For Communities – DTAS Community Ownership Support Service

Module 1: Introduction to Community Asset Transfer

The Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) invites you to an online presentation providing an introduction to the Community Asset Transfer process, designed specifically for community groups interested in Asset Transfer. This webinar concerns the transfer of PUBLICLY-OWNED assets (assets owned by local authorities and public bodies for example) rather than privately-owned assets .

This webinar will take you through:

What is asset transfer?
What are the rights for community groups under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015?
Am I eligible to use these rights?
What do I need to do to submit an Asset Transfer Request?
AND Where can I get support?

Module 6: Facilities Management

This module aims to provide an introduction to running an asset effectively post-acquisition.

It considers key issues such as premises management, maintenance and use, financial controls and sustainability, risk management, social value and good environmental practice. It relates strongly to the previous modules in this programme, which contain information to ensure that once you take control of the asset, regardless of tenure, you will be in a strong position to manage it successfully.

Module 5: Governance and People

The single biggest factor in the success of your plans is how you utilise the people around you – those who share your ambitions and those willing to volunteer their time to support them!

This webinar is a mixture of presentation, access to tools and an opportunity to ask questions. It is ideal for groups at an early stage in the asset transfer process to consider the importance of people in your plans and how to make best use the people working with you.

This webinar will take you through:

What does ‘Good Governance’ look like?

How to build the capacity of your people

The importance of effective Leadership

The importance of volunteers and staff members.

You will come away from this session with an understanding of the importance of people and governance structures, some of the tools that can help you and links to other services who can assist you on your journey.

Module 4: Financial Planning

This module aims to cover the basics of managing your organisation’s finances and provide practical examples:

Why is financial planning important?

Overview of the financial planning process

Case study

Q& A

Module 3: Business Planning

This webinar looks at business planning as part of the Asset Transfer process. The module covers:

What is a business plan for
Contents of business plan – an overview
Generating income – and who can help and some case studies
Knowing your costs – what you will need at key stages
Marketing tools and techniques
Planning and Milestones
Top tips for a business plan

Module 2: Feasibility

This module aims to provide community groups with the knowledge and practical skills required to explore the feasibility of engaging in Community Asset Transfer. It focuses on a number of areas, including the user demand and organisational asset transfer readiness. The core learning outcomes of this module are:

To understand the process of asset assessment
To gain knowledge on the factors impacting upon sustainability
To understand the importance of proving demand and ensuring strategic fit
To gain knowledge of the steps necessary to scope an asset and identify legal issues
To gain knowledge of building internal capacity to match the needs of the project
To understand how to conduct a risk analysis for the project
To understand the key components of a feasibility study

Module 1B: Introduction to Community Right to Buy

This module has been developed by COSS to supplement our guidance ‘Module 1B – Introduction to Community Right to Buy’. The Webinar will provide community groups considering Community Right to Buy (CRtB) with:

A comparison between the CRtB options
An overview of the processes for the three main CRtB powers
Guidance on how to prepare for using these rights
Case studies of groups who have used these rights

Module 1: Introduction to Community Asset Transfer

The Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) invites you to an online presentation providing an introduction to the Community Asset Transfer process, designed specifically for community groups interested in Asset Transfer. This webinar concerns the transfer of PUBLICLY-OWNED assets (assets owned by local authorities and public bodies for example) rather than privately-owned assets .

This webinar will take you through:

What is asset transfer?
What are the rights for community groups under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015?
Am I eligible to use these rights?
What do I need to do to submit an Asset Transfer Request?
AND Where can I get support?

Module 4 – Financial Planning

This module aims to cover the basics of managing your organisation’s finances and provide practical examples:

Why is financial planning important?
Overview of the financial planning process
Case study
Q& A

The webinar will run on Thursday 24th August from 10am to 12:30. It will include a break and a Q&A.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Community Asset Transfer Information Night – Inverclyde

Are you thinking about taking ownership or lease of a local community asset?

Do you want to find out what’s involved and how to start to consider your options?

Come along to the Information Session hosted by the Community Ownership Support Service (COSS).

No previous knowledge required, open space for questions, discussions, and advice from experienced advisors.

Module 4: Financial Planning

This module aims to cover the basics of managing your organisation’s finances and provide practical examples:

Why is financial planning important?
Overview of the financial planning process
Case study
Q& A

The webinar will run on Thursday 24th August from 10am to 12:30. It will include a break and a Q&A.

Attendance is free. Upon sign-up, you will receive the Module 4 – Financial Planning workbook.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Book here

Module 6: Asset and Facilities Management

This module aims to provide an introduction to running an asset effectively post-acquisition.

It considers key issues such as premises management, maintenance and use, financial controls and sustainability, risk management, social value and good environmental practice. It relates strongly to the previous modules in this programme, which contain information to ensure that once you take control of the asset, regardless of tenure, you will be in a strong position to manage it successfully.

The webinar will run on Thursday 26th October 10am to 12:30.

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted via Zoom.

If you have any questions, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Module 5 – Governance and People

This Governance and People webinar is a mixture of presentation, access to tools and an opportunity to ask questions. It is ideal for groups at an early stage in the asset transfer process to consider the importance of people in your plans and how to make best use the people working with you.

This webinar will take you through:

What does ‘Good Governance’ look like?
How to build the capacity of your people
The importance of effective Leadership
The importance of volunteers and staff members.

You will come away from this session with an understanding of the importance of people and governance structures, some of the tools that can help you and links to other services who can assist you on your journey.

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted on Zoom. The webinar will run from 10am to 12:30 on Thursday 21st September.

If you have any questions please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Module 3: Business Planning

COSS’ Module 3 – Business Planning. Part of COSS’ Assets for People and Places webinar series for community groups.

This webinar looks at business planning as part of the Asset Transfer process. The module covers:

– What is a business plan for

– Contents of business plan – an overview

– Generating income – and who can help and some case studies

– Knowing your costs – what you will need at key stages

– Marketing tools and techniques

– Planning and Milestones

– Top tips for a business plan

The webinar will be held on Zoom. It will include short breaks and a Q&A allowing you to ask queries specific to your group’s interest.

Attendance is free. The webinar will run 10am to 12:30.

If you have any questions about the webinar, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Module 2: Feasibility

This module aims to provide community groups with the knowledge and practical skills required to explore the feasibility of engaging in Community Asset Transfer. It focuses on a number of areas, including the user demand and organisational asset transfer readiness. The core learning outcomes of this module are:

– To gain knowledge on the factors impacting upon sustainability

– To understand the importance of proving demand and ensuring strategic fit

– To gain knowledge of the steps necessary to scope an asset and identify legal issues

– To gain knowledge of building internal capacity to match the needs of the project

– To understand how to conduct a risk analysis for the project

– To understand the key components of a feasibility study

The webinar lasts two and a half hours and will include a break and a Q&A at the end. It will be conducted via Zoom.

If you have any questions about any of this, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Module 1B: Introduction to Community Right to Buy

This module has been developed by COSS to supplement our new guidance ‘Module 1B – Introduction to Community Right to Buy’. The Webinar will provide community groups considering Community Right to Buy (CRtB) with:

A comparison between the CRtB options
An overview of the processes for the three main CRtB powers
Guidance on how to prepare for using these rights
Case studies of groups who have used these rights

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted via Teams.

Please note, CRtB generally concerns privately-owned assets. If you are interested in publicly-owned assets, our Module 1: Introduction to Community Asset Transfer will be more relevant.

For more information please email coss@dtascot.org.uk.

Module 1: Introduction to Asset Transfer

The Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) invites you to an online presentation providing an introduction to the Community Asset Transfer process, designed specifically for community groups interested in Asset Transfer. This webinar concerns the transfer of PUBLICLY-OWNED assets (assets owned by local authorities and public bodies for example) rather than privately-owned assets .

This webinar will take you through:

What is asset transfer?
What are the rights for community groups under Part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015?
Am I eligible to use these rights?
What do I need to do to submit an Asset Transfer Request?
Where can I get support?

The webinar will run for 2 hours. We will have a break after 40 mins and a Q+A session at the end.

This webinar will run on Thursday 16th March from 10am to 12:30. A link to the online event will be sent to the email you use to sign up.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

Introduction to Project Management

Are you involved in planning a building project, a new service or an asset transfer? Do you need to improve your project planning and management skills?

This webinar aims to give you an introduction to project management approaches and leave you with some useful tools to manage the project more effectively.

We will look at some practical approaches to planning and delivering successful projects covering: the basics of project management; starting and planning; running the project; controlling and monitoring progress and bringing the project to an end.

The webinar will run on Thursday 23 February from 10am to 12:00.

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted via Zoom.

Book here.

If you have any questionls please email coss@dtascot.org.uk

How can I reduce my community buildings energy bills, now and in the future?

This webinar will:

Provide practical solutions to reducing your energy consumption now.
Give you information on how you can decarbonise your community building and become more energy efficient, including information on the CARES programme.
Outline what the benefits may be of signing up to the Scottish Government Utilities Framework and how to go about doing that.

Speakers will include:

Ryan Felber – Business Energy Advisor for Business Energy Scotland – Top tips for reducing energy consumption now.
Mhairi MacSween and Graham McGrath –CARES Development Officers, Local Energy Scotland – how can I decarbonise my community building and make it even more energy efficient.
TBC – Overview of the Scottish Government Utilities Framework and how you can join.

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted via Zoom.

Click ‘register’ to book your place. If you have any questions, please get in touch with denise@dtascot.org.uk

We are grateful to William Grant Foundation for funding the COSS Facilities Management service.

How can I reduce my community buildings energy bills, now and in the future?

This webinar will:

Provide practical solutions to reducing your energy consumption now.
Give you information on how you can decarbonise your community building and become more energy efficient, including information on the CARES programme.
Outline what the benefits may be of signing up to the Scottish Government Utilities Framework and how to go about doing that.

Speakers will include:

Ryan Felber – Business Energy Advisor for Business Energy Scotland – Top tips for reducing energy consumption now.
Mhairi MacSween and Graham McGrath –CARES Development Officers, Local Energy Scotland – how can I decarbonise my community building and make it even more energy efficient.
TBC – Overview of the Scottish Government Utilities Framework and how you can join.

Attendance is free and the webinar will be conducted via Zoom.

Click ‘register’ to book your place. If you have any questions, please get in touch with denise@dtascot.org.uk

We are grateful to William Grant Foundation for funding the COSS Facilities Management service.