, and these will be central to shaping our approach. However, our communities are changing. We need to ensure we are meeting current needs, addressing gaps, and planning for the future. For example, the New Scots Needs Assessment is underway to inform our strategic approach to supporting refugees and asylum seekers. We also recognise emerging concerns around community cohesion, which require proactive engagement and inclusive solutions. Strategic actions Promote digital inclusion and connectivity Strengthen voice and influence for lesser-heard groups Respond to changing community needs Ensure services are inclusive and accessible
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OFFICIAL Embedding equality and inclusion: Actions Promote digital inclusion and connectivity 12.1 Continue to support Digital Champions Programme to expand reach Citizens Voice Dec 2026 Measure: Number of digital champions Measure: Number of people accessing support and upskilling Measure: Number of volunteer hours 12.2 Expand DigiZones as a mechanism to access free devices, support and connectivity in line with Digital Strategy Citizens Voice Dec 2026 Measure: Number of DigiZones Measure: Numbers accessing DigiZones 12.3 Support Device Recycling Pilot Citizens Voice Sept 2026 Measure: Number of Devices donated Measure: Number of devices redistributed Measure: Volunteer Hours Measure: Numbers upskilled 12.4 Identify and develop new supports for those who are digitally excluded including in relation to skills development, online safety and wider barriers such as affordability. Citizens Voice Mar 2027 New supports identified Strengthen voice and influence for lesser-heard groups 13.1 Review and refresh the membership and purpose of the Diversity and Equality Alliance in Renfrewshire (DEAR) Connected Communities Jun 2026 Refreshed terms of reference 13.2 Develop a small grant programme to commission local organisations who engage with/represent equalities groups to share the experiences and perspectives of diverse groups. Connected Communities Sep 2026 Launch of programme Measure: Number of partners supporting programme Respond to changing community needs 14.1 Complete New Scots Needs Assessment Strategy, Policy & Insight Feb 2026 Needs Assessment complete 14.2 Support development of information pack for New Scots, which is accessible for all Strategy, Policy & Insight Connected Communities Jun 2026 Information pack produced Community feedback
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OFFICIAL 14.3 Develop New Scots Action Plan for Renfrewshire Connected Communities June 2026 Action plan developed with clear milestones and resources allocated by partners to support its delivery. 14.4 Consider further programme of work to better understand barriers and experiences of disabled residents Connected Communities Dec 2026 Programme of research complete with opportunities identified. Ensure services are inclusive and accessible 15.1 Analyse and respond to equalities outcome consultation and develop a SMART action plan Connected Communities Feb 2026 Action plan produced and reported 15.2 Identify available supports, including community services, for people, both digital and physical and work with stakeholders to develop an awareness campaign Connected Communities Sept 2026 Available supports mapped and communicated Practitioner and community feedback 15.3 Work with services on more inclusive communications in line with Residents Research findings Connected Communities Dec 2026 Examples of improved communications
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OFFICIAL Using insight and evidence for impact This priority focuses on turning data, evidence, and lived experience into action that improves outcomes for local communities. It builds on successful approaches such as our Cost of Living dashboard and aims to strengthen collaboration across services and partners to share and use data effectively. Where we are now We have demonstrated the power of targeted data use, for example, increasing uptake of holiday provision among low-income families and driving pension credit claims by using housing benefit data. We have also developed innovative models of participation, embedding lived experience in policy and practice. Our goal is to expand these approaches across different communities and services. Data sharing and interpretation can be complex—even within our own organisation—and even more so with partners. National datasets often lack the local detail we need, making it harder to plan and deliver services at ward or community level. We’ve had clear feedback from communities that they want to see genuine engagement and feedback mechanisms when working with the Council, and we recognise that for some communities we need to work on building trust and openness. Strategic actions Improve data sharing and integration Use insight to drive targeted action Build a culture of learning
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OFFICIAL Using insight and evidence for impact: Actions Improve data sharing and integration 16.1 Develop Cost of Living dashboard and strengthen partnerships for data exchange Connected Communities June 2026 Dashboard produced and shared regularly 16.2 Consider where developments in Artificial Intelligence might support the way we use data and systems Finance and Resources Mar 2027 AI workstreams and projects considered with ‘Fairer Renfrewshire’ lens Use insight to drive targeted action 17.1 Apply learning from lived experience and practitioner feedback to shape services, with a focus on customer facing services Connected Communities Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group Dec 2026 Feedback at Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group 17.2 Ensure communities see how their input influences decisions Connected Communities Communications, marketing and events Mar 2027 Feedback mechanisms developed Community feedback 17.3 Continue to embed lived experience and lesser heard voices as part of corporate approach to consultation and engagement Strategy Policy & Insight Connected Communities Dec 2026 Measure: Number of people engaged in consultation and engagement activity, and demographics 17.4 Ensure the voice of young people are captured and acted upon, including Care Experienced Young People Childrens Services Connected Communities Mar 2026 and ongoing Measure reported through Children’s Service Partnership Plan Build a culture of learning 18.1 Share best practice across services and partners to improve consistency Connected Communities Mar 2027 Feedback at Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group 18.2 Consider the development of ‘No Wrong Door’ type network to support colleagues and partners to share knowledge and learning Connected Communities Mar 2027 Feedback at Fairer Renfrewshire Officer Group 18.3 Introduce a Fairer Renfrewshire Champions Network for staff to act as local advocates for Connected Communities HR/OD December 2026 Group set up/outcomes of meetings
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OFFICIAL fairness and inclusion within services, supporting cultural change and engaging with the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel/other voice groups, eg. DEAR Increase Transparency 19.1 Work with the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel to build an enhanced Dashboard so the public can easily see how Renfrewshire is performing across measures such as customer service and housing. Connected Communities Mar 2027 Dashboard developed and online